Question 1 - How our product uses, develops and/or challenges conventions of real media products

List of key points from the six movie openings previously analysed

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The following points are the same pieces of information but answered using our product:
Titles
Our product used white font on a black background, with the titles fading in and out. The titles cut into the film, interceding the video.
The majority of film openings that were previously analysed had a similar title sequence, with white/light font on a black background. As the genre of a film can sometimes be guessed from the titling used (i.e. red font on black for a horror), we made ours similar to those of other thriller films.

Camera movement
In all of the films analysed, there was some form of camera movement, even if it was only used once. These camera movements allow the audience to focus on points of interest that are shown on screen. In our film, we used a panning shot to show the environment (first image), therefore setting the location of the film, which is important in a thriller as they usually show a desolate or abandoned urban are, so we used a similar environment to achieve the same effect.
We also used a zoom to allow the audience to focus on a specific character, which tells them that she is important. Zooms were used in four of the six analysed films and all focus on a specific character or object which sets the location or allows us to know that the person is a main or important character. As we start very close in on the character's face, we concentrate fully on her and not the environment that is slowly revealed.


Framing of shot
The shots used in our film are also used in the films analysed, and used for a very specific purpose that was similar across the board. Long shots were used to establish the scene and where it was set, as can be seen below - we can tell that the character is based outside near a building. The location of a thriller in the opening two minutes can be either inside or outside and not much of the surrounding area is shown, so we made sure that the audience wouldn't be able to see too much of the environment.
Medium close-ups were used when the female character was speaking so the audience would focus on her, and what she was saying. The dialogue is important in these scenes as it introduces the audience to the story; in the openings of the films analysed any dialogue used generally introduced the scene and story well, without confusing or skipping any important details.

Close-ups were used while the male character spoke so that we focused on him. Like the previous shots, the dialogue was the most important part of these scenes in the actual movies, and with the camera focusing clearly on one specific character we understand that he is important and concentrate on him.


Camera angles
Although some of the openings of films that were analysed both had high and low angles to establish the power of certain characters, we only used on instance of a low angle with one character to show his superiority and higher position. At all other times, the camera was kept at eye-level to allow the audience to empathise with the female character. By seeing this character through this angle we understand that we are not as empowered as he is, and feel that he is more important than the other character.


Mise-en-scene
The mise-en-scene used in our final product is extremely similar to that of the majority of the films previously analysed. As we showed two different scenes in our product, the lighting changed drastically to reflect this and other elements of the characters. When the scenes are inside, the environment is mainly hidden from the audience and the lighting is dark to show that not much is known about the character or where he is, which builds suspense. However, scenes outside are fairly brightly lit and the environment can be seen, although it is not focused on as the colours do not seem particularly bold and are almost washed out - a recurring theme in the films analysed.

Both characters are wearing suits, which show them as important or professionals - we focus on their clothing which identifies them, mainly because it stands out from the environment and naturally draws our attentions. Props are used but aren't focused on by the camera - we can see that they are both using phones but don't feel that they are particularly important.


Editing
In direct contrast to all of the films analysed, our product doesn't use any matched cuts - our scenes are in chronological order and make sense, but after each set of titles, a jump cut is used to show the different scene. We see the characters from different angles, but never because of a matched cut, which was used in all of the films that were analysed.

Because there is no action, the overall cutting rate of the scenes in slow and allows the audience to focus on the dialogue, which is the most important part of all the scenes shown in our product and a common quality of the opening of thrillers - in the films that were analysed, the cutting rate is also slow so the audience can concentrate on understand what the story is and how it unfolds.

Sound techniques
Five of the six films analysed contain background music, and the majority of this is played during the title sequences. As many thrillers show the titles once the film starts, background music is a common quality of this genre, which we recreated in our product. The music continues to play throughout the scenes to increase suspense - the tempo is quick and many different instruments are used to create a mood of tension. The music in typical thrillers changes from loud, fast-paced music to slow music that builds in suspense, and by using this particular track we have kept to the typical convention of a thriller.

The dialogue between characters in a thriller is always significant as it informs the audience what is going on, introducing them to the storyline. It is always clear so that it can be focused on; in our product the actors speak clearly so we can understand them.

Some thrillers use sound effects to show that certain actions are being performed, such as the sound of a match striking. In our product there are no sound effects asides from erroneous ones such as the wind, which couldn't be reduced and affected the quality of the rest of the movie.

Actor's positioning and movement
Another similarity between our product and the films that we analysed before is how the actors were kept in the centre of the screen at all times. Although some actors in other films are slightly off-centre or at a specific side of the screen, we kept our actors in the middle of the screen all the time to show how important they are and significant to the storyline. Even when the actor at the end walks towards the camera, she keeps in the middle of the screen to show that she is going to continually be important.

The amount that actors move in actual thriller films varies, but overall there is not a lot of movement - actors tend to keep their body language compact to give an air of being in control or injured/in a state of helplessness. We kept to this convention as there is no action in our product, and neither of the characters needs help - by moving little, the air of suspense is heightened.