Evaluation Question One

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

I believe as a group we have observed the conventions of continuity very well. Throughout our film we made sure our continuity flowed well without showing any major mistakes. Our efforts to make sure our surroundings and the actors appearances didn’t change while filming as we had to shoot on numerous occasions, especially when some parts had to be re-filmed at a later date are evident throughout. In editing we made sure that our edits such as match on action was clear and fit fluidly together helping to keep the illusion of continuous action throughout the film.

Given our genre is horror I feel that our film reflects the conventions of the genre on the whole with a few minor parts that may be seen to subvert them. Due to the dark lighting and eerie knocking from an unknown source the film seems to fit well to the horror genre. Given our protagonist is a female on her own at night it serves as a symbol of isolation and causes the audience to feel sympathy for her. With the film starting with her in bed it gives some vulnerability to the character because of her situation. This reflects the conventions of isolation and vulnerability in horror well as stereotyping women to be weaker and easily scared is common in horror films.

In our film there is a scene where the protagonist hears the knocking sound at the door and opens the door to see who is there. She seems frightened and cautious when opening the door but is relieved to find nothing but a pizza delivery guy at the door. This could be seen as a spoof moment or comedy moment as it gives a little humour to the film and gives the audience to relax before the film continues on to the next knocking sound to ramp up the tension once again.

As previously said we use a knocking noise to build tension and mystery within our film. This helps keep the audience interested in the film. Because of the building of tension within the film we can link Richard Dyer’s Utopian Solution of Intensity to the film due to the large amounts of emotion that we wish to invoke in the audience. These emotions include fear because of the knocking noise coming from a mysterious source and sympathy for the protagonist because of her isolation and the fear she is feeling herself.

Our film can be compared to the film Strangers due to the use of knocking. This is because the killers in the film knock on the door of houses to see if anyone is in the house. If the door is answered then they commence with their sadistic plans. With our film ending with a knocking noise instead of a happy ending it gives space for more of a story to develop which could possibly be something like that of Strangers as the cliff hanger gives away nothing of what happens next and lets the audience some to their own conclusion.