Evaluation Question 1- In what way does your media product use, develop or

challenge forms and conventions of real media product?

Although our film is a stereotypical gangster movie set in modern times, the fact
the opening scene is a point of view shot subverts the stereotypical genre of
gangster film. The point of view shot was used to signify the ins and outs of a
gangsters life. The circular plot of the film, making the end of the film as the
start uses Barthes enigma code as it provokes the audience to question how the
character got to where he is now, and what were the events leading up to this.
The fact the opening scene is filmed in a common urban house creates
verisimilitude as it signifies to the audience that this scene happened in their
world and connects the audience to the character and setting. This also subverts
the stereotypical gangster movie as most gangster films mis-en-scene are set in
fancy houses of the stereotypical rich gangster character. This also provokes
jouissance in the audience as it breaks the ordinary conventions of the gangster
genre and defeats their expectations. But as the genre I am doing is gangster, i
still kept the gangster aspects to the film through the codes and forms of the
genre. One of these being the stereotypical drugs, alcohol and gun props and
these intertextually link to the gangster genre and when people see these props
they instantly know the genre of the film, as the weapons and drugs and money
instantly strike connotations of the gangster genre. This provokes Plaisir in the
audience as this is what they know and it reaches their expectations. The fact
the non diagetic sound of the Rap genre soundtrack has been used connotes how
this film has all the key codes and conventions of a gangster genre but creates a
sense of modern day which makes this film apply to the young demographic as
well as the older generation. This also forms a hybrid genre and uses Levi
Strauss binary opposite to create a clear distinction between old traditions of the
genre, and new features that the consumer want and need making this film
appeal to the target audience and also makes the film conform to the codes and
conventions of the genre whilst breaking the expectations. It also creates a sense
of post-modernism as it is the combination of old traditions and new music to
form a new idea that people enjoy and do not expect. The non diagetic sound of
police sirens, gun shots, screaming and crying and the use of the heartbeat
sound effect all occur mentally to the character but have been raised so the
audience can hear and to create effect for the audience, that they are the
character. Although these sounds are clich and very stereotypical they use
Todorovs equilibrium theory to connote that a disequilibrium has occurred
somewhere within the movie which the character is recalling now. This conforms
to the typical codes and forms of the gangster genre, but as the film is first
person these sound effects are needed to further enhance the story of the genre.
This also uses Barthes enigma code to provoke the audience to ask questions on
what the character has seen, done and felt during his life and how he has got to
the point of drug taking and alcoholism again conforming to the stereotypical
codes and conventions of the genre. Likewise in Goodfellas the diagetic sounds
of gun shots and stab wounds are there to connote to the audience the events
that are taking place but these also conform to the typical gangster genre.