In what way does you media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of a real media product.

Our film “The Unexpected” combines both conventions and both challenging forms of media.

Firstly, our film is targeted at the traditional horror market, 15-34 this is usual of most horror films as it appeals to them. The target audience is predominately men  (70%-30% ratio) from all classes and regions of the country. With a traditional audience, we wanted to produce a film that would appeal to their natural viewing, and also challenge the genre of Horror.

“The Unexpected” includes the most traditional convention of in plain terms, a perpetrator and a victim, in this case a venerable young female babysitting. Babysitters have been used as victims in many horror films because they are realistic and defenceless, however “The Unexpected” brings in a new twist, the babysitter is stalked and set up without her knowing, and the perpetrator does not make their presence or identity known, the short opening scene does not also explain their intentions for the girl either, or why they did it. This will allow a deeper plot to untangle thought the whole film .

The opening scene ending is also challenging typical horror conventions  by  leaving the fate of the girl totally to the imagination of the viewer, they do not know if she was murdered, wounded or even harmed at all. This creates more mystery around both the victim and the perpetrator, viewers are constantly having to think and give full attention to the movie. Typical horrors use what is scene of screen and the Mis En Scene to scare viewers with death and blood. “The Unexpected” challenges this by using the power of imagination and one of the strongest senses, sound. The sounds of a spade being dragged intercut with the voices of innocent victims, and young girl, and possibly boy...

“The Unexpected” challenges the evolution of the horror genre. Horror is becoming an increasingly more popular genre, and the horror market is shifting towards supernatural and fictional plots . “The Unexpected”  creates a realistic sense, as it could happen to any one. This is shown in the plot and shot angles. We tried to keep a both realistic and both unnerving setting for the film, a farm house was chosen, as it is both urban and rural at the same time, due to roads. This adds to the sense of realism in the film. Farm houses are old and dark, which immediately brings fear into the viewers. The family interior and setting juxtaposes the genre and mood of the film, which is rarely done in films. The intercutting of a warm light family environment and a dark cold perpetrator unnerves the viewers and challenges typical conventions.

The iconography of the film uses with typical and challenging conventions. Both a dark and light colour pallet are inter cut and are heterogeneous of media convention. The possible weapon used is also challenging, a well known and owned by a large percentage of the population, but never used as a murdering devise. A garden spade.

“The Unexpected”   branches out to challenge most horror conventions, whilst keeping typical and traditional roots intact to create a realistic and scary film. The film was not to overly challenging as to risk losing a large audience base. It was challenged to the extent where the product was new but also popular, allowing us to remain profitable.