The student's media product used several forms and conventions from real films to develop their project. They used standard camera shots and rules during filming. Research on film opening sequences helped with editing their title sequence in After Effects, adding distorted titles to introduce the main character. They also used a speeding up technique from "Doctor Who" during a hand transformation scene to add mystery and suspense. The opening uses various camera techniques like low and close up shots to establish the relationship between the main character and killer and show emotion and confusion. Research on techniques and editing helped the film fit into the thriller genre.

1. Media portfolio – Question 1
By Ryan Parsons

2. In What Ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products.
• Our Film “Cursed Life” use forms and conventions of real media products to help develop our project, For
example we used a range of camera shots and rules such as the 180 degree rule which was part of the
research before we started filming our piece. The research on film opening sequences helped with the
making and editing of the film as I saw how the opening sequences are pieced together. One example was
from the opening of the film “Seven”, the titles were clear but distorted and that was the theme we were
looking for when editing the title sequence in Adobe after effects and using the animation prefects to add
titles on to the footage of the film ta make specific parts of the sequence distorted and to show the mind
of the main character in the thriller.
Another effect that we used from real media products was the speeding up of the hand transformation. The
idea was used in an episode from the BBC Drama “Doctor Who” when the peoples heads which are shaking is
speed up to show the transformation. I felt this technique is useful for our thriller because it adds a sense of
mystery and would leave the audience thinking on what has happened and why it has happened. This
technique is also useful in building up the suspense in our title sequence.
Our film opening has used many camera techniques and effects to show different aspects of the main title in
hope that people get to know the main character as he is the main presence in the opening and also to
uncover the killer and to show the relationship between the two characters. There is a low shot to show the
killers face which shows that he has power and control over the main character. After this there was a close up
of the main characters face which shows the confusion of the event prior to this. Many films use a close up to
show the emotions of a character in a situation. This was present throughout our opening to show a change in
the main character.
I feel that the research done before the start of the project helped with ideas for filming techniques and editing
to make our film fit into the correct genre.

3. The Transformation of the main
character to the killer. –Using
After Effects to create a
disorientating view of the killer.
This adds effect on to the film
fitting this on to the genre of a
horror thriller.