In what ways does your media product use forms and conventions of real media products?
QuestionOne
REJECTION OF META-NARRATIVES
Since our trailer is representative of the postmodern genre, I did thorough research into existing postmodern texts and the conventions that are required. I learnt that rejection of meta-narratives is one of these conventions that is highly expected and so I ensured that it was applied in our trailer.
The meta-narrative that I used in my media product = The supernatural does not exist.
I noticed that through my research, this is often a meta-narrative that is challenged. For instance, in both the Predators film and Pirates of the Caribbean series, creatures appear in the trailer that do not exist in our world. These take place in the form of aliens almost - paying close attention to mise-en-scene such as intense scarring and a carefully considered use of costume.
Similarly, just like those used in real media products, I rejected this meta-narrative. I did this by including mermaids (sirens) as my antagonists. I teased this in my trailer through three key shots:
Firstly, I used an extreme close-up shot of an eye. This meant that it could clearly be seen that one of the lead characters, Sonnie, had a dramatic eye colour change. It is extremely abnormal to have red eyes - suggesting the supernatural.
An establishing shot of the lake, meant that this location could appear distorted. I worked in After Effects to make this lake "Glow" - again something supernatural.
Finally, since humans do not bite each other, this close-up shot can demonstrate that a deadly animal caused a bite mark to Sonnie. It is, however, not revealed exactly how the bite occurred in the trailer, only the film.
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TRAILER FORMS & CONVENTIONS POWERPOINT (GENERAL OVERVIEW)
INTER-TITLES
Another convention that I used that exists in real media products is inter-title screens. I produced three, alongside my partner in this advanced portfolio, Ella. After we researched the specific codes that are in most trailers, it became apparent that our text would not reach industry level standard without any inter-title screens. We learnt that they rapidly could change the tone of the text and provide audiences with extra information regarding the narrative.
To the left is a collection of the inter-titles that we produced, featuring the first two that appear in our text.
These replicate the form of those in real media products as:
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The same design has been used for each brief insert. Like the Hunger Games trailer, for example, the movement and stylistic traits of each inter-title is the exact same throughout. They incorporate a blue "thunder like" background image to portray the idea of a build up of tension.
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The words themselves create a sense of suspense, one that is required for any trailer. One slide reads, "Keep Enemies at Bay". The inserts are very ambiguous and tease small parts of our narrative that would otherwise be unknown.
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Additionally, the inter-titles are inserted amongst the fast-paced cuts in our trailer. This means that they fulfil their purpose and work successfully to halt the action and draw it back to a calmer state as too much action can be overwhelming for the audience. A text that inspired us to do so was the Age of Adaline trailer, as the inserts here are used as volta's, that dramatically change the tone.
As Ella identifies in her Costume and Make-Up prezi, costume plays an essential role in producing convincing products and so we used it and planned its use very carefully in our text.
Most notably, our text suggests a time jump and in other existing real media products that feature a time jump too, this is usually highlighted through costume. For example, in the Limitless trailer the protagonist is first seen wearing a suit. Yet, as an audience we can recognise that a long period of time has passed through his variety of different outfits shown in the text. We liked the use of this code and so used it for ourselves.
As demonstrated in our first shot, a two-shot of the girls in a woodland, they are both wearing casual outfits, comfortable jumpers, skinny jeans etc.This depicts immediately that they are young. Although, in the next two-shot that follows, the girls look completely different. They have taken a more formal approach with their clothing by wearing shirts and boots as an example. Without confusing the narrative anymore than needs be, we have flourishingly used costume for effect, like real media products.
FILM TITLE
Finally, my research into trailer conventions highlighted to me a code that is always used in trailer products. The film title. I decided I wanted to take this further and so I conducted additional research into titles. Through this, I discovered that there are many more elements to a title's design than I had previously thought such as how it will transition on to screen, its design and even the font used. Each can transform the meaning.
Therefore, just by including a title in my trailer, I have followed the form of a real media product.
In my attached research, I found real texts to link to and discussed potential ideas of how my title will appear. I adjusted these intial ideas but I am hapy with the overall outcome.