1. G321: Foundation Portfolio in Media – Andrew Stamatiou
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real
media products?
In order to facilitate an effective and authentic gangster-orientated product, I conducted in-depth
research into the gangster genre. I had explored an extensive range of conventions, themes and
symbols which were developed in the course of identifying how gangster films were represented
throughout history; since the 1930s until today. Stemming from this, all the way through time (1930-
2013), the gangster genre has encountered experimentation such as varying the scenery or gifting
the gangster with a lot more riches and these have helped to employ, develop and perhaps even
challenge the original components of the genre. From the earliest gangster films to the most recent,
the conventions have remained, however, this doesn’t mean that the genre hasn’t changed; as
society has evolved, so have films. The innovative setting for gangster films was usually 1920s
Chicago, but the variation of generic conventions has allowed the experimentation, which has also
allowed films to be set anywhere in contemporary America and even in the UK; this is where my
media product is located with the utilisation of stereotypical cockney ‘gangsters’ (Hugo and Mike).
The significance of using a stereotype in a product is so that it enables the audience to respond
rapidly to occurrences as they may have experienced it prior to watching the film. Additionally, the
three most prevailing themes I used in my media product were those of betrayal, loyalty and fierce
ambition, and I also discovered how these could be further established through the use of symbols
and motifs; including the law, prison and drugs.
Conventions are fundamental to a genre, and if maintained thoroughly enough, the genre can
become a huge success; which the gangster genre is. I discovered that a prodigious proportion of
gangster films have memorable one-liners, for example, “Say hello to my little friend” from Scarface
(1983). They grow to be very iconic to the genre and films are extensively remembered by these
quotes as a pleasurable way to summarise the plot. I thought that a memorable quote would be
essential for my product (“Don’t worry, we’ll get the bread and honey we rightly deserve”), as this
would respectively go hand-in-hand with most, if not every gangster movie ever made. In addition to
this, most of the time in a gangster-themed movie there is a ‘rise and fall’ structure to it. This is also
referred to as the Todorovian theory, which helps to distribute suspense, tension and closure to the
audience. Also, the main character is generally a person who dislikes his low status and desperately
wants to obtain a higher one. I also found out that the camera work is imperative to a gangster-
themed work as some scenes may be shot with black and white visuals (similarly to my piece
‘Konvicted’) to embody a flashback as most films of the genre do, or even to refer back to the
original 1920s Chicago feel from where the genus originated from. Considering this and
expectations, the product would appeal to a wider range of audience. With regards to the target
audience and their expectations, individuals of around the age of 15 find the gangster genre the
most appealing because it shows a desperate way of earning what most of us want at that age;
money and security. I have also observed how younger peoples could relate to gangster movies
much easier than older people as they are able to find a more valuable moral to them. They could be
perceived as an epitome of the ‘American Dream’ whereby the younger people study this material
for entertainment (using the Uses and Gratification Theory). Although the gangster is commonly
doomed to failure, criminals are sometimes portrayed as the victims of circumstance because the

2. narrative is told from their point of view; and this is exactly what I implemented in my media
product.
Furthermore, I noted how the factors of low-key lighting, shadows, enclosed spaces and over-
exposed blues and reds emphasise the violent, secretive and lawless lives that the characters lead.
For example, the excessive use of black and reds are present in almost every gangster and crime
film, whether it’s part of the marketing campaign, titles/opening sequence or in the film. For
example, the colour black connotes the dimness and underworld of structured crime that the Mafia
epitomise. The ‘underworld’ is where the gangster has to make their living. It is a world that the
audience is most often not familiar with; however, it is a world that exists all the same. In my piece,
each frame contains an adequate percentage of the colour black; especially the titles whereby it is
subjugated with black and white. I also found out that the over-use of the colour red connotes a
blood-like colour which gives off an impression of peril and perhaps a notion of death. However, the
colour red is not used as much as I would have liked to in my opening sequence; instead it is
replaced by altered shades of blue. These colours are used in my characters’ attires, sets and even
the lighting, and the viewers subliminally acknowledge and understand this as being a vital aspect of
gangster-orientated films. Films which skilfully use the colours black and red include: Carlito’s Way
(1993), Donnie Brasco (1997), Eastern Promises (2007), Little Caesar (1931) and many more. I have
also applied further examples of narrative theory to my product. For example, the main character
(Hugo), a person who dislikes his low status, desperately wants to obtain a higher one. This could
appeal to the audience by injecting a direct effect into their minds using the ‘Hyperdermic Needle
Theory’. Also, ‘Binary Oppositions’ is used, by where some characters (Mike) are dissimilar to what
they seem as they have different intentions; ‘Appearance vs. Reality’. Regarding this theory, it led
me to challenge a common theme of ‘loyalty’ whereby there is meant to be an undying bond;
regarding each member of the mob as ‘family’. This doesn’t apply in my opening sequence as Mike
neglects Hugo and his family, and leads to the theme of betrayal. However, the main character still
gains more supremacy and then uses law-obeying techniques to claim justice; another contradiction
of a common gangster-themed convention.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
Another key finding that I obtained as part of my research is how it’s mainly the male audience that
has been mesmerised by its fictional peers in the gangster genre. The early gangster movies from the
1930s and 1940s instigated the cycle with the following eras adapting the ‘stereotypical’ plots, and it
is films such as The Godfather Trilogy, Scarface and Goodfellas (the classics of our time) that the
male obsession had fully fledged and urbanised from. Because of this, the use of Propp – 8
Characters Theory would lead to a variety of dissimilar characters having a role in my opening
sequence; which would be appreciated by both parties (males and females). On top of this, in the
early years of the genre, the gangster figure was appealing primarily to the working class culture;
30% of which were unemployed. The gangster was a character who refused to cooperate with
society’s rules and instead confronted ‘the establishment’. This is an example where the theory of
Levi-Strauss; Binary Oppositions becomes exploited with the proposal of ‘Superior vs. Inferior’. In
my piece, the scandalous lifestyle will be resolute around the youth, unlike the films of the older
ages. My product is similar to ‘Kidulthood’; in which it commences with life through a child’s eyes.
Also, similarly to the film ‘Scarface: Shame of a Nation’, I had to appease the forces of censorship by
including a remorseful and moral tone at the very start of the sequence, and various voice-overs

3. throughout. As a result, my product will de-glamorise the folk-hero nature of antagonism and the
‘gangster’, and it will also appeal to every gender, class and ethnicity.
Moreover, while emotion is frequently shown through facial expressions, occasionally body language
helps enhance the interpretation of emotion to the audience and it can also provide a creative
alternative to using close ups all the time. Because of this, my piece will provide many scenes where
the mise-en-scene is explained through an establishing shot. It is critical that all aspects of a
Gangster’s appearance are portrayed to the audience in order to grasp an understanding of his
life/current situation. I also incorporated a range of contrasting camera techniques in order to
appropriately represent my characters’ age and status. For example, the opening scene includes a
number of high-angle shots and daunting non-diegetic sound which portrays the lack of authority
Hugo has, while the mood of the scene is being influenced by these effects. Contrariwise, Hugo
would be focused on more in the narrative after prison with the assistance of low-angle shots; this
suggests the ex-convict is now approaching a pivotal moment in the saga, whereby he is now free
and more dominant than before the imprisonment. Also, the use of high-speed and sporadic camera
shots and sound in my opening sequence maintains the stereotype of an ordinary gangster film
lucratively.
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
In order to distribute my film, I would use PolyGram Filmed Entertainment as my preferred UK
distribution company. The corporation sold to Universal Pictures in 1998 and folded in 1999, and
their three most thriving films came in speedy succession prior to this. These included Four
Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Dead Man Walking (1995) and Fargo (1996), two of which are well-
known crime movies which are recognised internationally. Furthermore, I would use Film4 as my
preferred TV exhibition institution. Film4 did not originally focus on broadcasting blockbusters, but
nowadays the company broadcasts many mainstream Hollywood films. The channel recurrently has
themed seasons where a number of films centred on one genre, director or actor are shown. This
would be an effective method of promoting my product whereby the stereotypical conventions of
my film will become noticeably evident that it is parallel to the other UK gangster-themed films
which could also be shown; including Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (a Film4 regular) which is
one of the most successful British gangster-themed films ever, and it is yet another film to be
distributed by PolyGram Pictures in the 20th
century. Moreover, they have recently been granted the
rights to become ‘free-to-air’, and more adult material is now confined to after the 9pm watershed;
which would include my product as it includes frequent use of strong language. Another reason as to
why I’d select them as my preferred film distribution company is due to the fact that it remains the
only free film channel available on digital terrestrial television. It is easily accessible as it is available
on many different programme-viewing platforms, and this would boost its views and further spread
its acknowledgement. What is more, I would use ‘above the line’ advertising to formally promote my
product. Despite the costs, it will target the common conventional media forms such as television,
radio and the internet, and this form of communication will reach a wider audience.
Additionally, I would use LoveFilm as my preferred multimedia platform to further distribute my
product. The service is available through a lot of the major gadgets in today’s society – including
Xbox, Playstation and the Nintendo Wii; and this is vital for my product seeing as though these
consoles are popular and well admired within the age bracket of my target audience. It is UK based,

4. and LoveFilm have more consumers than Netflix, and they also collect plenty more subscription
payments on a daily basis than their competitor. With the addition of profound research, I have
noticed that gangster-orientated films do not follow a specific model when it comes to releasing the
product. However, I would decide to distribute my film within the summer months as it is a
prolonged break for teenagers and young adults (the target audience) nationwide, and there would
be increased incentive for the teenagers to go to the cinema and watch my product.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
Profile: Character #1 – Amanda Connor. Aged 24. Degree in History. Favourite Films: Forrest Gump,
Goodfellas and Face Off. Hip Hop. Working Class. Married. One Child.
Profile: Character #2 – George Savvas. Aged 17. A-Levels (History, Maths, P.E. and Biology). Favourite
Films: Scarface, The Godfather Trilogy and Rocky III. R&B. Working Class. Single.
My media product will have a 15-rated certificate attached to it. According to the British Board of
Film Classification (BBFC), a 15-rated film could include any of the following: strong violence,
frequent strong language, portrayals of sexual activity, strong verbal references of a sexual nature,
sexual nudity, brief scenes of sexual violence, discriminatory language or behaviour and drug taking.
The BBFC supports these aspects of the film (and my sequence) to be revealed. However, I have
evaluated the risk of potential harm to vulnerable teenagers and my work does not endorse any sort
of extreme behaviour nor does it glamorise any activity which could possibly be copied by the target
audience (which is mainly 15+ teenagers and young adults).
In my opening sequence, there will be a persistent use of strong language, which would cancel out
the possibility of this being a 12-rated film. The criterion for a 12-rated product expects moderate
language to be used, alongside infrequent usage of the stronger terms, but my work will comprise
frequent use and it will be justified by the context (due to Hugo’s anger stemming from the
‘disloyalty’ which is one of the main themes in the film). What is more, taking into consideration that
my work targets the age gap of 15-25, they would take full advantage of the Uses and Gratification
Theory by using the conventions of the gangster genre as entertainment, information, education,
escapism, identification and possibly social interaction. As touched on before, the colloquialism of a
gangster could seem appealing to an individual and they could also adopt it in their daily lives.
However, the more realistic aspect of this would be to view a gangster-orientated film for
entertainment, as younger people prefer to watch films purely based on these purposes. Whether
the vast majority of spectators may be part an active or passive audience, the information they
receive from the narrative could be absorbed over a period of time as many gangster films (including
‘The Godfather’) have many things occurring at once, also known as a multi-stranded narrative. The
effect this has is that they feel the full impression of the lifestyle of a gangster; that of being very
dynamic and complicated. Owed to this, I think that the younger generation would be more
fascinated with this concept than the older generation would.
How did you attract/address your audience?
I conducted a questionnaire based on my opening sequence to gain feedback on its appeal,
depiction, conforms to the genre of gangster and crime, and how well I employed a range of

5. techniques within it. There are a total of 10 questions, which have been answered by seven males
and three females.
To begin with, each individual who completed my questionnaire was aged between the bracket of 16
and 23. From this, I can illustrate that my product has successfully appealed to the target audience
of 15+. One feature in which has made this an accomplishment is the implementation of a
‘stereotypical’ narrative tone which is usually adopted in a gangster-orientated film. This is the
emotion that is conveyed through words or the sound used during the film/opening sequence. The
tone of the film can vary unlike the mood; which is the decisive overall response to the product.
Stemming from this, six interviewees commented on how they ‘liked our film’ and two added that
they ‘loved it’; while the final two believed that my piece could’ve been better. On the whole, the
multi-stranded narrative seemed to appear emblematic to the genre and the piece itself; and a large
percentage of people I asked held to the fact that the alternate use of altered camera angles (like
the long shot and over-the-shoulder shot) and the juxtaposed chronology were compelling. I
employed a correlative narrative style in which is made apparent in the film Snatch by Guy Ritchie. In
this film, the story has a narrator who describes all the events taking place at the time in significant
detail. This implies that there is a gratified ending for the narrator, who is fundamentally the
antagonist of the film, because he is able to run through the narrative. I used this feature in my piece
also to signify how the antagonist in my film, Hugo, returns with a rise to power legally; and this
aspect of my film helps to attain a wider audience using the Uses and Gratification Theory. The voice
over was used to send across a sense of my character’s subjectivity, and the audience would most
likely use this for their ‘entertainment’ or ‘identification’. Moreover, the soundtrack I used in my
opening sequence was extensively appreciated by the interviewees; as four people said it was ‘good’
and the other six said it was ‘great’. A soundtrack helps the audience gain a sense of involvement,
and the interviewees also commented on how it represents the genre very well and that it went
hand in hand with the suspenseful and gripping scenes. Furthermore, I used a ‘sound bridge’ with
the aim of stressing that there is a strong connection between the two scenes concerning Mike
leaping over a wall while Hugo reaches a dead-end; and this is suggested by the non-diegetic music
since the mood is still the same. Sound bridges are one of the most common transitions in the
continuity editing style, and it helps to maintain the tendency of the film throughout the opening
sequence while also providing a bit of back-story to the film.
Within every gangster and crime product, there is a catalytic event that spurs everyone into their
spiral towards the climax. For example, in the film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, the first
scene is of a man selling stolen jewellery to a group of people. This then leads to a melodramatic
police chase, similarly to my product. When asked ‘What is your favourite scene in the film?’ 80% of
the interviewees answered with the chase involving Hugo, Mike and the police officers. One person
favoured the drug deal whereas another favoured Hugo leaving the prison. As made evident, these
are the pivotal events in the opening sequence which set the structure for the rest of the film, and it
urges the audience to watch further; using the Enigma Code Theory of pending apprehension and
secrecy. What’s more, in Lock Stock, the two men in the opening sequence are wearing very similar,
but unconventional attires. This is not traditional for a gangster film, as in most cases formal clothing
is observed. This suggests that they are not as associated with gangs and groups, but rather smaller,
less serious offences; like Hugo and Mike. Nevertheless, nine people out of the ten I asked all
commented on how well the characters are represented in the product. Despite the choice of
clothing, this could suggest that every other exterior component of the ‘stereotypical gangster’ has

6. remained; including that of being viewed as a threat, having possession of drugs and depicting an
element of authority. Furthermore, the opening sequence of my product is set in near an estate,
initially outside a garage. This is conventional to the gangster film genre, as they are often set in
urban, occasionally rundown areas. The mise-en-scene is fundamental here as the audience realise
that the gangsters are avoiding any form of interaction with people of the outside world; and that
they must be up to no good. The significance of comprising a setting such as abandoned garages is
so that the piece can seem more rational and realistic, and the audience can consociate with the
characters a lot more simply. Out of the long shot, mid shot, close up, two shot and over the
shoulder shot, the majority of the votes (as being the more preferred in my piece) were the long
shots and over the shoulder shots. From this, I can evaluate that the audience want to absorb as
much of the mise-en-scene as possible, seeing as though these camera angles perform a satisfying
task of doing just that. All in all, from the results of my questionnaire, I feel that my opening
sequence represented the gangster genre very well. When asked this, all ten people agreed.
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I used a variety of technologies, software and editing techniques in order to successfully assemble
my media product. These included a Canon 600D camera, a tripod, a rode microphone, a boom pole
and a camera rig. In addition, the computer software used was also imperative in aid of preparing
and editing my final product. These included; Livetype, Final Cut, iPhoto, Cuebase and Garageband,
all of which are only obtainable via Apple Mac, laptops and desktop computers.
To commence with, although I starred in almost every scene, I had a great deal of time handling the
Canon 600D Camera. Nonetheless, I developed a lot of skills such as shooting a few scenes with its
Movie Snapshot Mode, which made it easier to capture two, four and eight second segments before
stitching them together again; this was continually used for the action scene (the police officers
chasing Hugo and Mike). Also, the manual focus and depth of field helped accelerate the process of
filming. The HD video functionality made each and every scene appear proficient, which was of huge
assistance. This and the experimentation of different camera angles (including the extreme close-up,
mid-shot and long-shot) helped me to develop a range of skills which could be practical in future;
including the importance on focusing on the gangster’s facial expression since there is typically a
multi-stranded narrative present. I had also discovered how a script was essential for the period of
planning of my product. This was created on Livetype and it is an unproblematic tool which couldn’t
be any more straightforward. Moreover, I imported each scene into Final Cut with the aid of iPhoto,
and this versatile software offered a range of editing techniques that I applied to my final product;
one being the simplicity of trimming each fragment of footage. This was very effective as it helped
my piece run smoothly all throughout. However, the specific technique used which I thought was the
most imposing, was the possibility of putting in a visual effect (called ‘Bad TV’). As Hugo (in 10 years)
walks out of the prison gates, the effect makes it seem as though the angle is from the point of view
of a security camera. This is very effectual as the camera could be seen as a conventional symbol –
connoting that even though Hugo feels free, he is still being watched.
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it
to the full product?
I have observed how meticulous and precise each piece of equipment is and how the different
techniques applied to my editing have significantly helped me in making a media product which I am

7. very proud of. Moreover, I’ve realised how keeping techniques and specific rules conventional would
make the audience both appreciative and attentive.
Initially, the 180degree rule is essential in camera work and if conducted correctly it can become
very effective as the technique allows for expansion of the frame into the unseen space off-screen;
this is an additional use of the Enigma Code. The preliminary task was centred around this rule and
doing it correctly, which I benefitted a great deal out of. During my first attempt at the preliminary
task, I broke the rule and therefore had to re-shoot the footage. This error made me realise how
simple it is to forget about the 180degree rule whilst shooting, however it would make an enormous
difference to the footage; making it seem distorted and the lack of correspondence would be
obvious. ‘Crossing the line’ changes the viewers’ perspective so much that it causes disorientation
and confusion. Due to this, it is something that I avoided in my product, and should be avoided at all
times. Another vital component throughout the process of production is planning and re-shooting
footage. Without planning, there is no patent guideline that you can follow and therefore, you will
almost certainly endure many more mistakes. I approached each piece of research and planning
methodically. What is more, some of the footage I had shot early on in the course had unfortunately
deleted from the camera itself. This is one of many unlucky occurrences which could spring up, but
mercifully, my group had been aware of contingencies and it didn’t impinge on the final product at
all as there was always the option there of re-shooting.