Binyam Teklebrhan A2 Coursework Evaluation

1. A2 Media Studies Coursework Evaluation

3. Films in this sub genre usually merge portions of high octane action with slowly paced sections of great tension and suspense.

4. In ‘Hoodie’ we aim to emulate this blueprint, although we stray away from his at times to create a unique product which challenges and develops these codes.Action in ‘I Am Legend’ Suspense in ‘I Am Legend’

6. The technical codes of a thriller usually include fast paced segments merged with gritty tense sections. These fast paced passages are created through the use of quick cuts between shots and are maintained through sequences made up of tracking shots and other camera movements.( see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahHcsH_e_rk) Throughout the production of our short film we attempted to imitate these classic conventions in order to create tension and anticipation amongst the audience.

7. In particular we used cross-cutting techniques to construct the fast paced sequence where the different camera shots, mostly medium shots and close ups, where put together without transition to help maintain the speed. A fast paced score is also vital to help uphold the speed of a film and this is another common convention we adopt.Click to play video

9. While my sequence attempts to mirror these conventions I also challenge some of these due to the fact that my tense sequence is shot in broad daylight which contributes to the high level of light. I believe this scene is just as effective even though it strays away from the common conventions which can be seen as a development of this classic convention. However still used slow motion and extreme close ups in this sequence, so although I altered it I still used the conventional blueprint of thriller films.

10. At these positions in the film the score usually takes up a slow, low pitched tone or loses the score altogether which is key in terms of slowing down the sequence and bringing about a feeling of suspense among the audience. Despite this common convention in the genre, in our production we carry on with the same fast paced score and simply lower the volume. This works well due to the fact that the diegetic sounds can now be heard above the score adding to the suspense and the realism.Close up in ‘The Strangers’ contributing to the suspense Click to play video

12. My film is set in the suburban area of west London which is an unusual area to set an action-thriller to say the least while it is also set in broad daylight. The mise-en-scene of the characters in my short film also differs greatly from the mise-un-scene of the characters that usually appear in such films. The costumes the characters wear are commonplace among this genre but the fact that both characters are black, even the successful “good guy”, proves to be a major challenge of these common codes. Nonetheless I still use much of the common symbolic conventions such as the use of a key prop, which is a very significant inclusion, as well as the body language portrayed by the characters throughout the film is typical amongst films of this genre. I believe the use of a young black male as the protagonist in my product can be viewed as an updating of the conventional codes used in films in general as it is more representative of society which is now essentially multicultural.‘James Bond’, classic protagonist Villain in ‘Hoodie’ Villain in ‘Casino Royale’. Good Guy in ‘Hoodie’

13. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? In the majority of media productions the title appears at the beginning of the film along with some names of key actors and directors etc. The written codes in my production both develop and challenge the typical written conventions which appear in these films. This is essentially seen by the fact that the title of the film appears right at the end following the entire sequence which is unusual for a short film. This is followed by very brief credits. I feel this way of doing the titles is unique and works successfully in terms of the way the film is allowed to develop and the fact that the film is allowed to progress without wasting time. I feel this is very important in a short film simply because they are so brief and time shouldn’t be wasted. Title at the end of the film (4:27)

16. They are made up of ; a section title, a headline, a strap line, an introduction, subheadings/breakout paragraphs, columns, pictures, graphics and logos, breakout boxes and issue information.

19. What I believe makes the main product appeal to the teenage age group is simply the action packed theme of the film. It is a story base on anti-social behaviour, in particular ‘hoodies’, making it a topic which would interest people of this age group regardless of one’s race or gender. This is reinforced by the fast paced hip-hop style score which again appeals to this age group. Moreover the purpose of the film is to entertain, so there is an inclusion of certain comical moments which occur throughout the film such as when one of the characters trips over.Click to play video

24. Also while the poster is created and accepted as a form of advertisement from the film production company and is likely to be seen as a subjective piece of text, the review is independent of the film company and provides an third party opinion on the film and is understood by the audience as being objective. From the film production companies point of view both texts are important in terms of promoting the film as they serve different purposes to the audience.