CREATIVE CRITICAL REFLECTION

Q1: How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?

For Question 1, I created a magazine on Canva, along with my voiceover.

This is the link to the answer of Question 1

Written answer of Question 1:

My film opening "The Pages Of Mystery" uses conventions like low-key lighting which is a staple for crime thrillers, as darkness creates an eerie atmosphere. Dull lighting creates tension and suspense which is perfect for my chosen genre. In the starting, as the young boy runs from the killer the exposure is reduced to signal danger.

Roland Barthes theory of Semiotics suggests that the audience is active and understands the signs shown in the film, for example dark signifies vulnerability and danger. In the running scene, handheld cameras are used which creates realism and intensity. This will make the audience feel like they are present at the scene.

the clips are edited using fast-paced editing techniques that create anticipation, the clips are made shorter to create a sense of urgency. According to Todorov, there is an equilibrium in the beginning and then a conflict occurs, then a new equilibrium is established. After the attack, disruption occurs breaking the equilibrium and engaging the audience.

USE OF ENIGMA:

Enigma Codes were used, as the identity of the Antigonist is not revealed, the exposure is reduced on the killer's face to hide the identity. Only the partial part of the body is shown to enhance the enigma even more. This encourages the audience to raise questions keeping them hooked till the very end. This aligns with Roland Barthes theory of Enigma Codes as the information is deliberately witheld to create mystery.

Thrillers rely on mystery and narrative enigma. In most thrillers violence is emphasised more, whereas this film opening focuses more on emotional impact. After the death of their son, the family goes into deep trauma. As even after 1 year, the time freezes and the room remains with the memories of their son. This is meaningful as it is different from traditional thrillers.

the Title of the film "The Pages Of Mystery" creates suspense, Gritty font is used in the title, as it signifies the colour of blood, which will signal the audience that this is a thriller. Red font aligns with the Codes and Conventions of Crime thrillers.

According to The Genre Theory Of Steve Neale, genres are defined by repetition and difference. In this film, there is a repetition of dim lights, darkness, and suspense. The difference in the narrative is the increased emphasis on emotional impact rather than violence.

REPRESENTATION OF YOUTH:

The Young Boy Represents how easily

the youth is targeted. This shows that the youth is at risk, creating an awareness among parents. This also emphasises on helplessness.

The Mother Represents a character of a Strong woman, In stereotypical films women are portrayed as vulnerable and helpless. In this film the character of the mother is central as she discovers the diary, and uncovers the secret of the family.

According to Vladimir Propp there is a Hero, victim and a villain in the story, In this film opening the villain is the killer, the young boy is the victim and the mother is the hero.

This also challenges traditional stereotypes as the hero is introduced in the beginning, whereas the mother discovers the diary later creating a complex story.

The Shadows are an important Convention in the Narrative. Shadows are important in

Crime thrillers as they enhance enigma and mystery. The Diary is a crucial part of the story as mostly diaries are used to write secrets which make Crime thrillers more interesting.

Question 2: how does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?

For Question 2, I created a Presentation on Canva along with my voiceover on it.

This is the link to the answer of Question 2

written answer of Question 2:

• In my film opening audiences are engaged through suspense and enigma. As the film opening begins, a quiet night is shown which is monotonous and then the young boy gets murdered, by a suspicious killer.
  This will create a sense of confusion and tension among the audience.
• the hidden identity of the killer creates uncertainty. We intentionally kept the identity of the villain hidden to enhance enigma. This aligns with the Theory Of Roland Barthes on Semiotics.
• this will raise questions in audience's minds. That who the attacker was?, why was the young boy murdered?. Enhancement of curiosity is very crucial in thrillers as it makes them more interesting.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT:

• audience can relate with the parents, especially adult audiences. As according to Uses and Gratifications Theory audience can relate to the themes of loss and separation. Apart for typical thrillers, we focused more on emotional impact. This will create a sense of realism among audiences.
• the time gap creates curiosity, the audience will think what would happen in this time?, did the parents find the killer? etc.
• the diary suggests that the truth has not been fully uncovered, encouraging audience to raise questions. The audience will develop sympathy for the young boy, how easily the young generation is victimised.
• Audience know same as the characters, this will engage the audience as they are solving the mystery with the characters.

 DISTRIBUTION:

• if our film would be distributed as a real world media text, it would be distributed on digital streaming platforms like Netflix and YouTube. As these platforms are widely used for thriller content and short films.
• we would also promote our film through Instagram and TikTok, we would upload clips, cast interview and Behind The Scenes, to create hype of the film. This aligns with Henry Jenkin's Convergence Theory. As our film would be on different platforms. This will engage more audience.
• we would also rely on the Algorithms of Youtube and Netflix, as content is suggested through the viewing history. This will help our film reach the target audience.
• our target audience are teenagers, as they find this genre interesting. It is easier to reach them through social media platforms like Instagram, we would make a page of our film to promote it even more. Our film would also be promoted through the word of mouth.

Q3: How did your production skills develop throughout this project?

For Question 3, I made a Video Recording.

This is the link to the answer of Question 3

This is the written answer of Question 3:

 My production skills have developed a lot in this project, especially in Cinematography, planning, editing and shaping the narrative. Firstly, we had some rough ideas, some basic ideas that we started shaping. We had multiple discussions. We made some rough cuts that helped us progress through this project. Moreover, our basic plan was to shoot in the evening. The first draft was shot in the evening. We felt that in the dark, the cameras do not work that well, especially phone cameras. So we planned that we would shoot in the evening for better lighting and then, we would edit it later. So we went according to our initial plan, but when we edited it, we felt like something was missing. It didn't create a suspenseful atmosphere. According to Crime Thriller conventions, they require a dark and gritty atmosphere, which we were not able to create at that time. So we learned that, we should follow the codes and conventions of Crime Thrillers. Therefore, we shot the second draft in   a dark location at night. Our atmosphere was now aligned with the codes and conventions of our chosen genre. Therefore, this helped us progress throughout this project. Moreover, this helped me understand the importance of mise-en-scene. This also helped me understand the importance of lighting and atmosphere. Also we learned that we required a proper lighting in the dark. The flashlights were not enough. I also learned how to improve my camera work as my initial focus was on the narrative, for example, in the chasing scene, we delibrately used handheld cameras to shoot a shaky scene to create more realism and urgency. This would make the audience feel like they are present at the scene, so this was a huge progress. I learned some editing techniques as well, like adjusting the exposure. For   example, in the first scene, the chasing scene, I adjusted the exposure, to make it look natural and suspenseful. New editing techniques also increased my confidence in post-production, as after the shooting, we also learned some new tricks and techniques in editing, which were very helpful to us. As I am the producer, I had to arrange the locations, set and props. Therefore, it was a very unique experience for me, as I learned multiple new techniques. After hearing multiple perspectives I also learned what I needed to improve. Moreover, I understood how to shape the narrative structure. As, in the beginning, quick- paced editing technique is used then the boy gets murdered, to show the emotional montage of the parents, slow-paced editing is used. This contrast also supports, Todorov's Theory, as there is an equilibrium in the beginning, and then a disruption occurs and then a new equilibrium is established. I also learned how to create suspense through storytelling, how to engage the audience. This supports Roland Barthes' Theory of Semiotics, as important information is withheld. This helped us create an engaging script. This also improved my management skills along with time management. Hence, in the coming openings, I would manage even better, like re-shooting and deciding locations. Furthermore, I learned that how characters can influence audience response. For example the young boy, who got murdered, was vulnerable. This would engage the audience. This also supports Vladimir Propp's Theory, as there is a Hero, a villian and a victim. We added a time jump and the Diary as an important narrative, which also reflects our development. We learned basic techniques and took our project towards creativity and make it more engaging for the audience.

Q4: How did you integrate technologies - software, hardware and online - in this project?

For Question 4, I created a Presentation on Canva along with my voiceover on it.

This is the link to the answer of Question 4

This is the written answer of Question 4:

-I integrated with multiple technologies throughout this project, which helped me develop my technical and creative skills.

HARDWARE:

• Firstly, in hardware I shot the film opening with smart phone. Through a smartphone camera, it is easier to record especially if you're a beginner in Media Studies.
• In the chase scene, I had to run while taking a tracking shot which was more easier to capture with a smart phone.
• the portability of the phone made it easier for me to run along with the actor.

SOFTWARE:

• the apps I used were CapCut and Filmora. I had to cut and arrange the clips to create a smooth film opening, in the chase scene fast-paced editing was used. Transitions like "Cut To Black" also enhanced the editing.
• through CapCut I was able to create natural low-key Lighting and add warm tones. You can adjust the saturation and exposure according to your genre. In crime thrillers, warm tones are used.
• CapCut helped me control the pace of the film, do transitions like fade in and out and give a cinematic touch to my film opening.
• On CapCut I imported sounds from YouTube, like radio sounds, suspenseful and tense background music.

ONLINE TECHNOLOGIES:

• I took inspiration from online platforms

like YouTube, I searched for thriller films and learned about colour grading, codes and conventions and fast-paced editing techniques.

• these online sources helped me design my narrative. I created enigma through the secrets in the diary, and revealing only the partial parts of the boy's body like the legs.
• my film was able to reach a wider audience, through YouTube and Instagram. I released my film on YouTube and shared the link among my friends and family.

   the audience shared their perspectives, which helped me observe where I needed to improve.