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

We stuck to the codes and conventions of the thriller genre but tweeked it slightly, we kept our opening sequences relatively fast paced, using a range of shots all revolving around the central protagonist. We used and establishing shot at the beginning of our opening sequences to set the scene and create the correct atmosphere. We show Anthony, the protagonist alone and uneasy looking, this connotates the position of the character, he is completely alone.

Our opening sequences then continue with the main focus on Anthony, until we see the female 'killer' appear and walk towards Anthony on the opposite side of the path, she is represented as threatening through the lack of facial expression you can see and the manner in which she presents herself, she is hooded and does not acknowledge Anthony when they pass eachother. As a group we challenged the conventions of a thriller and a stereotypical murderer through using a female character as the protagonist and a male as the antagonist. This breaks the conventions it breaks how both males and females are stereotypically presented;

Women:

- Feble

- Phsyically and mentally weak

- Sexualised

- Motherly

- Caring

- Gentle

- Domestic

Our female protagnoist fits none of the above catagories.



Men:

- Physically and mentally strong
- Dominant
- Provider
- Brave
- Successful







We are not aware whether our male antagonist fits into most of these catagories other than brave, as the audience we can see he doesn't fit this one through his body language.
My project, the opening sequence to the film 'The Woods' both used and broke the typical codes and conventions of film opening sequences. We used appropriate and relatable colours when creating the titles, red was used due to an association with blood, this linking to the action occuring in the film and to the genre thriller. In relation to the titles, we also places them in conventional slots of the thriller genre.

Our opening sequence and film overall employed a change of relationships, the characters were both subversive to their gender stereotypes leaving the audience questioning their roles. During and after the production of our opening sequences there were debates over the 'POV' shots used us our filming, debatably there is the implication of someone being behind the male central protagonist during specific shots. This was not the desired effect at all but once we had begun editing and fully established what the 'POV' shot implies there was no time to refilm.