Evaluation Question 1

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

Information used for filming:

Use:

• conforms to the structure of a trailer - 3 acts of a trailer: equilibrium, disruption, return to equilibrium

• Uses voiceover = convention of coming of age films and trailers in general

• Naturalistic style = realistic sets/props/costumes

• Music reflects the mood = non diegetic beeping builds suspense

• Conformed to the age range of the common of age genre = 2 people who grow up together

• To conform to a social realism we use depressed tones, darker lighting and desaturation which conforms to the depressed mood of the protagonist and the social realism genre

• Used the beeping sound to tell the narrative = this alludes to his death without explicitly showing it on screen

Develop:

• Integrated the diegetic beeping sound into the non diegetic music - created an underlying threat through the non diegetic music

• we developed the social realism and coming of age genre by taking the commonly presented social awkwardness in teenagers (stereotype of teenagers) and developing it into the protagonist’s Asperger’s syndrome

• Use the colour palette to show her character development - coming of age genre - as the colour palette was brighter when she was painting which contrasted to the bleaker lighting of the shots when she was alone

 Challenge:

• Main character, due to her mental disability, doesn't speak and therefore the isolation of the character is enhanced by the voiceover from the mum and teacher

• Not a romantic relationship = subverts sexuality representation in drama conventions

• Challenge the representation of disabilities and gender= teenage girl is portrayed with the mental disability which is unusual as many teen girls go undiagnosed with ADS - progressive (Steve Neale)

• Not the typical miss en scene of a teen drama = no drugs, alcohol

• Subverts teen drama conventions through the lack of intense social interaction - due to her Aspergers 

In summary, our product is classed as stretching the genre boundaries, from Steve Neale’s 5 main stages of film genre. This is because it mixes the genres of drama, coming of age, social realism and challenges the genre of romance, commonly used in drama films.

Drama Conventions:

• Exhibits real life situations with realistic characters, settings, and stories

• Portrays journeys of character development 

• Intense social interaction

• Purpose of a dramatic story line is to move the audience emotionally

• Heart of drama is the conflict 

• Conflicts include inner/outer realistic struggles depicting hardships, difficulty, and pain 

• Audience can relate to the Characters (Preferred reading – Halls Theory) 

• Structured with climaxes and anti climaxes to keep the audience emotionally attached and the tension ongoing 

• A form of realisation at the end/happily ending

• Drama can be interlaced with other genres such as comedy, tragedy, etc. It does not have to be complete drama. 

 Coming of Age Conventions:

• Key conventions of a coming of age film For an coming of age film multiple storylines can be considered such as virginity, pregnancy, drugs, home life, relationships and friendships. 

• The films are all about encouragement and informing of experimenting. This would make the film effective as it would be able to relate to certain parts of the audience who can compare to the storyline or character. 

• A coming of age film are normally targeted at a teenage audience, however they can include explicit and controversial themes which could rise the rating to over 18 which would draw older audiences too. 

• Originally the actual meaning of a Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. 

• This could vary however it's mostly common from teens. In media studies, coming of age is a sub-genre from Drama. 

• Coming of age dramas are targeted at a teenage audience. 

• This concentrates on the growth and maturity of a protagonist from the youth to adulthood. 

• Coming of age films tend to emphasize dialogue or internal monologue over action. 

• Themes of maturation, acculturation, loss of innocence, wisdom or acumen, and worldliness are often present. 

• The main storyline is a teen who is at first childish or immature but then as they gain experiences they tend to become more complacent and humble.

Social Realism Conventions:

• Social realism is a film genre that concentrates on enlightening the audience on what representation and problems that exist in today's society. 

• They usually revolve around the themes such as money, drugs, class, religion and politics. 

• Age of characters - Most films use young teenagers and young adults, between the age of 13-25. Examples of films that use characters between this age are 'This is England and 'sweet sixteen'

• Social class - mainly represented through mise-en-scene, the people's clothing is a key mise-en-scene the actors wear common typical clothing that everyday people would wear it makes it a lot more relatable. Also it is mainly lower working class backgrounds that are represented in these films as it identifies the struggles in their lives which typically upper class wouldn't necessarily face and this is portrayed through the places they visit in the films and where they live usually being a bit run down and very basic. Billy Elliot directed by Steven Dalardy.

• Unknown actors - adds to the realistic look of the film as people won't know who they are making it seem like they're just 'real people' and not actors. Although the true reason for using non famous actors will be due to the fact that most companies that create social realism films are independent companies who can't afford famous actors. e.g. Thomas Turgoose from This is England was never an actor, he was spotted on the street and put into the film.

• Urban locations - Social realism films are normally filmed in real life locations.  Studios aren't used in the product of British social realism films, instead using actual real life urban locations, such as council estates and flats. Which makes the audience relate to the narrative of the film and characters more than they ever would when they watch a typical Hollywood production which are filmed in unrealistic studios. A good example of this would be fishtank.

• Realistic issues - The issues that arise in British social realism films are what people can relate to they deal with very dramatic issues but in a way that makes the film serious about the topic issue that is faced but also the films usually add humour.

• Age - Teenagers and young adults are the main target audience of these genre films, which explains why the same age range are featured in the film. It means that they can relate and create a connection with them as they can understand the issues they face or at least sympathise with them.

• Semi improvised scripts - This helps to achieve an almost realistic dialogue as it will be someone's natural reaction to what someone has said to them. e.g. Outnumbered use this which even though is a TV film it still falls under the British social realism genre. The adults in the film completely learn the scripts and the children are given last minute instructions to try and make them give a natural reaction to what their parents say.

• Regional identities - Regional identities are used throughout British social realism films to identify problems within different areas in Britain. The area in which the film is set would be adjusted to by the appropriate accents and language of the accents, where the film is set and the trends within this location.

• Camera features - In most British social realism films natural lighting is used and a lot of hand held camera shots which are very simplistic especially in comparison to the wide range of lighting and camera shots in Hollywood films which identifies the contrast in both of them as most Hollywood films are unrealistic fantasies usually interpreting the 'American Dream'.