Evaluation Question 3

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Our media product appeals to many different media institutions. Specifically E4, Film 4 and YouTube. This is because our media product is an independent film. Media institutions such as YouTube are easy to help use to promote yourself with. It easy to access and upload your film on to. Film 4 also tend to distribute independent films such as mine. There are independent films being distributed on it on a daily basis. E4 also distribute many films and even television shows that were made independently. 

Evaluation Question 2

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

  
 Our media product displays the average teenage stereotypes, especially gender and race.

   It represents gender right at the beginning. The stereotype that females can be dumber and more forgetful than males is shown when we see Sarah’s character drop her phone and not notice. This is a very commonly said stereotype that is presented. One more stereotype that is used to represent gender is that teenage boys tend to be aggressive and rough. This is shown when we see Nick’s character and my character about to grab Sarah’s character from behind.

  The stereotype that men are superior to women is also displayed. This is shown when we see that ‘The Stalker’ is in control when he has Sarah’s phone. This makes the audience believe that he has the upper hand is now able to get what he wants. This stereotype is often used in today’s modern society. Aspects like the contrast between strength, height, energy, intelligence, and maturity between the two genders help the stereotype become more believable; which is why we used it in our thriller opening. It makes the thriller seem more realistic if Sarah comes across as inferior to ‘The Stalker’.
                                                                                                                                       

  

  Another social group represented is race. The stereotype that black people tend to go around at night is shown when we see Sarah’s character and Nicholas’s character walking on the street at night. Another stereotype that is shown is that black people tend to steal what does not belong to them. This is shown when we see Nicholas’s character, ‘The Stalker’, picking up the phone Sarah’s character has just dropped.

  Most of these social groups seem to be portrayed in a negative aspect. I think this is good because it means that our opening scene looks more realistic. If it was to display all the characters in a completely positive aspect, then the opening scene would highly fictional. Most of the representations are stereotypes; in my opinion, it was good to do that. It is not shown too obviously but they should be recognizable.  

Evaluation Question 1

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

Our media product consists of some of the main conventions of a thriller. It uses the basic features in most thrillers. Our media product’s best use of a convention was the Cliff-hanger. This featured right at the end of the opening sequence, when Sarah has been captured and the scene ends with nothing but the sound of her scream. This is a cliff-hanger because it leaves the audience in suspense; they will want to know what happens next. Another commonly used convention was the powerful villain. In this case, the villain is ‘The Stalker’. He has gotten, innocent, Sarah’s phone and that is now the best source he has to luring her into his trap.

  Compared to real films, our film is not too different (especially compared to the current thrillers). Thrillers such as a ‘Zodiac’ and ‘No Country for Old Men’ and several other thrillers, tend to have an opening scene which consists of an intriguing, criminal act. Our film uses this as it is an excellent way to entice the audience. The opening crime scene in our film is Sarah about to be abducted by ‘The Stalker’. We found this to be a good way to open our thriller as most thrillers tend to include violence, action and suspense.

  Some thriller conventions have been included as well, one of them being a red herring; in this case, Sarah’s phone. This is ‘The Stalkers’ best link to capturing Sarah. Another convention that was used is the ‘damsel in distress’. Sarah is the helpless female in this case; she is in trouble and must be rescued. Generally, our opening scene used the basic thriller conventions, and they were all successful.