This PowerPoint describes some of the media film conventions that is involved in my film opening.

1. In what ways does your
media product use, develop
or challenge forms and
conventions of real media
products?
By Emma Wright

2. Realism
My media product of my opening 2 minutes uses realism in
the setting of the kidnapping scene as it is a likely place
where a kidnapping could occur. A kidnapping could occur
here as it is quiet with no one around which makes the
atmosphere tense, as Emily seems like she knows that
someone is there behind her. The setting is also near a river
with lots of bushes around which is a realism of a kidnapping
scene as there is places for the kidnapers to hide. Also the
setting of interrogation scene is also quiet and bare which it
needs to be if they want no one to come and find them.

3. Performance
The performance of Emily, Isaac and Albert, gives
the opening a tenser atmosphere. The
atmosphere is made tense by Emily's body
language when walking home, she holds her bag
close to her while clinching her fists tightly, her
facial expression is also emotionless this almost
gives the sense that she is concentrating on the
sound behind her. Isaac and Albert make there
body seem more bold and strong by being lose
and calm when going to kidnap her, this gives the
impression that they have done this before as they
don’t seem nervous or worried if anything happens
to them because they know that it will go correct.
By them performing like this it makes it more tense
for the audience as they know that she will get
kidnapped as they look and act strong.

4. PlotMy film opening challenges the film convention of plat by it not following a
linear structure of a film and manipulating the time. My opening instantly begins
with a climax which is the kidnapping of Emily. This challenges the linear
structure that Todorov structured a film. Todorov believes that there should be a
structure with a pattern of Equilibrium, disequilibrium and new-equilibrium.
However, my film challenges this theory and begging's with a disequilibrium. By
changing the structure it attracts people to the film as soon as it starts. It
manipulates the time as it is a clip from the middle of the film and once you
have seen the beginning you will then understand why it happened and what
will happen next which appeals to the audience to watch it all.
Characterization
We also use sympathetic and unsympathetic characterization, as in the
beginning of the film there is an obvious villain and damsel in distress. Villains
usually have the convention of the bad character in the film and is given the
more unsympathetic role, which Isaac and Albert get from the very beginning.
The damsel in distress has the more sympathetic role, which in my film is Emily.
Emily is given sympathy from the very beginning, as when she is doing a voice
over you can hear the worry in her voice.

5. Costumes
We used the film conventions of costumes to portray
everyone's personality correctly. We dressed Emily in a
long navy smart coat, with black patent loafers and
natural make-up. From this costume it portrays Emily as a
smart young girl who is sophisticated which we wanted
Emily to come across as she has the ‘secret’ formula that
only she knows she had to come across as clever. We
dressed Albert and Isaac in all black with ski masks to
portray them as intimidating and strong. This costume
made them seem intimidating as there identity is hidden
meaning that it could be anyone behind the mask, this
typical costume for a kidnapper as they are usually
criminals and don’t want to get caught.