Evaluation Question 1

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

This was made by myself (Paris) and Charlie. This text was also contributed by Joe.

There are many conventions of opening sequences, which include various technical elements. Incorporating editing techniques is a subtle, yet effective method in which a fast-paced element can be indicated within the atmosphere of the film. Thus, engages the active audience and sparks their interests. Another method of including conventional aspects could be the minimal use of dialogue consolidated with the opening sequence. This represents the intense build-up, with tensions rising regarding the atmosphere within the room for the target audience to experience firsthand. An example of this is the opening sequence for ‘Never Back Down’ where only a few lines are spoken. This is to connote emphasises surrounding the build-up in order to capture audience’s attention. In addition, there is further emphasises on the sound as it has a crucial part to play due to the fact that tension building music is denoted in our opening sequence. And this really builds the ‘atmos’ within the room. Action codes are an essential element when considering a genre like ours, they engage the audience and potentially force the demographic to ask question on what might happen next... Also, enigma codes contribute to the flow of the narrative and can be conveyed and represented through the use of dialogue (not too much though), for instance: the coach says to the protagonist, “you know what you’re fighting for”. This brings to light the possibility of further narratives within the progression of the movie when taking into account, what actually happened and why his he fighting? Moreover, we have challenged the generic conventional boundaries because we haven’t included a flashback that would help the audience understand the storyline better. A flashback is considered a generic convention of an opening sequence (for example: The Man Who Would Be King included a flashback, starring Michael Caine and Sean Connery). Whereas not featuring one encourages the unique aspect of our opening sequence as we aim to give the audience a ‘breath of fresh air’ from the bombardment of conventional forms.

We have in fact incorporated some of these conventional elements as explained above. The technical aspects such as, fast-paced editing, minimal dialogue, tension building music, action and enigma codes all connote the intense atmosphere and desired effect we wish upon the audience. Take the use of minimal dialogue for example, it doesn’t pull focus from the tension and short sentences had to be used in order to gain emphasis on the words spoken. Thus why the words used have to be chosen very carefully in order to have the desired dramatic effect. As a result, this builds up the atmosphere for the active audience and engages them on an emotional level. Therefore, this demonstrates the genre, engages the target audience and meets their demands. By meeting audience’s demands, this does indeed tie in with Richard Dyer’s Utopian Solutions theory as it suggests that audiences use the media to experience perfection which they can’t get from their real lives. This offers ‘utopian solutions’ to solve their problems. In this case, it would solve the problem of boredom amongst audiences as our opening sequence offers an exciting aspect due to our dramatic and engaging elements – connoted through a series of technical concepts.

Although it is effective to include as many conventions in your opening sequence suited to the genre as you can, there is an unconventional element in our opening sequence that isn’t a generic convention. It is the anti-climatic aspect in which the protagonist loses the fight after all the representation and signification of the build-up. Conventionally, the protagonist is represented as strong and powerful when considering a genre like ours. However, we decided to add this element in based on the fact that it would intrigue audiences and really grab their attention because of how unconventional it is. In fact, this can potentially link in with Blumler & Katz’s Uses & Gratifications theory because it offers the audience a sense of ‘escapism’ and fulfils a certain “function” for the target audience. The reason for this is because the unconventional aspect proposes something different from the generic films; accordingly providing certain target audiences with a touch of ‘escape’ from the generic conventions of boring movies.

We have constructed a director’s commentary as a group discussing the generic conventions we have chosen to incorporate into our opening sequence and whether we developed or possibly challenged them: