Evaluation Qu 1

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

Teen Comedy Genre: ..........................Teaser Trailer Conventions:
Cliques................................................................Soundtrack
Evil vs Good ......................................................Slower paced
Friendships/relationships...............................Voice over
Secrets ..............................................................Light background
Rumours............................................................Slow motion shots of popular characters
School setting....................................................Institution information

Poster Conventions:............................. Magazine cover Conventions:
Light background colour ..................................Light background colour
Release date........................................................Price
Actors and Actresses names.............................Plug
Image of character.............................................Name of film
Tagline.................................................................Image
Certificate.............................................................Masthead
Institution information.......................................Coverline
Name of film........................................................Puff
Barcode................................................................Date

When producing my media products, I decided to use the basic conventions of a teen comedy, which my product research suggested was such things as, using lighter colours on posters, voice overs and longer shots in the teaser trailers opposed to shorter cuts if I was producing a horror or thriller.

• I wanted to produce a teaser trailer like She's the man's trailer which used the conventions of a typical American teen comedy (introducing the characters and the narrative of the film using, 3 different types of music). However, when looking at such films as Juno and 500 hundred days of summer , the soundtrack and editing makes the mainstream films incorporate a new indie feel which is what I aimed to achieve through my music.






• Also, using a slow motion tracking shot of the typically 'popular' characters is stereotypical of teen comedies (for example Mean Girls) which makes it easier for the audience to follow the narrative and stereotype characters quickly.

• In order to conform to teen comedy conventions I have used an image of the main character on both my poster and magazine cover, which incorporates the genres of the film. The tagline, Coming soon, the barcode and the price is what would normally be on a magazine cover and so I have included them in my poster and magazine cover (in similar places as they would appear in other magazines like, Empire and Total Film and posters in other mainstream films such as, placing the certificate in the bottom right hand corner of the poster) therefore, this makes it appear more realistic.



Challenging conventions:




• There was difficultly in subverting the conventions too much, due to the budget, location and lack of equipment. Also, a big thing in 2010 was the outbreak of 3D films this is hard to compete with and so, the black background on my Magazine cover was used to give a 3D effect. However, due to my film genre being teen comedy the 3D outbreak isn't inclusive of this genre, which makes it easier to compete with other mainstream teen comedies.



• One of my main challenges in the narrative of my film was the main character Joan ends up with no friends, this leaves it open to whether there would be a sequel.
  

• Normally with a mainstream film magazine cover the middle of the masthead with their model (actor/actress), which suggest the magazine is well known. However, with my mainstream film magazine, due to it being a newly published product I decided to not overlap my actress over the masthead (InQuire), in order for it to become well known and respected.