Evaluation Question 1

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

Fathers’ Day uses themes, techniques and conventions of several previous films, as well as challenging the stereotypes of the thriller genre. For example, the costumes worn by the majority of the main characters, tracksuits, are rarely considered to be the typical garb of characters in a thriller film. Several of the aspects of the film, including costume, are based on the characters from the films Kidulthood and Adulthood.

The soundtrack was inspired by the The Third Man but with a contemporary twist, to add suspense and keep the soundtrack alongside the modern setting of the film. Camera angles were also chosen to enhance the genre of the film as several Extreme Close Ups were used to show emotion on the faces of the characters. Character types both conform to and challenge film conventions, by keeping the traditional “damsel in distress” character, the romantic interest, although the two are already in a relationship, coming to attempt a rescue and with loyal friends alongside him. The biggest challenge to characters stereotypes is the primary antagonist, Joseph Steele. Middle-aged, respectable looking men are rarely perceived as the “bad guy” in almost all styles of film, he is styled to be the polar opposite of Mr Miyagi of The Karate Kid trilogy.

The lighting and location of our film also differ greatly to the claustrophobic rooms of the Saw series and the dark-lit labyrinthine alleyways of The Third Man. Instead, it is set in a relatively open space during the middle of the day. While people normally feel safe when they are out during the day, the film is supposed to make the audience question the safety they feel when they are outside. From 4:38 to 5:52 in the video link below was the inspiration for our setting. The claustrophobic and unglamorous feel given from the Essex Marshes, despite being outside and the presence of several vans is a significant reference to the opening scene of the 2000 film Essex Boys.

The plot takes advantage of the typical ominous attack by using the soundtrack, similar to the shark attacks in the Jaws series. It also shows show all of the characters are connected to each other, despite the short amount of time. The title of the film, Fathers’ Day, was chosen to emphasise the relation between Rachel and Joseph Steele that was lost during editing.