In what ways does your media product, use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
There are many ways in which our media product uses, develops and challenges forms and conventions of real media products. In this evaluation I will look at how our product does this and why we chose to do this. I will start by looking at ways in which our product uses forms and conventions of real media products.
Firstly for all of our short film (until the dream sequence) we used a form of editing called ‘continuity editing’. Continuity is used in a lot of media products and texts, this is due to the fact it makes them appear more realistic to the audience in which they are aimed at. These media products can range from a relatively simple short film (such as ours) to a high budget Hollywood film. We felt continuity editing would be extremely useful for our short film as it gives the spectator a sense of realism. It also allows for a more obvious sense of disorientation when the dream sequence begins. Here is a simple video demonstrating continuity editing. This includes the 180 degree rule and sound bridges.
Another way in which our media production uses a convention of real media products is with the ‘Three act structure’. This is generally used in all television dramas, films and short films.
This equilibrium in our production is when Alfie returns home after Rugby, this is apparently a very normal circumstance in the boy’s life. The disruption to this equilibrium however comes from when he is home alone and the watching of a scary film. The dream Alfie has acts as a stage to show the spectator the problem in which the child has; this is essentially Alfie being afraid of snakes. The resolution however comes from where Alfie befriends the snake in his dream; this therefore creates the new equilibrium where everything is normal and Alfie no longer fears snakes.
Another convention our product uses is the transition between real life and dream being very obvious to the spectator. This technique can be seen in other media products: such as Spellbound by Alfred Hitchcock. The reason we used this was to allow the spectator to see a clear difference between what is real in the film and what is not. This is also shown by a number of jump cuts we used to break down the continuity, all emphasising the dream quality of the film.
The final convention that our media product uses that is similar to that of real media products is the use of sound as a way of helping continuity. This is often done with sound bridges (shown in the continuity video above). Sound bridges are a common part of most films and television dramas, especially when they feature a conversation between two or more people. An example of a sound bridge from our film comes from when Alfie is watching television (both in his dream and in reality). The television sound can be heard, even when the camera is doing a close up on Alfie’s face.
Next I will look at how our media product conforms to forms and conventions of real media products. Firstly our product conforms to the ideology that most boys are interested in sport. This is shown in our product from Alfie being male and wearing a Rugby kit. Males liking and being involved in sport is also widely accepted amongst the media, this is evident as most films that revolve around sport feature and almost male cast.
Another way our product conforms to conventions of real media products is with the use of Alfie having a nightmare after watching a film that has been rated by the BBFC as PG. This is also useful to our production as it emphasizes the fact that Alfie is young, home alone and impressionable.
Although these, our media product does more to challenge forms and conventions of real media products than conform to them. It challenges the ideology often found in films that children need a parent or guardian figure around them (‘Home Alone’ for example). This is evident in our media product as Alfie happily walks home alone and uses a key to get into his locked house. The fact he has a key can also indicate two things. One is that he is home alone often, or two being that Alfie is simply trusted by his parents.
It also challenges the fact that most films depict snakes as bad creatures (‘Snakes on a Plane’, ‘Anaconda’). This is why we thought it would be good to film a friendly snake to show young children, much like a nursery rhyme (which was one of our original ideas).
Our film does however challenge itself in some place. For example the child being independent enough to walk home and be home alone but cuddles a toy and gets under the covers when he’s scared. This however could conform to the idea that everybody needs family and care when they are scared.
There are many ways in which our media product uses, develops and challenges forms and conventions of real media products. In this evaluation I will look at how our product does this and why we chose to do this. I will start by looking at ways in which our product uses forms and conventions of real media products.
Firstly for all of our short film (until the dream sequence) we used a form of editing called ‘continuity editing’. Continuity is used in a lot of media products and texts, this is due to the fact it makes them appear more realistic to the audience in which they are aimed at. These media products can range from a relatively simple short film (such as ours) to a high budget Hollywood film. We felt continuity editing would be extremely useful for our short film as it gives the spectator a sense of realism. It also allows for a more obvious sense of disorientation when the dream sequence begins. Here is a simple video demonstrating continuity editing. This includes the 180 degree rule and sound bridges.
Another way in which our media production uses a convention of real media products is with the ‘Three act structure’. This is generally used in all television dramas, films and short films.
This equilibrium in our production is when Alfie returns home after Rugby, this is apparently a very normal circumstance in the boy’s life. The disruption to this equilibrium however comes from when he is home alone and the watching of a scary film. The dream Alfie has acts as a stage to show the spectator the problem in which the child has; this is essentially Alfie being afraid of snakes. The resolution however comes from where Alfie befriends the snake in his dream; this therefore creates the new equilibrium where everything is normal and Alfie no longer fears snakes.
Another convention our product uses is the transition between real life and dream being very obvious to the spectator. This technique can be seen in other media products: such as Spellbound by Alfred Hitchcock. The reason we used this was to allow the spectator to see a clear difference between what is real in the film and what is not. This is also shown by a number of jump cuts we used to break down the continuity, all emphasising the dream quality of the film.
The final convention that our media product uses that is similar to that of real media products is the use of sound as a way of helping continuity. This is often done with sound bridges (shown in the continuity video above). Sound bridges are a common part of most films and television dramas, especially when they feature a conversation between two or more people. An example of a sound bridge from our film comes from when Alfie is watching television (both in his dream and in reality). The television sound can be heard, even when the camera is doing a close up on Alfie’s face.
Next I will look at how our media product conforms to forms and conventions of real media products. Firstly our product conforms to the ideology that most boys are interested in sport. This is shown in our product from Alfie being male and wearing a Rugby kit. Males liking and being involved in sport is also widely accepted amongst the media, this is evident as most films that revolve around sport feature and almost male cast.
Another way our product conforms to conventions of real media products is with the use of Alfie having a nightmare after watching a film that has been rated by the BBFC as PG. This is also useful to our production as it emphasizes the fact that Alfie is young, home alone and impressionable.
Although these, our media product does more to challenge forms and conventions of real media products than conform to them. It challenges the ideology often found in films that children need a parent or guardian figure around them (‘Home Alone’ for example). This is evident in our media product as Alfie happily walks home alone and uses a key to get into his locked house. The fact he has a key can also indicate two things. One is that he is home alone often, or two being that Alfie is simply trusted by his parents.
It also challenges the fact that most films depict snakes as bad creatures (‘Snakes on a Plane’, ‘Anaconda’). This is why we thought it would be good to film a friendly snake to show young children, much like a nursery rhyme (which was one of our original ideas).
Our film does however challenge itself in some place. For example the child being independent enough to walk home and be home alone but cuddles a toy and gets under the covers when he’s scared. This however could conform to the idea that everybody needs family and care when they are scared.
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