Evaluation Question 1

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

The opening sequence of ‘Ninja Child’ follows, develops and challenges the codes and conventions that fit the genre. The film can be categorized in the children’s comedy genre. The central aspects of children comedy usually surround developing a film that is appropriate and suitable for children’s viewing, therefore no adult themes will be presented. Films of this nature aim to entertain and engage the audience. We constructed our opening sequence to follow the form of general opening sequences:

• The narrative does not give too much away and gives subtle hints of what might happen next as the film progresses
• In many opening sequences the main character is introduced in the opening sequence. Our media product follows this convention by introducing the ‘Ninja Child’ as the central character.
• Sets out the themes, tone and world the character lives in. In doing this, an impression is instantly made so the audience know what to expect as the film progresses
• Include title credits. In particular, the title credits in Se7en are striking. The black background sets apart the other shots creating an effect for the audience.

The most prominent theme in our film surrounds challenges. The ‘Ninja Child’ has developed a challenge for himself, in an attempt to gain popularity. In the opening sequence his established as an outcast however he soars to success when he overcomes his challenge. He triumphs against bullies and earns the respect he so desperately wanted in the beginning. In this case, the theme of personal growth is also present as the ‘Ninja Child’ becomes less introvert and more confident. The themes can be recognised in real media products.‘Scott Pilgrim v The World’ is a film consisting of a teenager who is faced with a great challenge of defeating his girl friends evil exes in order to win her heart. It demonstrates a great sense of humour throughout, something we have tried to contribute to our media product.

Our group was influenced by the character in the ‘Karate Kid’ (2010 version). He exhibits similar attributes as the Ninja Child and demonstrates personal growth as he adjusts to a new lifestyle when he moves to China. Dre Parker experiences bullying and torment in his new school. In order to overcome this he embraced Kung Fu which was taught by his master. However they may share common ground they both are not exactly the same characters. Ninja Child has grown an obsession with ninjas which has steamed from spending a lot of his time alone. A following example is the teen comedy, ‘Drillbit Taylor’ which presents three high school outcasts who hire a body guard to protect themselves from bullies. Ninja Child’ relates to characters that are normally presented in teenage films because his inner feelings of being neglected carry teen angst and he doesn’t exactly fit in with a social clique in the beginning of the narrative.

Sound in children comedies tend to be up beat and fast with the intension to either entertain or add to the atmosphere. For instance, in ‘Rocky’ the ‘Eye of the Tiger’ the soundtrack creates tension and drama is instantly built. The film ‘Psycho’ includes an iconic soundtrack that has piercing sharp shrieks during a murder scene. This soundtrack in particular has been remembered because it’s striking and makes the murder even more horrific. To open the film we wanted to use an uplifting soundtrack for our children’s film. The use of sound is used to establish a happy mood, in order to engage our target audience of 7-15 year old males. It mainly consists of a fast paced beat with the voice of children singing a Chinese nursery rhyme; we did this so the film relates to our young audience.

In the opening sequence mise en scene has been used according to the codes and conventions of real media products. The costume aspect of ‘Ninja Child’ adds and fits in with the narrative. From the costume the audience learn that the character takes himself too seriously as his determination is clearly evident. He is dressed in all in black with props that include a plastic sword and a self-made fight me sign. The audience are aware that the Ninja Child is an ammeter therefore adding to the comical effect. Typically films such as ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ showcase real ninjas that have the proper superhero outfit. Superman, Batman and Spiderman wear recognisable super hero outfits to indicate that they are the hero. In this sense we have challenged this convention as we have used an alternative outfit for the Ninja Child. Locations typically include exotic locations in the children comedy genre. In ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Jack Sparrow contends against jungles and dangerous seas. A series of characters travel to exotic locations as it promotes the idea of excitement. The location of ‘Ninja Child’ is simply set in an empty field. The audience gain the understanding that the Ninja child is not the conventional super hero but merely an amateur who wishes to be.

The Ninja Child opens with a slow zoom, followed by the tile credits and a series of fast paced cuts of the ninja preparing to carry out his challenge. The overall form of the opening sequence follows other real products. The titles credits are used to break up shots, as used in ‘Se7en’ were the title credits, so by doing this we have used the usual of features in film. The fast paced cuts impose an energetic opening sequence, for the audience to be gripped and engaged. The opening sequence consist mainly of the Ninja Child, he is mainly introduced as the central character of the film. 

Additionally, the narrative in ‘Ninja Child’ fits with the typical conventions of film. The narrative follows a young boy who overcomes a challenge and bullies to gain friends and respect. The strange antics he gets up to proceeds to create a comical aspect. Similar to the ‘Hangover’ were the comedy is generated from their unusual antics and misadventures. The narrative of ‘Kick-Ass’ consists of an unnoticed high school student who one day decided to become a real life super hero. Despite having no powers or skill resembling a superhero he still remains persistent and determined to follow his ambition. In comparison, the ‘Ninja Child’ and ‘Kick-Ass’ both are unnoticed until they follow they dreams. The film concludes with the ninja achieving all his goals which leads him to be recognised and respected. His relationship with his parents improves greatly and he takes a stand against bullies that have tormented him for so many years. The film ends happily which is typical in children’s comedies.

Problems

Problems during main task:

• Cast member dropped out and we fixed this by finding another one
• Storyboard- problem was how we would film them and whether certain shots were necessary
• Scheduling kept changing so we had to change the treatment
• We had to change the dates because of our people wernt in
• Props- we had to go and get swords and mask because thgey were not delivered. We solved this by going out and getting it ourselves from the post office
• Poster props- no where to print, so we decided to print outside of school

Analysis of the film posters

The purpose of the poster is to advertise the product in order to generate interest and attract the target audience. To begin with, for poster 1 we selected a dark colour scheme in order to appeal to the male demographic. The deep red and the black are masculine colours therefore making it appropriate for the target audience. In addition, the black establishes a sense of mystery which is fitting for the subject matter of ninjas. However the use of the red makes it not as masculine meaning it still posses the capability to appeal to the secondary audience which is females. The white outline on the typography brightens the overall mood of the poster so the dark colours are not too over powering and it still provides the feel of a children's film. The second illustrates brighter use of colours because instead of a black and red background we used a simple image of a tree. The colours are universal so again they appeal to the primary and secondary audience.

Our group did not incorporate any symbols on the poster due to it being for children. We kept it simple and minimalistic so children are able to look at the poster and easily understand it. 

The key figures presented in both the posters is the ninja which stands in the foreground. In poster 1 the background showcases a shadow of a group of ninja which links to the narrative of the story. The audience are able to acknowledge the fact that this film will clearly be about ninjas so they can identify the nature of the film. The concept of the film is that this one child in the foreground eventually influences others to follow in his footsteps and become ametuer ninjas as well. The background in poster 2 is of a tree with the main character standing in the foreground with a sword and a 'Fight me' sign. This is the fundamental image were the ninja begins his challenge. The ninja standing in both has been photographically represented, whilst the shadow figures have been graphically produced.

The striking images in both posters establish the message as mainly visual. Both include aspects of the ninja child were the audience can clearly see him carrying out his challenge. From this image we can gather that there is a sense of confidence. He is clearly not a real ninja yet he remains proud, even though what he is doing is immature. Poster 1 and poster 2 indicate that this child is preparing for a challenge and he is determined to do so. Although there are messages that are conveyed verbally. The 'Fight me' sign is a key aspect which suggests action.

The poster is promoted and marketed to appeal to a male target audience. In terms of age the poster attracts a young group (7 to 15 years old) who have an interest in playing video games, watching cartoons and watching action films. The overall layout is simple and basic therefore easily understandable for a younger age group. The dark colours in poster 1 present a sense of mystery so the audience are intrigued to find out more about the film. In addition, the red and black showcased are fitting for a young male audience. The images we included are of the main character which is obviously a young boy who wants a challenge and an adventure. All features suggest that it is light hearted which is not to be taken too seriously so is not appropriate for a mature audience.Poster 2 addresses the same target audience. The overall image is striking so a child seeing that poster will be interested to find out more. Bright colours and the back ground are warming and energetic so the audience will be excited to watch the film.

Both of the posters should demonstrate a clear commercial purpose- which is to get people to go and watch the movie. In order to achieve this the posters include persuasive techniques to grab the attention of the public. We put forward a series of review comments that are common features that are presented on posters. The positive comments ("5 stars, Must see") generate a positive outlook of the film. The expert witnesses are quoted again to establish a positive outlook on the film. We trust a critics opinion because they are meant to be experts in the world of film.

To gain attention and shock the audience we positioned the ninja in the foreground looking confident and proud. This dark mysterious figure is intriging. As an audience we want to find out more and discover the attributes of this character. The tagline 'Fight me' effectively achieves a similar goal. The statement is bold and doesn't give away too much. It uses direct address so it feels like the main character is talking straight to the audience. The tagline is used in both posters and is intended for dramatic effect and to attract the audience.

Overall, the poster achieves its main aim which is to advertise and market the film product which is appealing and manages to attract the audience.  The colours, layout and main images/figures are key features which highlight the most fundamental aspects of the story line. However all of which does not give away too much so there is still some interest of the film. On a critical level, we could of made it more effective by making it look more professional. To do this we could have added an age rating and a production title.

Ninja Child Poster 2

Ninja Child Poster 1

Audience Profile

In our group we defined a target audience in order to market our product for the people who are most likely to purchase it. On the target audience has been identified we can convey our film to attract the target audience.

The primary demographic attributes include:

• Age: 7 to 15 years old 
• Gender: Male 
• Interests: playing video games, reading books, watching cartoons, watching action films, being imaginative and creative

The secondary demographic attributes include:

• Age: 7 to 15 years old 
• Gender: Female 
• Interests: Same as above 

Once we have established the demographic in terms of age, gender and interest we are able to advertise the film to produce the maximum results. 

Why did you choose to target this group?

The target audience and the the main character, 'Ninja Child' share similar traits and interests. In doing this, the main focus of the film instantly becomes more relatable. 'Ninja Child' is also around a similar age to the target group, which again makes it more relatable for them. The film 'Ninja Child' presents the codes and conventions of a typical children's movie. Therefore it attracts a younger demographic because it includes adventure and humour that is not fitting for a mature audience. 

What would you need to have in your poster to attract the target audience? 

The advertisement is the key factor that will attract them to watch 'Ninja Child', which means the advertisement has to be appropriate for the target audience. Our poster will have to be presented in a specific style that will appeal to our audience. 

Main features of the poster include: 

• Dark colours- mysterious which will attract the audience 
• Simplistic and basic which means not too much information so it is easy to understand by the young audience
• Sword and 'Fight me sign' suggests action and excitment that will appeal to the target audience 
• Masculine layour/theme/colours- suitable for our primary audience which is males. 

Films that target audience might have seen

Character Prezi

Ninja Child *The Character* on Prezi