Evaluation Question 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions

of real media products?

Our task was to create an opening title sequence for a thriller film. Our film name is ‘trial and Error’ and I feel that it is a conventional opening title sequence.

The reason we called it ‘trial and Error’ because the antagonist is a man doing multiple experiments on humans to see how well they can cope in dark rooms with no food and water and killing each other off one by one.

We were influenced by ‘Se7en’s’ opening title sequence. We used the quick paced jump cuts that the film uses to creating uneasy tension and suspense within our opening title sequence.

We used a ribbon in it in both sides to create a link between the antagonist and the girl, and also to create confusion with the audience and suggest something within the film narrative.

We used the dark room with paper to suggest that the antagonist has been working on photos which links to him following his victims and the girl. The dark lighting and red tint suggest his dark/evil side to the antagonist.

We chose this outfit for the girl to show she is just on her way home from school , classic school uniform: shirt, skirt, tights, black shoes and a bag. The white shirt shows her innocence and purity but having the top button undone suggests her possible misbehaviour which links with the antagonist also wearing a white shirt and suggests why she is kidnapped in the film narrative. The Antagonist is wearing typical teacher clothes: shirt, jeans, shoes.

I think our 2 locations were the right locations to film our opening title sequence in. The forest was a perfect location as not many people used it so it was easy to film. Also it had a mysterious feel to it, as it was so big, you don’t know what could be hiding in it (fear of the unknown) which thrillers use a lot to add . The dark room I feel was perfectaswell because it showed the antagonistsdark side and his creepiness which linksto his personality in the film narrative andhow he is weird, creepy and a bit messedup in the head.

We chose this font for our title because it looked not quite and it had mistakes in it which links into the name trial and error. It also looks like theantagonist has worked on it himself hinting at the film narrative and making more sense of why he is in the dark room in the opening title sequence. We also feel that it has a nice strange on edge feel to it which thrillers are meant to give to their audience.

We chose another font for all the other titles as ‘trial and Error’ was the main title (most important) so the other titles can back up the main title. We chose this font as it looks like it has been typed on a typewriter but is a bit strange as no letters are the exact same size or in perfect order. It is also really clear to read.

The way we filmed was so that you never saw the antagonists face so his identity remains hidden. We did this to make the audience want to see who the antagonist is and what he is up to. We didn’t hide the little girls identity to make the audience feel sorry for her again to draw them into watch the film. We used a series of close ups, long shots, handheld shots, apov shots and more which all connect to the antagonist and the narrative within the film. This also gives the audience clues/hints to what could happen within the film. It focuses on certain things instead of showing everything to make the audience asking questions and it adds more of a thrilleresque feel it it.