Evaluation Question 2: How Does Your Media Product Represent Particular Social Groups?

With Ruby (main character) we see a young girl, aged 20, who looks to be beauty conscious. She is dressed well fitted, smart clothing that is not normally associated with her age group under certain socio-economic statuses, this isto do with her growing up and new found adulthood being dominated by the world of the bourgoise and capitalism. During her narration we pick up her obsession, almost fixation, with looking presentable. This to some extent is normal within her age category, especially females. With being this age, they are at their height - no school, so no restrictions, much less parenting ( not by them....unless they do have children, which is not the case here) and in Ruby's case she doesn't live with her parents. They are also new to the world of working and a certain amount of disposable income, allowing them to spend it on best fashion accessories out their e.g latest Ted Baker bag or £100 shoes. This links with the capitalist world that Ruby lives in. It's as if she acts according to 'we are what we have', which the majority of my audience will in some way relate to.
Non-materialised aspects of Ruby is her 'love' life. We presume that she is single as there is no introduction to a 'boyfriend' character, whether in the scene or a picture or dialogue reference. Later on we see her 'bump' into male character who we presume to be an ex-boyfriend of hers because of her delayed reaction. A bad break-up or a break-up in general is very common for people of this age, especially with the movement of people to further education or the want to move/explore.


Though this character (Adam is hardly in the entire opening, he is introduced. We have no dialogue or previous references about him so we have to go on the mise-en-scene. He dressed very relaxed to show off his laid back approach, which most young adults have today. This does not mean they have no motive for life, just not running at full speed through life.
We can see in comparison to Ruby, that Adam is probably lower down the socio-economic groupings. With Ruby being upper middle class, we presume he is lower middle class to her, but still middle class, describing a more fortunate lifestyle than those of working class.



Effective dramas have conflict. From my past research into chickflick films, I found that this conflict is usually between the realtionship between a boy and girl and the differences that they have, either in personality or the materialistic world in which they live. I wanted to build upon this idea and use the identity of two people from somewhat different backgrounds. This builds upon the mainstream film guidelines (UK Film Council) - where the focus is cleary on one genre.

Evaluation Question 1: In What Ways Does Your Media Product Use, Develop or Challenge Forms and Conventions of Real Media Products?

With my media product - film opening- being a sub genre, it is hard to challenge certain conventions of 'real' media products without changing the genre sub genre. For example, mine being a chickflick will allow a certain comedy aspect to be included, such found in a romcom, and a dramatised storyline. However, if either of the two are too heavily included then the sub genre is lost.

Sticking to genre itself is a convention. Katie Domaille 'The Horror Genre' said that "Genre is a way of working through important myths and fears of repetition, variation and resolution". This suggets that by stamping a genre on any media product creates certain expectations with the audience. If you go to see a horror/thriller film, it is highly unlikely that there is going to be a strong romance theme. We know this because of expecatations that we are set up with and used, also vice versa in a romantic film it is highly unlikely that there will be a bloody murder scene.

I've tried to challenge normal conventions of real media products and use female as the main character, although this is most common within the chickflick genre, in fact it would be against convention to use as female, however, against conventions as a whole this is quite uncommon. I have used the convention of a beauty conscious young adult to make the audience have a perception of the main character and have her go along with film stereotypes of females. I have used a modern day setting rather than a period or future setting. Use of a period or future setting would not go with the script or nature of the piece because it is very much a modern day love story, not a vintage piece or futuristic, which would mean I had to guess or create a new century.

The narrative itself is linear; another convention; meaning that it goes in order from beginning, middle and end; sticking to Todorov's three part structure - equilibrium (where everything is balanced), disruption of the equilibrium and finally resolution of the equilibrium. Just from the opening we the first two come into action; Ruby (main character) is shown 'happy' in her own world, getting dressed up and then comes the disruption of the second character introduced, who has a negative effect on Ruby.


Equilibrium - balanced
atmostsphere, no bad
vibes.





Disruption of the
equilibrium - negative
atmosphere





Lighting aspects are very conventional to the piece. I have used natural day light most of the time and when not all natural, I have tried to make it as bright as possible to show a positive view. As with most chickflicks, the bright lighting is very normal and dark lighting would suggest a dark, almost evil aspect not found in the average chickflick and like I said earlier would maybe suggest a different genre.

Rough Cut 2

I have now altered my first edit by adding music, a title sequence and sorted out continuity issues.

Audience Feedback

Here is a video talking about the received comments on my first rough cut to my film opening.

Rough Cut of Film Opening

This is my rough cut of my film opening. All the editing and cutting has been done, but I still have to add music.

The Actual Ruby Bridge

When casting my main character I was very fortunate that was one of my friends offered to be and even more lucky when I realised she was perfect and match who imagined to play her.






In this photo the actress is wearing her own that she chose under suggests that I gave to what I wanted the character to look like. I let her pick the outfit because Ruby herself is very comfortable in her clothes and I felt that if I picked out an outfit of my own then she may not be as relaxed. Ruby's clothes act as a safety barrier to the broken girl hidden behind.

Ten Story Types: Romance

From the book 'From Stories To Themes' that looks at ten story types, I have identified that my film opening and plot will run along the idea of The Romance.
This is when:

• A Character is seen to be emotionally lacking/missing something/someone. - In my story, Ruby is shown to have a false ego.
• Something/someone is seen by the Character as a potential solution to this problem. - When a boy (thought to be an Ex) from Ruby's past turns up in place far from where they grew up/last been together, Ruby is scared to let her real personality shine through, however, he is able to break this false character that she holds and allows her to let go of bad memories.
• Barriers exist to the Character achieving a resolution with the object of desire. - Her stubborn personality and past experiences with her ex disallow her to explore her reasons for her false personality.
• The Character struggles to overcome these barriers. - Later on, Ruby's friends will try advise her that he is bad for her and make her try to hate him more, even though he is trying to make her see his change.
• The Character succeeds in overcoming some, if not all, of the barriers. - Ruby realises that her friends are partially to blame for her false character and can let her true self free with her ex.
• The story is complete when the Character is seen to have resolved their emotional problem and unites with the object of desire. - Ruby is able to put her past behind her and dates her ex again. With her old personality gone and no more demons around every corner, she can live her life as peacefully as life can be.