G321 Evaluation Question 1: In what ways does your media

product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media

products?

Locations

• The film opening contains four primary locations; the alleyway, the driveway, inside the house and inside the cupboard. The generic thriller convention of claustrophobia was developed through the cupboard scene, where the female character Bryony was entrapped. This was emphasised by the darkness and the single source lighting on half of her face. • The idea of having our male character walk down an alleyway was

inspired by 'The Third Man' and the scene in which the main character can be seen walking down a dark and secluded street. The use of a tilt shot was also influenced by this film, and this was to create a sense of confusion for the audience.

Characters

Bryony • The female character Bryony represents the femme fetale throughout her

actions and her appearance. Her red lipstick connotes her mysterious and seductive characteristics, similarly to the femme fatale, although her lipstick is smudged across her face. This infers that she has been involved in a struggle, which supports her compromising and dangerous representation of the femme fatale. The character appearance of Bryony was inspired by the character of Marion Crane in ‘Psycho’. • Bryony’s vulnerable and defenceless state was inspired by the character of Eve

in ‘Once Upon a Time in America’. • She is within the age range of 18-21, which suggests that she is a young and

naïve character under the influence of her capturer.

Victor• The character of Victor represents the traditional business man in a

suit and tie, and this was inspired by the male characters in 'Once Upon a Time in America'. The black and white attire connotes no depth in colour or warmth, showing that he is emotionless psychopath. Costume inspiration came from both 'American Psycho' and 'Reservoir Dogs'. Victor appears to be a 'normal' everyday man, which makes his character more unsettling to watch. Throughout the opening Victor shows no emotion, and presents a cold and vacant look which suggests to the audience that something is not right.

Lighting

• In the cupboard scene, key lighting was used to create a silhouette of the female character's face to connote claustrophobia and a sense of entrapment. The light bulb was angled above the character's head to create a definitive line between light and dark. Another generic thriller feature used was chiaroscuro lighting and can be seen throughout the opening of the thriller.• The male character was first introduced through heavily shadowed

lighting, connoting his villainous status and giving his character a sense of anonymity. This creates a sense of mystery and fear towards his character.

Sound

• Non-diegetic sound was used in the form of a soundtrack throughout the opening of our thriller to create an eerie atmosphere and to build suspense towards the end. We found the soundtrack off a royalty free website and I edited it to create suspense in the scenes that needed it most.• Diegetic sound was also used through sound effects created by the

characters, for example Victor's footsteps are heard in the first scene walking down the alleyway and walking towards the cupboard. The click of a light switch is heard when Victor turns it on, and the banging of fists on the door is also heard when Bryony is trying to attract the attention of anyone outside of the cupboard.

Camera angles and movement

• We used a variety of shots, starting with a low angle tilt shot connoting the confusion in the first scene. This is a use of a generic thriller convention and can be found in films such as ‘The Third Man’.• A medium shot was used to show Victor’s hands adjusting his tie as he

walks down the alleyway and this cuts to a close up of his hand clenching tightly. • We used a close up shot of the female characters eye to lock the object

into frame and to ensure mystery by not revealing the wider surroundings. This was inspired by Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ shower scene, in which the female characters eye is shown through a close up zoom which transitions into the swirling drain.

Transitions

• Quick jump shots were used towards the end of our thriller, alongside the fast pace soundtrack in order to connote tension. Fades to black were also used between these shots of Bryony and Victor in order to define these characters and to connect them on either sides of the cupboard. It also made the film run more smoothly in order to keep the audience engaged.