Evaluation

1) In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Ways in which our thriller provides generic conventions are through the use of components such as mise-en-scene and cinematography elements. The antagonist of our product is identified to the audience in order for them to understand the concept of the thriller and his role in the film as well as being able to form their own opinion of him. As we only had a two minute time frame, one of the most important tasks was to establish the roles of the main characters. We accomplished the representation of the antagonist, the mystery man (David) by the use shots as he is viewed through an over the shoulder shot capturing the back of him as Jessica the victim runs away. These shots instantly reveal that he is the stereotypical male antagonist being the one to chase after a defenceless young girl.

The use of conventions display an action thriller sub-genre, with the use of mise en scene elements, for example, the choice of location being a long street leading to a house, suggest the film might feature a chase between the antagonist and victim. This suggests that it’s an action thriller. In our group, our intention was to build suspense by creating enigmas as to who the antagonist might be and what happens to the woman that is meant to help Jessica and final what happens to the victim. We first decided to have Melinda and David entering the house together so that Jessica realises Melinda isn't who she thinks she is, but later we decided to have a more of a dramatic effect which we will have Jessica seeming abandoned. This will have more of an affects on the audience it builds up a lot of questions in there mind which makes them want to watch more.

The use of Todorov theory helped us plan the outline of our film, as it helped us understand what conventions and aspects made a thriller what it is. With the used of this theory we were able to produce our sequence efficiently.

1. The fictional environment begins with a state of equilibrium (everything is as it should be), this was used as Melinda helped Jessica into her house and offered to cater to her.

2. It then suffers some disruption (disequilibrium), as Melinda takes to long to get back Jessica goes into the kitchen to look for her and finds the opposite of what she accepted.

3. New equilibrium is produced at the end of the narrative, this happens as Jessica runs out of the house but then is disjointed again as she is grabbed.

The first image is of the character Melinda; I chose this image as it shows how her being introduced into the scene, from this image the audience can see what characteristics she possesses. As she is cleaning the window she is conveyed as tidy, well kept. From the view of her being seen as such a person we expect her to be a nice friendly person, which later on in the scene we see her help out Jessica. She therefore takes on the role as the protagonist which in a thriller is vital to have.

The Second shot I have chosen is of Jessica running down the street. With the use of this screen grab we are able to establish the location of the scene taking place and realises that it supports the typical convention of a thriller as it is a realistic situation in a realistic location. This makes it easier for the audience as they are able to relate to the film because of how realistic it is.

The third screen shot I have chosen is of a cordless phone, which was one of the main props used.We took the batteries out of the phone which we did to plant in the audiences mind a mystery of to who might have taken the batteries out and why they are missing.

The fourth screen grab is of our title "Unsuspected". This at the end of our opening sequence, as it shows that the scenes that happened before that are just a preview of what is about to happened. The use of the colours black and red are used to represent the intensity in the thriller. The Screen grab of the title contrasts with our thriller genre as because it creates as the title itself creates enigmas as to what it is that is so unsuspected and also the front and colours that are used.

An establishing shot is used in the fifth screen shot as Jessica is knocking on Melinda’s door. A range of shots are used at the door scene between Melinda and Jessica which shows the audience both sides to the conversation. The use of this shot doesn't particularly show typical conventions of a thriller but it helps to convey what is happening in the scene.

In the sixth image a point of view shot is established as Jessica notices the doors being open. The use of this shot raises enigmas, the use of this convention builds suspense to how the doors managed to be open as before she left the room the doors were closed.

An over the shoulder shot is used in the last screen grab showing the victim running away from the antagonist. The use of this shot helps me as the director to convey a typical thriller convention of a chase between the antagonist and victim.