Evaluation Activity 1 !

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? 
The main inspiration to my final project was 'Kick-Ass', as well as a few other films that helped me overall with my final piece such as 'Hancock' and 'Super'. These all roughly fit into the same genre (Hero/Horror hybrid) of my film in some way or another whether it be due to the violent scenes or the hero concept. I wouldn't say my film only challenged forms and conventions of real media however i would say that in some aspects it did use, develop and challenge real media products. The reason behindd some of my scenes  looking extremely similar to those of other films is simply because the genre i have gone for has very common and cliche clips within it for example the self-analysis that many main characters in Superhero films do. However i have made sure these ideas have been tampered with to make them my own.


I print screened 9 different parts of my opening sequence and placed them together on one canvas in photoshop to give a general idea and representation of my project:

How i Presented the Genre

I didn't struggle with presenting my genre however i took a different approach to it than my influences. I used the classic comicbook text boxes in my opening sequence to show the titles of my film which should have given the audience a sense of the genre. This shows the way in which i have challenged the common forms of my genre. I had the idea of doing the classic convention of the main character with a voice over which would have been me using real media products, but i didn't feel it would fit in with the main characters anti social representation.

Film Title
For the title of my film, i went with the common 'comicbook hero' stereotype of all hero names starting with the definite article 'The'. Examples of this are The Green hornet, The Green lantern, The Dark Knight, The Flash, The Green Arrow etc ( I could go on for days!). After that i had to think of a name for the main character's alter-ego superhero personality. I went through a few names for example The Villan, The Teen, The Loner but then i decided i would go with 'The Misanthrope'. The main reason i had gone with this name was because Misanthrope isn't a word that you often hear day to day which is good when naming a film. The meaning of a Misanthrope is someone who hates the human species and disgusts the human race. So for the title of my film i used the conventions of real media products.
Settings/Location
In terms of the settings of my opening sequence, i would say that i had used the forms of real media products.This is due to the opening scene of the school environment and education, being one that is common throughout quite a few hero based films. This is mainly because the characters are normally in their teenage years for example Spiderman and Kick-Ass. In terms of the dark road scene, i developed the common perception of Heros going out at night in the busy rural areas and instead made it a quiet road where there was nothing but an innocent by passer.
Costumes and Props
The costumes throughout my opening sequence were quite simple. The costuming of the 3 friends were quite intimidating as one had their hood up although i didn't make the hoodies a main aspect of my project as i know examiners hate it! The costume design of my main character is also very simple in the beginning scene where he is not identified and we cannot see his face. However, his costume gets a little more interesting in the next scene when he is on the dark road. His full body suit and mask is a form i used from many real media products as the majority of heros have a tight suit on with a mask however, i developed this idea by giving him a more teenage approach with the cap on and the trainers. I would say that i slightly challenged the conventions of real media products by not using a cape in his costume. In terms of props, the main prop i used was the bat wielded by my superhero. At first i did not plan on having a weapon however after looking at my influences, i noticed that both Kick-Ass and Super wielded weapons. I used this idea and gave my character a bat. I chose a bat because it is stereotypical of teenagers to be sporty and athletic.
How the story is set up by the Opening
I Challenged the form of real media products in terms of the way in which the story is set up by the opening. In the beginning of most films of this genre the audience are given more insight to the main character and are also shown the main characters identity and face immediately. Ways in which i challenged this was through going straight into the action and second personality within the first 2 minutes of my film. I also didn't show my main characters face until right at the end of my opening sequence which was something that isn't done in the majority of hero films or in any of my influences. The characters that are around throughout the film would have been the main friends at the beginning who were in the school. They were introduced immediately through conversing over the main character. 
Titles, Fonts and editing.
I used the form of real media products in my opening sequence slightly with the editing and sticking to the colour theme of the Hero's costume. I also stuck to the legendary font used by almost all comics! The font was something that had to be done in order to help convey the right genre to the audience. My titles were a way in which i challenged real media products of this genre as i had not ( in my influences or in any other film i had watched) seen an opening with titles on comicbook text boxes.