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

Main influences for our Thriller Opening:

·         Guy Ritchies:

·         Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,( 1998)

·         Snatch (2000)

·         Rockn’Rolla (2008)

·         Reservoir Dogs (1992)

·         Point Break (1991)

The idea of having the masks was based on the film Point Break (1991)

In the film Point Break (1991), the gangster use masks as a
disguise which enhances its genre as a thriller

With our film ‘Take Off After’, we have made it our priority to stick with the Codes and Conventions of a Thriller genre. The research has been very useful in reminding ourselves of the basic conventions of a thriller. However throughout the research, we have picked up on ideas from other films which has helped enhance ideas when further developing the film: Reservoir Dogs (1992) was the original basis in the treatment, however we looked to progress on the  plot to make it more threatening by using ideas from further research: In Point Break (1991), the robbers wear masks as their disguise; this appealed to us and we feel by adding this into the misé en scene of our film, we can enhance the mystery and suspense that takes place during the opening.


Our film offers jeopardy because of the protagonist. The film opens and is left in a deadly situation which develops  the conventions of thriller which usually take place similar to our thriller.Our editing of camera work and soundtrack draw the viewer into the action. The number of shots that include the car driving into the estate builds the tension which is very typical of thrillers however our film does not include as many variety of shots and fast paced editing like most thrillers typically would. 


Our misé en scene in our film contributes to the tension with its gritty urban setting with the lonely Industrial estate, the masks provide terror whilst the common tool of a hammer suggests brutality and the threat of violence once placed in the wrong hands. 


Our use of sound for our thriller opening, the soundtrack has not been based on any films that we have been influenced by. We wanted to create a Soundtrack that would enhance the conventions of our film, in particular the suspense which would cause the viewer to be gripped to their seat's wondering what would happen next.

We deliberately picked this shot of an English flag waving in the background because
it immediately suggests the location of our film.

We needed to include a shot of the car entering into the Industrial estate
otherwise it would be unclear onto the whereabouts the gang is going,
however we didn't want to make the location too obvious for the viewer, e.g with signs.

Our soundtrack creates foreboding and menace the tracks help drive the action forward, the timings have all been placed within the action of the footage for example after the first character is introduced, he nods his head to the driver and on timing the bass line comes in adding another dimension to our soundtrack in the hope that the suspense is building throughout the opening. As with any thriller suspense acts as the main convention for the attraction of this genre. The music reaches a climax symbolising the highest point of suspense/tension once the boot opens in the car. The soundtrack gains up to a high pitch which immediately cuts out, I feel this achieves the target for our opening in attracting the audience to continue watching the rest of the film after gaining a short insight with the opening. 


We believe our thriller is unique to others, in comparison to the thrillers we have researched, I feel there is even more mystery in our opening: not one time do you actually see the victim in the boot of the car, our purposes of doing this is because our film is going to rewind back in Guy Ritchie style: As his film Snatch (2000)  proves when revealing the situation in which the group owe debt to the boss) the majority of our film will reflect back as an action packed thriller that will unveil what this man has done to be left in such a situation. Another point to make is whilst you see a hammer been pulled out once the boot has been opened, there is no way of truly knowing the end result of the victim, this provides mystery in itself and one thought that the audience will question throughout the film up to the climax at the end.




HERE IS OUR FINAL PRODUCT: