Evaluation Q1

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

When developing research, for my end media product I looked at various forms of media in preparation for my final piece.  For example when identifying film genre and how it conveys generic conventions, which we expect to, see as a consumer such as the: mise en scene, lighting, camera shots, and editing. Not only did I discover the importance of micro features, but how Todorov's and Propp's theory has proved how mostly all films  follow generic conventions, I would not have gained this knowledge if it where not for challenging these concepts when completing my case studies.

·       A Comedy: would include high key lighting, odd clothing for certain characters, scattered living areas messy (we can see they have some money but don’t usually find out where it comes from) camera shots depend on the action taking place, but it is unlikely to have dramatic dolly shots and high master angles. 

·       A comedy I looked at and its title sequence was ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ in this I developed my research by looking at, how titles are put into a different context from main stream blockbusters. Many comedies follow alternative media conventions to attract a consumer. I have developed on this by talking about the timing of titles how they follow a repetitive beat and are in strict context with the music. The research into this sequence has challenged forms of my media product, which has caused me to  consider aspects such as pacing of titles and timings, I then developed on this by completing a timeline task, without this I would struggle to form structured timings, in my end media product. 

I also challenged Vladimir Propp's 'spheres of action' theory, & uncovered that it fits into most films, and is a generic concept, into how a plot operates. Propp's hypothesis is built around how a narrative is based around eight characters; and how they all circle around the main one; in this case it is Napoleon Dynamite, who is in the center, he is the sphere and the other characters, are the action that circulate around him.

·       I also looked at the film ‘Almost Famous’ which falls into the genre conventions of a comedy drama. In this opening sequence; film makers have produced an alternative piece by not using software, to portray their titles. They wrote them down; I studied how diegetic and non-diegetic sound has been used in the edit forming the conjunction between cuts to flow together well. I challenged and developed on this, as the use of sound and writing down the titles, was something I’d liked to respond to. This is a print screen of my own response to the film sequence which I regularly looked back at for ideas. 

·       For the sound which is more complex than it looks as diegetic sound is overlapped with previous clips to make the sequence flow, I developed on this by manipulating sound in my edit, as without  looking back at my research and planning  stages; I would find it complicated to develop a concise idea, and plan for my final product.

To further develop my knowledge in the genre I will be challenging, and presenting to my audiences, I had to research and analyse how my audience will respond if I did this by developing my understanding by looking at reviews of similar media conventions, films which follow the same hybrid genre that I was trying to produce. For example reviews for ‘Almost Famous’ the reason for analysing this is that I can distinguish, what people liked and disliked and how I can incorporate their views into my own end product, therefore challenging conventions of real media products, by converging public opinions to meet the goals of my end media product. 

     

    

To understand how media products are portrayed, in the real world I looked at varied sources, to understand how my end product; could also develop and challenge similar views.  From this analyse I discovered that many reviews focus on the film maker’s past filmography, before they delve into the key aspects of the film, the reason for this is so the audience can get a clear perception of the style of the film. I then analysed the reviews, many of which where positive such as this quote from the Rolling Stones online reviews: the ‘film's witty musical references;… it is a kick to find a movie that uses music as more than sonic wallpaper.’ From this I can develop my own media product by using these positives in my own sequence.   

However from these positives there are oppositional readings such as: “It's about a bunch of scattered, disconnected, poorly-developed emotional backdrops featuring the stereotypical characters … something designed for mass consumption.” This review is from IMBD,  unlike the Rolling Stones article review, this one is from a member of the public this alternative review also allows me to challenge my own media product, and how I can use original ideas with anti-stereotypes.