Group Narrative

Group Narrative

In my group is Charlie Stewart and Jessica Day.

Idea 1 - The opening sequence for this narrative would be of the friends walking through the forest, when their friend goes missing and getting the text from the antagonist, the focus would go back and forth from the characters and pictures of the chalk circles and weapons, that could possibly be used. The credits would be written in text font like the phone to show some of the narrative about the antagonist sending them messages. The rules could be being read out so that the audience are aware straight away that there is some sort of game involved.

Advantages - It builds up up suspense which is conventional.
Disadvantages: It's brief and confusing.

Idea 2 -  For my thriller film I am going to be base it around a wife who is in a room on her own. The audience see her facial expressions seem depressed at the beginning and she hears noises outside of the room that she is in. The woman opens the door to investigate the noise but doesn't see anything so as she sits back down she sees a silhouette of someone standing there. Then it cuts to black as he walks in the door, we hear struggling noises and then finally silence. Then we see a silhouette walk out then the camera pans to the woman's desk and we see blood all over it.

Advantages - Good use of conventional thriller elements. Creates and enigma.
Disadvantages - Hardest to make.

Idea 3 -Boy and a girl are having a lunch picnic. Girl comments on how glad she is that the boy forgave her for leaving him when he was depressed. Boy looks away and we see a menacing look on his face. Cut to flashback of the boy walking to the edge of the platform at a train station, about to jump but deciding not to at the last minute and we see the train whiz by. Next shot is of the boy talking to a psychiatrist and we hear that the boy often has "dark thoughts" since his mother was driven to suicide by his father, he also mentions how betrayed he felt when his girlfriend left. Cut back to the present, the boy's girlfriend asks him to pass her the apple juice. Then we see the hamper and as the boy moves the apple juice we see a knife. Boy grabs it, screen fades to black, girl screams. The rest of the film would be about the boy seeking revenge on the people he believes to have caused him harm, mentally or physically with his father being his final target . There would be meetings with the psychiatrist throughout.

Advantages: Easy to produce. Good opening that doesn't give away to many plot details. We understand the antagonists motives.

Disadvantages - Doesn't show enough conventions of a thriller.


Group: Based on idea 1 but it will be changed so that it is from the person who gets kidnapped instead as this was would increase sympathy from the audience to the character. We won't find out much about the antagonists intentions, we will just see the friend being kidnapped. We will get of the game idea as it is cliche and would be too much to fit into a short opening sequence. We may show a bit of the killer but not too much as we don't wan't to give away the antagonists identity so early as when we did our research we discovered that most people prefer the antagonists identity to remain a secret.

This idea follows Todorov's narrative theory as everything is in a state of equilibrium when the girls are walking through the forest happily. This gets disrupted when one of them gets kidnapped. The plot then focuses on the girls attempts to restore the initial state of equilibrium by rescuing their friend without all dying horribly. The characters don't match the examples described in Propp's theory and while the narrative meets some of the themes in Aristotle's theory Todorov's is still the best match.

Individual Narrative Ideas - Miss Georgiou

Narrative is important as important as it builds up the storyline and gets the audience engrossed in the film.

Plot: Boy and a girl are having a lunch picnic. Girl comments on how glad she is that the boy forgave her for leaving him when he was depressed. Boy looks away and we see a menacing look on his face. Cut to flashback of the boy walking to the edge of the platform at a train station, about to jump but deciding not to at the last minute and we see the train whiz by. Next shot is of the boy talking to a psychiatrist and we hear that the boy often has "dark thoughts" since his mother was driven to suicide by his father, he also mentions how betrayed he felt when his girlfriend left. Cut back to the present, the boy's girlfriend asks him to pass her the apple juice. Then we see the hamper and as the boy moves the apple juice we see a knife. Boy grabs it, screen fades to black, girl screams.

The rest of the film would be about the boy seeking revenge on the people he believes to have caused him harm, mentally or physically with his father being his final target . There would be meetings with the psychiatrist throughout.

While all the victims would have done harm to the boy in some way they would not be deserving of death and the audience should sympathise with them. The boy would be presented as not cruel, but broken and while the audience should want him to be stopped they should also sympathise with him.

The main mise-en-scene element that I'd like to include is the knife that is suddenly revealed when the main character is with his girlfriend. I'd also like the train to be a prominent part of the sequence as it highlights the boys suicidal thoughts and psychological issues.While I'd prefer the film was a 15 due to the dark themes it would more likely suit an age rating of 18 and be aimed at young adults 18-35, male and female.

I'll email my group members copies of my idea and then we will discuss the positives and negatives including any potential issues.

Research into conventions - Ms Miller

Conventions in films refer to elements that are common within different film genres and patterns that can be seen in different films from the same category. Some thriller conventions include, attractive female victims, enigma, chase scenes as well as shock, suspense and tension. The film clip I am going to analyse is from Scream, the first of the popular thriller series. I chose this clip as it contains many thriller conventions.




The first notable convention is the use of a female victim. It is common in thrillers for the victims to be female as they usually portrayed as weak and helpless against the male antagonist. Like in this scene, the females are often attractive blondes.This makes the audience care about the victim more than they would if the victim was an ugly male and they end up more engrossed in the film which raises tension. This is typical for thrillers as they aim to create tension and suspense and having the audience care for the characters is an effective way of doing this.

Another convention is the use of a mask to hide the antagonists identity. The antagonist is wearing a scary looking mask the entire scene and his identity is never revealed. Ghost like masks like seen in this clip are usually associated with evil and danger so the audience are scared for the victim as she is trapped with this evil being and the audience know she is in danger. The fact that the killers identity is a secret means that the audience feel like they have no idea what he is capable of which makes him even scarier. The hidden identity of the killer also creates an enigma as the audience are left wondering who is under the mask and what would make them do something so cruel. The enigma created by having the killers identity hidden is the main reason why it so conventional for masks to be used in thriller films.

Another thing I noticed that is conventional to thriller films is the sense of dread and the fear of the inevitable created in the scene. This mainly occurs around 1:45 when the soon-to-be victim is trapped in the dog door. As she is slowly being lifted up we see that she is stuck in the door and we know that her chances of survival are slim. This is what fills the audience with a sense of dread as they want the female to survive but know what is about to happen. As she kicks and screams the audience sympathize with her and are in shock when the inevitable happens. This is conventional to thriller films as they usually aim to shock the audience and gory deaths usually succeed in doing that.

The fight scene and the outcome of the fight scene is conventional to a thriller film. In this scene the victim fights back and almost wins. This along with the increased tempo of the music makes for a suspenseful scene and increases the heart rate of the audience. The audience see that that the victim is fighting back well and get a sense of false hope that she may be able to escape. This action scene excites the audience and the sudden change in tempo keeps the film engaging and stops it becoming boring. The audience will the female to win the fight and are on the edge of their seat as they believe she has a chance. This also emphasises the feelings of dread created when she gets stuck in the dog door as all the audience's hopes are destroyed and they nervously await her inevitable death. Fast paced action scenes are a common way for thriller films to engage the audience and keep them entertained by the film. 

To conclude I think that the film succeeds in creating a conventional thriller sequence and in using different methods to surprise, shock and create suspense and tension. During my research I have learnt how I can use short, fast paced sequences to keep my audience entertained as well as how I create enigma by hiding the identity of my antagonist.

Opening Sequence Analysis - Miss Georgiou

"How does the opening sequence of the film halloween inform the audience of it's conventions of a thriller"

The opening sequence of thrillers sets up the main theme of the film. It introduces the narrative and sets the tone for the rest of the film so the audience know what to expect. The opening sequence often creates a sense of unease and the tension it builds features throughout the rest of the film. It often ends on something mysterious creating an enigma.

Halloween meets the conventions of a thriller film through it's use of cinematography. The use of a point of view (POV) shot in the opening scene is used effectively. We see what is happening from the view of the antagonist which is strange as we usually see the point of view from the victim. This is means that the identity of the antagonist remains secret and when the mask gets put on we can only see through the eyeholes. This is used to make the audience feel uneasy as their vision is restricted and all they see is the female victim about to be killed and they feel scared for her knowing what will most likely happen. When the female is being stabbed the audience feel disgusted as they have been forced into the position of the murderer. While it is not common to have a POV from the antagonist it is common for thrillers to make the audience feel uneasy and sympathetic towards the victims. The use of a handheld camera is also effective in this scene. Handheld is used throughout the clip but becomes more noticeable when the antagonist is walking up the stairs around 2:15.

This use of a handheld camera makes the scene appear unstable which mirrors the antagonists state of mind as well as creating a sense of foreboding. Handheld shots are often used in thrillers to make the audience tense and feel a sense of dread. At the end of the scene the image zooms out into a high angle shot of the house and three characters. This shows how shocked the boys parents are as well as emphasising the sense of enigma the audience are left with as they wonder if the boy is guilty and what could drive him to do something so horrible and unnatural. 


The use of Narrative in Halloween is typical for a thriller film and is effective as it's full of suspense, surprise, shock and ends on an enigma. This is something nearly all thriller films try to do, therefore it's conventional. The scene is set in an old detached house which is typical for a thriller as many people have a fear of having something unwanted in their house house so may be able to share the same fears with the victims in the films and sympathize with them more. The victim in this scene is a young female which is is conventional for a thriller as young females are usually considered innocent and too weak to protect themselves so the audience feel more scared and worried for them then they would if it was a strong male in danger. it is also conventional that the identity of the killer remains secret until the end of the scene (if the boy actually is the killer). This is typical as lots of people have a fear of the unknown and as the antagonist is not seen the audience have no idea what he's capable of which makes him even scarier. Two pieces of iconography are used in this opening scene which are the knife and the mask. Knives are often the weapon of choice in thriller films as they are often associated with murder and kills with them are done with the killer right besides the victim making it more brutal and personal. Masks are typically used to hide the killers identity creating enigma and making them appear more fearful. Low key lighting is used throughout this scene making it creepier and creating shadows.

Editing in thrillers is primarily used to create suspense and build tension which this film succeeds in. Around the two minute mark the editing is slow as the killer is slowly making his way towards his victim. This slow paced editing is used to maximize the feelings of unease created by the use of a handheld camera and POV from the antagonists perspective and the slower it is the more uncomfortable the audience feel. At 3:45 a straight cut is used to change the viewpoint from the killers POV to a shot of the boy removing his mask. This emphasises the enigma created and shocks the audience as a young, innocent looking boy is implicated to have committed that horrible killing and the actions of the antagonist are not something that would usually be associated with a young boy.

The use of sound in Halloween is also conventional. At the start of the scene there is a non diegetic soundtrack being played. It is non-diegetic as it is not part of the film and was added after in the post production stage. After the opening credits we hear children chanting something which sounds evil, like a curse. This almost makes them sound possesed which complements the supernatural theme implied in the title of the film. Most of the scene is quite so the audience focus in what is happening in the scene and become more engrossed. This is typical for thriller films whereas other genres like action feature loud fast paced music.

The way the characters are represented in Halloween are typical for thriller films. The antagonist is presented as mentally unstable and has his identity hidden which makes him scarier as the audience don't know what he's capable of. The victim is a young female who is unable to protect herself making the audience feel sympathetic. The parents are hardly seen in the the scene but their confused reaction at the end mirrors how the audience feel. 

To conclude this opening sequence informs the audience of it's conventions as thriller through the way it succeeds in creating suspense, surprise, shock and tension. My analysis has helped me with my own film as I have learnt how you can use plot twists to create a sense of enigma as well as how POV shots can be used to create tension.

Research into Sound - Ms Miller

I will be researching the use of sound in Thriller films and how it is used for the desired effect. The use of sound is important in films as it makes it easier to understand what is happening as well as help provoke a response from the audience. In thriller films sound is used to build tension and suspense as well as allowing the audience to connect with the characters. The film I have chosen to analyse is The Silence of the Lambs. I chose this as it is the highest grossing thriller film of all time.

Most of music in this scene is actually diegetic or on screen sound as at the start of the scene we see a cassette player playing music cassette player.

This is uncommon but is used to create the contrapuntal sound effect which features near the end of the scene. Throughout the scene music is used to mirror Hannibal's mental state. The music playing from the cassette player is classical which usually indicates calmness and relaxation and matches how Hannibal is feeling at the start of the scene. When Hannibal attacks the prison guards the music changes and becomes louder and faster paced. This illustrates the adrenaline rush Hannibal is feeling as he fights to win his freedom. The increased tempo mirrors Hannibal's increased heart rate. When both guards are dead the music goes back to the calm classical music while we see the guards dead and bloody on the floor, this is the contrapuntal sound effect. The calm relaxing music juxtaposes the brutal sight of the murdered guards. The music mirrors how calm and relaxed Hannibal feels now he is free. This juxtaposition is used to trivialise the brutal deaths and show how murder is normal to Hannibal and even something he enjoys. This shows the audience how sick and twisted he is. The audience see for themselves how cold and emotionless he is and are left in awe. During the attack when the music suddenly increases in tempo it also gives the audience a rush of adrenaline and even excitement.  It is normal for thriller films to present the antagonist as cold and emotionless as it makes them more fearful as the audience are left on edge knowing that the antagonist has no morals or ethics and would have no qualms harming the films protagonist the audience is usually made to care for.

The on screen sound is used to great effect in this scene. All the sounds relating to Hannibal's attacks on the officers are emphasised. We clearly hear the sounds of Hannibal using his mouth to tear one of the guards flesh, the sound of the pepper spray being sprayed into his eyes as well as the thuds from him being beaten with the baton. These exaggerated sounds are used to emphasize the damage and harm Hannibal is doing to these guards.This makes the audience feel uneasy as they are forced to imagine how much damage is being done and how much pain these guards must be suffering. This is typical for thriller films as the antagonist is usually much more powerful than all the characters besides the main protagonist and the emphasis on the damage they cause is used to show the audience how powerful the antagonist is.

The diegetic sound including the dialogue and the screams of the guards are used for a similar effect. At the start of the scene the dialogue between the guards is used to show their relationship with Hannibal and how they feel about him. We see that they consider him a "son of a bitch" but their laughter suggests that they don't see him as any kind of threat. Their underestimation is used to show that Hannibal is much stronger than he looks making him seem more powerful as the audience see that he is much stronger than people who don't even consider him a threat. When they are attacked both guards are constantly screaming in pain which like the on screen sound makes the audience feel sorry for them as they hear how much pain Hannibal is causing. The audience fear Hannibal which is typical for thrillers as they usually attempt to make the antagonist appear as powerful making the audience uneasy as they think the antagonist may be powerful enough to succeed in their plans.

To conclude I think the film was successful in it's attempts to create shock and make the antagonist seem powerful. My research taught me the large effect sound can have on the audience and how engaged they are with the film. I learnt how dialogue can be used to show the relationship between various characters and how certain sounds can be exaggerated to make the antagonist appear more powerful. When creating my own thriller film I may emphasise the sounds of a certain characters pain to make my own audience sympathise them and feel hatred towards my antagonist. I learnt that sound plays an important part in the creation of a successful thriller film.

Research into editing styles

Editing is one of the most important parts of film making. It plays a big part in creating the surprise, shock and suspense that thrillers are known for. The clip I have analysed is from The Human Centipede, it shows a girl attempting to escape from the antagonist in a very suspenseful scene.

Shot Reverse Shot - This occurs near the start of the scene where the sequence cuts betweens the females facial expressions, it makes it obvious that they have both just woken up and shows how they share the same fear and are both just as confused. We see both characters squirming trying to escape and the audience can see how panicked they are. The audience sympathise with them and hope they are both able to escape. This is typical for a thriller as females are often in danger and the antagonist is usually male and presented as more powerful. Shot reverse shots are a common way to show which character feels like they are in control of the situation.

Reaction Shot - A reaction shot is used after one of the females gets injected with chemicals. We see her crying about wanting her mother. This shot is used to show how much pain she is in and the fact that she is being tortured. This makes the audience think about how horrible it must be to end up in that kind of situation and we sympathise with her, afterwards we see that the other female is trying to escape and the audience are in suspense and hope that the same thing doesn't happen to the second female. It becomes even more important that she escapes. Females attempting to escape from the antagonist is common in thriller films even though they rarely succeed in escaping. Reaction shots are a common way of showing how much pain and fear the antagonist is capable of causing.

The Timing of Shots is a very important part of editing. After one of the females escapes from the bed the editing becomes faster paced as she tries to run away. The faster pace of the shots allow the audience to feel the adrenaline she must be feeling as she tries desperately to escape, the audience share her fear and panic and hope she is able to get away. When she stops running and locks herself in a room the editing slows down again creating suspense. It is conventional for thriller films to use the timing of shots to control the pace of the film which allows them to stop it becoming boring and stale as well as allowing the film to go from slow, tension building scenes to fast paced adrenaline-inducing scenes.

After showing how scared she is inside the room we get a Jump Cut to the antagonist outside the room. This quick change is used to juxtapose the different characters body language and there is a large contrast between the woman inside who is trembling in fear to the antagonist who appears angry and menacing. This shows the audience how the antagonist is much more powerful than the female and makes the audience fear for her safety. This is conventional for thrillers as the more powerful they can make the antagonist appear the more the audience get invested in the film as they worry more for other characters and hope the villain can be stopped. 

My research will help me plan my own thriller as I have learnt how I can change the timing of shots to create either tension or adrenaline. I also learnt that jump cuts can be used to juxtapose the body language between several characters and I may be able to use this in my own thriller to make the antagonist appear more powerful.

Research into Cinematography

Cinematography is the art of capturing and putting together different shots and frames. It includes the shot types, camera movement, camera focus, lighting and much more.Good use of cinematography can make a film more engaging and suspenseful. The scene I analysed is from the film Se7en, a psychological thriller directed by David Fincher. I chose this scene as cinematography is used to create suspense as well as shock and surprise the audience.

Near the start of the scene a point of view (POV) shot is used. The shot is from the point of view of one of the policemen aiming his gun at the person underneath the bedsheets. This shot creates suspense as the audience is put in the same scary situation as the character and is made to feel his unease as they are just as in the dark as he is. This is a common way for thriller films to slowly build suspense right before something dramatic happens, like in this scene where the man under the bedsheet suddenly starts moving and then dies.

Here the camera slowly zooms in on the writing on the wall. This is to draw the readers attention to it as "sloth" is one of the seven deadly sins and a key plot element in the film. The audience read this and feel uneasy and are made to wonder about the mental state of the antagonist and how evil he is. This is typical for a psychological thriller as the plot often revolves around something of an eerie nature and the antagonists are usually portrayed as crazy and cruel.

Here shallow focus is used to highlight Detective Mills facial expressions, Detective Somerset is blurred in the background. This occurs while they are investigating the scene and shows how Mills is deep in thought. The film has mystery elements and this shot is used to tell the audience that these two characters are the protagonists and that it is their responsibility to catch whoever is responsible for these crimes. Thriller films often have mystery elements to keep the film suspenseful throughout.

Here a reaction shot is used to show the fear on the characters after discovering the body was still alive. This succeeds in surprising the audience which all thrillers aim to do. It succeeds in this because as the body had been shown previously and was completely still, leading the audience and on-screen characters to believe that the person was already dead. When it starts moving the characters and the audience share the same surprise. A technique like this is conventional to the genre as jump scares and surprises increase adrenaline and stop the film from getting boring.

Here we have a high angle shot of the body recently discovered to still be alive. Here the high angle shot is used to show the horrible state the body is in increasing the audiences shock at the fact that the body is still alive. We get to see how the body is bruised, discoloured and mutilated making the antagonist more fearful as we think about how cruel and messed up he must be to do this to someone.

When making my own thriller film I will be sure to follow these conventions to make it scary and suspenseful. During my research I learned how I could use zoom to bring the audience's attention to key plot details and how I can use point of view shots in order to make my characters more relatable. I have also decided that I will include a reaction shot in my sequence to show the victims sudden fear when she sees the antagonist for the first time. This will change the tempo of the scene and will create a sense of fear and panic.