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

1.  The first screen shot illustrates our groups engagement with existing forms and conventions as it demonstrates the use of the idea of a dark and solemn room - a convention of the Thriller genre.  In the shadow on the right, you can also see Simon who has clearly been tortured very severely as his eyes are shut and he has blood over his face - another convention of the genre.

2.  This close up of the main Russian expresses his cruel and aggressive characterisation, which has been developed from existing media products of stereotypical mafia Russians in Thriller films.

3.  The dunking scene is developed from waterboarding and is a type of torture, a key convention of the Thriller genre.  This is supported by the blood that spreads around the tank.  We developed the idea of a man being tortured from the film Taken. In this film, the man was tortured by electricity but we developed this existing convention and used water, which was effective for our lighting also and popular with our audience.

4.  This close up of Simon illustrates that he has been badly hurt and is injured.  Using blood in Thriller films is another existing convention used and we have added this to our finished product as well.  From this screenshot alone, it is suggested that it would be a Thriller as it is dark, mysterious and includes violence of some sort.

5.  The man screaming on the floor signifies that something horrific is happening:  the feet in the background and the tank in the foreground suggest that he is being tortured in some way and that it is emotionally scarring for him.  The screenshot below this also supports this idea as the girl is introduced, suggesting she will die if he doesn't do what they say - he's an important figure.  This ending sets up an enigma that would need to be solved within the context of the film.  The title, which says who the Director is also follows conventions.

Overall, these screenshots from our finished production illustrate our engagement with existing forms and conventions of existing media products as they use similar ideas that are developed or slightly altered.  For example, one of the Thrillers our group looked at during filming was Syriana and as a result, we developed ideas from the interrogation scene:

The screen shot on the bottom left is similar to the high angle shot our group filmed in our Thriller of Simon getting punched.  Furthermore, the image of the man lying down on the floor covered in blood can link to our developed image of Simon lying on the floor screaming and the closeup of him sitting on the chair similarly covered in blood.  The idea of Simon being tortured on a chair also developed from this Thriller as well as the film Taken, which I studied myself.