Evaluation Activity 1

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

I think that my media product doesn't really challenge forms and conventions of real media products because I  realised that challenging the conventions of today's media products would mean finding a brand new idea. After a month of research on how I could try to challenge them, I decided to focus more on the media product itself than on finding an idea, which would have take much more time.

In my opening scene, I used some common shots such as the first shot (which shows the protagonist leaning on the window in the car with the background moving) or, in general, the second part of my movie, composed of a lot of very simple and quick shots. On the other hand, I didn't reproduce the exact same things by developing them by, for example, combining shots from the inside and the outside of the car.

Finally, I didn't really the conventions of drama because one convention of this kind of genre is that the opening scenes often sets up the situation (whereas, in an horror movie, it is possible that the action starts straight ahead). I think that I developped a little bit these conventions by getting the spectator really in the situation by showing the location (with the panel, then the front of the college).

I have chosen 9 shots from my opening sequence that are, according to me, the most importants shots.

(I couldn't put the shots in the usual 9 frame combined picture because I didn't have access to the program that allows to do so).

Frame 1

This first picture shows the protagonist, Pablo Coleman, leaning on the left window of the car with the background moving. We can see that he looks like he is thinking about something. We can also see the credit "A Ravescence Production" in the background in the middle of the screen. The music starts at the begining of this shot.

Frame 2
This shot shows the Saint Edmunds' entrance panel. We can also see the entrance right behind it. The credit "In Association with Thunder Entertainment" is emerging at the top right. This shot is taken from inside the car in a way in which we can think that is seen from the eyes of the protagonist. The movements in this specific shots helps this effect.

Frame 3
This shot shows a car coming to the cameraman with, in the background, a part of the college and, therefore, the final destination of the protagonist. In this shot, we can see for the first time how the college itself looks like.

Frame 4
This picture shows the car stopping in front of the main entrance of the college. The transition between this scene and the one before it is edited in a way in which the dynamic of the car is not lost. This shot is very long.  We can also see on the right side the monument which is going to be the last part of this shot.

Frame 5
This pictures shows Pablo, that had left the car already, taking his suitcase and bag. This shots explains his situation : He is here to settle in the college. We can also see the credit "Edited by Will Trotter" which is synchronized with the opening and the closing of the car trunk.

Frame 6
This picture shows Pablo walking to the entrance of the college. We can notice that the car left the frameworl of the camcorder. We can see on the top left the credit "Produced by Louis Watkins". We can also notice that it is still the same shot.

Frame 7
This images shows the top of the cross (the bottom was seen in the precedent pictures) and the title "The Outsider" in black, to contrast with the other credits but also to contrast with the sky. The spectator might also understand that the college is catholic because of the presence of this symbol.

Frame 8
This shot shows the protagonist entering for the first time his room with all his stuff. We can see that he doesn't look happy nor sad, he just looks neutral and indifferent to the situation. Follows the settling of all his belongings in the room with the quick short shots part.

Frame 9

This is the last picture of my opening sequence. It shows Pablo closing the door to go out of his room after he put all his belongings in the room. I think this picture ends pretty well my opening scene and may open to a whole new scene. We can also notice that we took off his coat.