Evaluation

My media product develops and challenges forms and conventions of real media products as I have used the technical elements of camerawork, mise en scene, editing and sound/music to develop and construct an opening sequence. By analysing various thrilling media products under these technical elements, this has influenced my development to show similarities to real opening sequences.

Real media products I have analysed and referred from are Horror Thrillers (Chillers) that use a child as a key role for thrilling aspects. Films I have studied and focused on are ‘The Shining’ and ‘The Omen’. From these media products, I have learned how the change in sudden pace and camera shots can create a thrilling climax to shock an audience.

The camerawork in these films varies during a climaxing scene as it begins with slow paced shots and develops into short fast paced shots and ending with a climaxed ‘big bang’. I have used these convention by starting my film with slow paced long shots and gradually developing into faster paced close up shots. This gives the effect, with the combination of sound to shock my audience with a climax.

The mise en scene in these films portrays a sense of darkness and being alone, with an unnatural life form being present. I have used these conventions in my sequence by setting my locations in an empty graveyard leading to an empty park. This gives a sense of darkness and being alone, perhaps even being watched by an unnatural life form.

The editing of shots in these films in a climaxing scene flow from slow paced long shots, usually setting the scene and explains the general feel of the plot gradually building up to more fast paced close up shots, to give adrenaline and suspense to the plot that leads to the climax. I have used this convention by editing a variety of slow paced shots to set the scene of a man in a graveyard placing a toy by his deceased child’s gravestone. This leads to faster paced shots of the man’s interaction to the ghost of his son, leading to his death.

The non-diagetic sound effects in these films during a climaxing scene relates to the camerawork and the editing of shots. The sounds flow according to the flow of the slow paced shots leading to the fast paced shots. This shows a base of quiet soothing music that gradually get louder and louder, in order to reveal a sense of danger. Sometimes before a sound reaches its last ‘big bang’ for its climax, there’s a pause of silence which lowers an audiences expectations, but eventually shocks
them with the ‘big bang’. I have applied this convention to my sequence by creating a sorrowful string instrumental that relates to the atmosphere of being in a graveyard. This tone reveals the man’s mood and emotions and shows empathy for him. As the man makes his way to the bench, the sound changes to a more dramatic thumping noise to reveal a sense of danger is upon him. The dramatic thumping noise varies in tone and volume when the child is seen and makes his way to the man. As the child makes his way, the sound gradually lowers volume but unexpectedly a loud high pitched noise appears when the child’s face is revealed with an extreme close up. This is the climaxing shot of the sequence.

My media product only has two characters portrayed but represents various social groups.

The man in my sequence portrays a young father figure who has recently lost their child or relative. He is a young Asian man dressed smartly in a long black jacket and black trousers. He is most likely to be religious as he is visiting a gravestone.

The connotations of the man being young relates to teenage pregnancy and parents. The man dressing smartly reveals he is intelligent, most likely working class. His black clothing represents death.

The man can relate to people of the working class or possibly higher, teenage fathers and those who have lost love ones. He shows the background of a person who had a child at a very young age but still succeeds through life, with the downfall of a death.

The child in my sequence portrays a diseased family member that is revealed from a man visiting a grave and placing a cherished toy of the child. The child is then portrayed as a ghost that confronts the man with the toy, and leads him to his death. He is a young child that died at the age of 5. He once was of an Asian-Jamaican background but has features of a pale white face. He wears a hooded jacket, jeans and canvas trainers.

The toy laid on the gravestone relates to the child as it resembles a child’s happiness and prised possession. The placement of the toy shows where it best belonged and that it was the child’s favourite.


The connotations of the child having a ghostly appearance can relate to death and monstrous. His youthful costume can relate to rebels, danger or crime. This has twisted the representation of childhood innocence.

The child can also represent the youthful social groups from the trend of the hooded jacket.

Different media institutions could distribute my media product. My movie could start off as apart of a small independent UK release distributed around a small number of UK ‘art-house’ cinemas because of the low budget and lack of popularity. It is probably also most suited for a ‘made for TV’ of ‘Cable rental’ film because it is most likely to have a weak amount of publicity to promote the film for it to distribute around the world since it lacks actors with any celebrity status, the amount of action and effects, and could show a boring and depressing side to film. If popularity grows upon the film from the small independent UK releases or shown on TV, it could be replaced to try break into becoming big Hollywood Blockbuster. Without any type of appeal or maybe even famous actors, it is rare it would be fairly successful as a big Hollywood Blockbuster. Everything about the product would need to be constructed well with well-known distributors, an excellent production team and a high funding facility, as well as an excellent pitch.

My main audience for my media product are my piers, classmates, students, teachers and those who use it for an educational use. It is aimed to a mainstream audience of teenagers and students of both genders who enjoy Horror Thrillers (Chillers) that use a child as a key role for thrilling aspects. A typical person who fits into my target audience could be:

‘Benny, 21, Graphics Design student, works in Starbucks and loves going cinema most Friday’s with his girlfriend to watch scary movies to scare her. Shops in American Apparel and likes old fashion American dinner food.’

The theme of my film is a Horror Thriller and the most thrilling and scariest aspect of my film the child. I could market my film by making the lead role of the child a ‘star’ and attract audiences with his frightening appeal. I would advertise the child’s terrifying face or his toy or both or even the effect he has on people around him (death, shock, reactions) on billboards, bus posters, bus stops, trailers, television advertisements and internet website and campaigns. I think my attracting/addressing my film to popular restaurants like McDonalds would be inappropriate because restaurants promote families, fun and happiness while I promote the opposite of death, horror and shock.

From the process of constructing my media product, I have learned that technology plays a big part for it to be successful.

On a practical hands-on level, I have learned that using modern high quality up-to date digital cameras and using computers with up-to-date software’s allows filming and editing become easier and quicker to produce a film. Using modern cameras allows the visual and hearing aspects of film much clearer to watch and hear. Software’s like Final Cut Pro allow clips to be manipulated and have effects that can not be recorded through the camera lens. It allows the entering of text onto a clip to allow credits and subtitles the software.

Soundtrack Pro allows music to do anything it wants. You can create sounds that relate to the film and easily edit back and forth from different software’s if you are unhappy with outcomes with shot editing or sound editing. Soundtrack Pro has a variety of short sounds that constructed together can make a really good piece of film.

There are no boundaries when using these software’s. They help contribute towards the films plot and story through effects. It expands the genres of film and allows the impossible possible.

Other technologies I have used throughout this media project is the internet, both to record the filming process on a ‘blog’ and to research thrillers on sites like ‘Youtube.com’.

The internet has allowed me to do online blogging rather than developing a written diary, which has made the process of writing it far quicker and the quality of my writing better. The internet allows me to show my blogs clearly. The blogs allow me to present straight links and photos that I can upload that relates to what I am writing about. It is easy to access from any computer around the world and for teachers to view it and comment upon. You can edit any blog if necessary and it can not be lost like a book.

Also, the internet helps me for my research and analysis as I can access information and clips related to my work. Sites like ‘Youtube.com’ allow me to view mostly any clip I want for free at a fast rate. In addition, the internet allows me to upload my film on my blog and any video site including ‘Youtube.com’, which widens my potential audience for my product.