Samantha Thatcher: Evaluation.

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

It uses conventions of a real thriller by using stereotypical music and camera shots. The music builds up and creates a climax within the production. The variety of close ups, and long shots used create a realistic 'thriller' feeling to the production. The editing is quite fast, and there are many fades used, which doesnt normally occur in mainstream thriller movies. The continuity of the shots go really well together and I feel that they have been edited to a high standard. The limitation of the production values and location challenges the overall outcome of the task being of a high standard and a real media product. The themes of identity are approached by the use of close ups.

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The production includes a university professor and student, it has an intellectual choice of characters, resulting in it appealing to this type of audience. The clothing is casual, showing layed back sartorial codes, also appealing to other types of audiences. The characters are from working/middle class backgrounds. The student is representing the 'schoolgirl crush' theme and the responsible professor gets murdered because of not wanting to get involved with her. Our female character is a typical girl.

3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

It targets a mainstream audience, because it could relate to lots of different people. The main storyline is a 'crush', which results in a tragic, 'disturbia' like outcome. The institution which can distribute our media product could be working title, it is quite a large company, but could help create a unique audience for our production.

4. Who would be the audience for your media product?

I think it would mostly attract a yound female audience because they would be able to relate to the protagonist the most. However, the production values and the limitations of the location would affect who would watch it. It could also relate to many other people by the use of the camera angles and music.

5. How did you attract/address your audience?

The strangling in the opening scenes intrigues and attracts a mainstream audience. The use of the music creates suspense within my production, the flashback of the character portrays that she is deeply disturbed and has created an obsession with her professor. The voiceover creates a 'dreamlike' feel to the flashback, calming down the situation, but the continuous cuts to the female protagonist create tension and drama. This would attract an intellectual audience.

6. What have you learnt about technologies from the proccess of constructing the product?

Throughout the development of our production, we have learnt to use different types of cameras and manage them differently. We created many different effects by changing the aperture of one of the cameras. Resulting in a 'handheld' confused feel, showing the distress of the protagonist. We learnt lots about tripods and camera equipment. The use of apple macs helped with the editing, it was very easy to edit well and to the best possible standard by using the macs. I now feel confident when editing and feel able to do it again.

7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full project?

The preliminary task of my group was not fully edited to the best standard. When it came to the real task, the group worked well at the beginning, filming and set preparing went well. Overall, the task was a success, and it worked out to be the best it could.

Overall

I was unable to attend the deadline day on the 3rd April as i am currently suffering with tonsillitis. However, i feel that i made a paticular effort with filming and editing on other days. In particular, i enjoyed editing the most.