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

2. This is the beginning of the documentary where we take of our journey leaving London to
explore a new country with a different perspective to success; Kinshasa. By filming the take
off connotes the idea that success can be found in different places regardless of where you
are. Within the footage you can see many airplanes which in some ways shows wealth which
is different to Kinshasa where there are certain things which they don‟t have because they
can‟t afford it. The use of the bold font on „The Pursuit‟ shows that we are trying to create a
break free against peoples perceptions on success. The white font colour could show that like
the colour we are pure because we are vulnerable and believe we can be successful but
have different ways to show how we can get there.
For my target audience; reformer we as a group made sure that we show that sense of
enlightenment and focusing not on materialistic things but what really matters. This is a
establishing shot looking down on London and showing that sense of authority and power as
civilians.

3. This shot was used to show the contrast between London and Kinshasa. This is a stereotype of how people perceive
Africa; people carrying water on their heads, dingy surroundings and open land. The use of the dim lighting shows
that contrast from a more bright London personifying that lack of opportunity and the lack of optimism. From this shot
you can already see how Kinshasa is different to London because of the surroundings through the use of minimal
light showing that with Kinshasa there is no light that can help them to become successful. The change in font is
different to show that sense of diversity however similarly represents purity because people are like babies that need
direction. This links back to a reformer who are anti-materialistic whereas in this shot they can‟t choose to be
materialistic because they don‟t have anything.

4. This shot is used to demonstrate some of the good things within Kinshasa such as the really nice
buildings, greenery and footpath. This projects the idea that some people from Kinshasa bear a lot of wealth and
this shows the idea that people are becoming successful. When this was being filmed there was very few people
seen wandering as much as there was in the poor parts which connotes that limited people actually strive and do
well in Kinshasa. The palm trees in this shot actually show that sense of paradise because everything seems to
look bright and beautiful and a place that has been cared with pride. The change of light in this shot shows that
sense of beauty as there is peaks of the sun amongst this shot although it is not seen very well. This scenery is a
little different to London which shows that perhaps people in Kinshasa and London see success in different
ways.

5. This is a completely different contrast to both London and the nicer side of Kinshasa to show that sense
of reality. From this shot my target audience have a sense of enlightenment because the footage shows
the poverty and there is no words needed to describe this situation showing how people are truly living
in the heart of Kinshasa. The footpath is sandy to show that Kinshasa doesn‟t seem to have the
materials or money to make it a better place to live and instead people have to struggle which is different
contrast from a beach where the sand appears more clean and colorful whereas in this shot it is seen as
dirty and lacks that sense of colour. This is a long shot where you are able to see the surreal
surroundings and showing what the people are doing and what they are wearing. The shops and the
buildings colour are slowly disappearing which shows that these people like the buildings are going
unheard when help in truly needed and the fact some things are broken show a broken country. One
theorist argued that a documentary always shows “Fragments of reality” which is what we have shown.

6. This shot goes in to depth of how people are living their lives in Kinshasa. The rubbish on top of the house
connotes the idea of poverty building up which is affecting many families and people in general. When I
particularly saw this for the first time I was shocked because I didn‟t know this was how many people lived;
rubbish everywhere, limited space and, no security. One convention that we focused on was making out
documentary about real lives which have been shown through the shot above to show the truth
(Verisimilitude). Another convention that we focused on was the ethical considerations which was through
showing that contrast between Kinshasa and London by starting with Kinshasa showing the surroundings.
The clothing is very limited and the women are wearing a long piece of material around their waist and a
top with no bra also indicating the idea that people don‟t have money to buy things that are essential to
women which is extremely different to women in London who have what they need and just focus on what
they want.

7. In this shot the audience is introduced to Aristote who currently lives in Kinshasa. I used on of the
conventions within a documentary which was an interview to show reality. From this shot we are aware on
the narrative noticing that this documentary is primarily about Aristote‟s life and where he dreams to be
because without him there is no story. We are able to cross section his life to someone else‟s who is the
complete opposite to his and has different views; Jacqui who appears later on. I personally grew an
attachment to Aristote because he had a way of making me value my life and what I have compared to what
he has. He longs to go to a good university and make something of his life whereas many people in London
choose not to go to University, and just take money from the government; taking things for granted.

8. This is one of the segways used to intercut the interview and Aristote‟s daily activities. From this shot the audience
is able to learn a little about how people live their day to day lives and what they tend to do with their time. This
shot adds to the narrative which is focusing on Aristote. From this shot the audience understands Aristote‟s
struggle like the way he has to mash food to cook dinner which is from using coal which was typically used in the
earlier years which connotes that Kinshasa has not evolved. In the background of this shot you can see old
utensils again showing that Kinshasa has not evolved. I had tried to mash the food in my travels but I found it
really difficult and was really tired after about 10 minutes because I was not used to this kind of manual labour
which shows that people in Kinshasa have to work really hard to achieve great things.

9. This shot shows that although there maybe struggles there is unity because
everyone is in a similar situation to Aristote. But because these boys are playing
basketball with slippers it makes this documentary continue to focus on poverty and
misfortune compared to my brother (guy with the white shirt) who is wearing the
right attire; tracksuit bottoms and trainers.

10. This is a contrast extremely different to Kinshasa where everything was dingy and the
light was not that great. In London everything is bright and really colorful showing that
drastic difference from Kinshasa. The use of the bright buildings shows power and some
sense of authority connoting a new light this also shows a sense of wealth. Everything
looks really modern showing that London is really materialistic compared to Kinshasa
who don‟t have that option of materialistic things.

11. This is a really busy London with places to go usually work or home. This picture was
a big contrast to Kinshasa where people seemed to wander the streets and most of
which didn‟t have a job or were living in poor environments. These people are wearing
more smart clothing compared to people in Kinshasa who were often wearing a
shirt, trousers and flip-flops which weren‟t great quality or was just wearing a shirt and
trousers. This is also showing the conventions of a documentary again because we
are showing real lives and also having some ethical considerations.

12. This is showing what is considered a poorer part to London which is
different to Kinshasa where to them this place seems more like luxury.
The scaffoldings in this shot shows that idea of instability. The dirty
white shows the lack of care maybe implying that the government like
in Kinshasa don‟t focus on who‟s important. The shot is a lot more
realistic because Aristote paints a picture that London is the place of
opportunity whereas in this shot it doesn‟t seem the case.

13. We are introduced to Jacqui who is currently living in London but doesn‟t feel as though she is
living her dream which is contradicting what Aristote thinks; Verisimilitude although Jacqui is
living a better life because she has what she needs but also has the money to get what she
wants. This is different to Aristote who is limited and is sometimes unable to get what he needs
which include food and electricity. Another convention that we used was an interview as well as
intercutting her day to day life and activities which is mainly focused around her café. In this
interview there is more light to show that there is progression in her life and implying that she is
happy which she later states whereas in Aristote‟s interview the background is really grey and
plain.

14. In this shot we then paint Aristote‟s picture again of what he thinks London is like which is
paradise. This is a steady hand held shot where we zoom out to imply that my target audience
have to make a decision about their future, and where they want to be in order to be successful
however many people have different ways of defining success which, is shown through out
radio ad where people say one word to define success. This is a extreme long shot focusing on
the buildings and the sunset which also projects paradise.