Evaluation - Question 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or

challenge forms and conventions of real media

products?

Evaluation Question

1

The title of the filmThe title 'Se7en' is linguistically effective as it connotes that there will be seven deadly crime scenes. We have challenged this media product's title as we have named our own media product 'Lost and Not Found'. We have not incorporated numbers in the film; the inclusion of the number '7' plainly states a concept and signifies a key feature to the film. We have not used any numbers and the title clearly connotes the theme of the film (kidnapping). Just as Taken is quite self-explanatory in outlining the concept of the film. The title 'Se7en' does not clearly convey the concept of the film.

Real media product

Setting/locationOur media product develops the convention of location in Silence of the Lambs. The location of the scene where agent Starling meets Hannibal Lector, instantly conveys danger and vulnerability. In our media product we have used a transition of location with the female character moving from a 'safe', public location to an isolated location in the park, with nobody around. This creates dramatic effect and build suspense gradually as the audience is aware that Sophie Harper is vulnerable and susceptible to be kidnapped by her stalker.

Real media product

Costumes and propsThe convention of mise-en-scene in the media product 'Seven' signifies that criminal actions are taking place; but this use of props creates a mysterious tone and start the the opening sequence. I have challenged this convention in our media product as we have used props such as a missing poster, and the projected image to clearly convey the recognition of the crime taking place. Our product is different to Seven as the audience knows the crime that has taken place (the kidnap sequence comes before the police conference) and so there is no element of mystery like that in Seven.

Camerawork and editingEye-line match has been used for spoken conversation in Silence Of The Lambs. I have developed this convention in our own media product; I used an eye-line match to follow the young girl through the market square from the eyes of the kidnapper. This is used to make the audience feel uncomfortable and wary of the kidnapper.

Title font and styleOur product's title font/style develops 'Se7en's' style. We have used the concept of having white text on a black background. Not only is this easy to read as a title but it is also very dramatic and connotes how the film itself will be 'black and white' - the truth about the crime will eventually be concealed to the viewer. However we have developed the font style as our font is more plain compared to 'Seven's' more gothic/horror styled font. They are both crime films, but they are both presented in a different way (form)

Story and how the opening sets it upIn Taken, the opening clearly shows the relationship between the father and his daughter - the audience clearly understands how much she means to him through the use of flashback and props (Katie's photo from her birthday is stuck in his personal scrapbook for his daughter). This sets up the story as when she is taken, her father is determined to fight for the daughter he loves. Our media product challenges this opening narrative as the Sophie Harper's family relations are not revealed until after she has been kidnapped. This connotes how it is almost too late for any of her family to help her.

Genre and how the opening suggests itOur product uses particular forms and conventions from other real media products to convey the crime/thriller genre to the audience. The extreme close up of Hannibal Lector's eyes in Silence Of The Lambs, portray him as the villain/bad character (according to Vladamir Propp's character theory) and makes the audience feel uneasy. Likewise, we have used the same form of cinematography by including an extreme close up shot of the kidnapper's eyes. This too portrays the kidnapper as a villainous character and the one that is likely to be responsible for committing the crime.

How characters are introduced?Sophie's mother is introduced differently in our media product compared to Katie's mother in Taken. We have challenged Taken's sequencing. When the mother is introduced in Taken she is content at her daughters birthday party and knows her daughter is safe and happy. Whereas we have challenged the sequencing in this media product - the mother is first introduced as being upset at the loss of her daughter Sophie. 'Lost and not Found' portrays the feelings of a mother after the daughter has gone missing, whereas Taken portrays the feelings the mother has before the daughter has gone missing.

Special effects Se7en has used special effects for the titles in the opening sequence. This makes the opening seem irregular and almost paranormal, leaving the reader wanting to uncover more. However, our media product challenges the opening titles in Se7en because our product's titling and special effects are kept fairly simple, with only fade being used to add special effect. Our product's opening kidnapping scene would be significant to the rest of the plot and how the narrative begins to unfold. We decided to keep the titling and special effects fairly simple so that it did not interrupt the kidnap sequence.