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

A convention is a widely accepted style and form.

The Dark Knight interrogation scene 

Our set and use of props conformed to the conventions of a typical police interrogation room. We used a two way mirror, so the police woman could keep an eye on the girl while she was waiting and watch the investigation take place. The intentions of the girl always being watched was to make her feel under pressure. We had the inspiration of this idea from films such as The Dark Knight. 

CSI New York police station
interrogation room 

We wanted the interrogation room to be plain and lack in character, to establish that this was a rundown police station, taking some power away from the power of the police. We used a scratched desk and an old tape recorder to to show the lack in value. We watched typical CSI dramas to get a feel for interrogation rooms. By having an empty room, it makes the girl look very isolated in to beginning titles, adding to the suspense of the action that was about to take place. 

 

Shot from the opening sequence
 of the inspector using the folder 

As a group we put together an interrogation file, which included important details of the case. This prop turned out to be more useful than expected, because on the day the actor playing the inspector used it as his character's stock prop and referred to the prop throughout the scene to make the character more realistic, making sure he had his facts right when coming up with questions for the girl.  

 

Screenshot of the police woman looking
in on the girl in the interrogation room
with the hi-viz jacket hanging on the
wall in the background. 

The costumes we used, such as the policewoman's jacket and hi-viz j in the background, conformed and established the location of the police station. For the actor playing the inspector we asked him to wear a suit, because we wanted the character to look formal and powerful. The girl wore all black clothing and we did her makeup so it was slightly smudged, this made her look dirty and gave connotations that she has been in the interrogation room since the night before as she was taken from the scene of the crime. The costumes of the inspector and the girl contrast, showing the obvious power dominance of the inspector over the girl.  

Screenshot of the opening titles

We used music conventions in our thriller, to conform to our audiences expectations. We used music editing software on a Mac computer to create a non diegetic slow and suspenseful motif to play in the background of the titles. With the girl in the interrogation room, dominating the shot the music added to the audience's response of who is this girl and what has she done? 

This picture represents the opening sequence challenging conventions because the girl is trying to take over the control from the inspector by manipulating him and distracting him from the interrogation. The girl's character is the films unique selling point and we focused on the girl because we wanted our audience to relate to her and to be interested by her confidence. 

Screenshot of the girl grabbing the inspectors hand 

In conclusion, our opening sequence mainly conforms to the conventions in thrillers and police. However, the girl criminal challenges conventions and grabs our audiences attentions because of her lack of authority and her mysteriousness.