Representations in Thriller Films

Holly Fairbairn

Introduction

This task is to look at representations used in Thriller films and to use the information I gather in future works and productions. Representation is the portrayal of a person, object or situation that the media creates. I will be looking at clips of thriller films and will be paying close attention to the camera work, editing, sound, Mise en scene and stereotypes to figure out the conventions of these types of media. I need to know these conventions and representations for future reference when I create my Thriller opening sequence. By knowing the conventional portrayals I will be able to use the correct symbols and signs to connote the meaning of the object/person when the time comes.

I hope to find some interesting representations that will give me ideas for my own as I plan my opening sequence. I also hope to see which conventions are used in these types of films so I can decide which I would like to repeat and those that I would like to challenge as in the words of Neale is the way of success with a genre. I will use this information by picking out certain conventions that I would put my spin on things but I would also pick the ones that I would like to change to add a bit of difference and variety to the already growing genre.

House at the End of the Street:Elissa

Costume - She is in quite ordinary clothing with a

white vest top. This could represent the innocence of conventional female roles in Thrillers. Her hair is also messed up showing that

she could have been previously in a struggle.

Props - The fact she is tied up shows she is a

damsel in distress which is conventional in female roles in the

genre.

Facial Expressions -The scared look on her face shows that she

is the victim in this particular scene, following the conventions

of a Thriller Film

Lighting – The lighting in this scene highlights her but casts shadows in the background, giving the

impression that she’s the protagonist in an evil

location.

Camera Angles – The angle used is a long shot to show us her predicament, this could also be seen as a low angled shot which usually shows strength and

intimidation which is a contrast to her current situation which shows her as weak. Throughout the film, there are a lot of close-ups to show the facial

expressions of the characters. High angled shots are also commonly used to make her seem weak and

fragile

House at the end of the Street:Ryan

Lighting – There is a lot of low key lighting that

casts shadows across his face, giving us the

impression that he is a mysterious and possibly

dangerous character.

Costume – He is currently in a dark shirt and throughout the film he is often seen in dark

clothing. This is a contrast to Elissa’s

characters as darkness usually represents the antagonist of the film.

Camera Angles – This is a low angled shot which is

conventionally used for the villain or the antagonistic sidekick of the film as it shows intimidation and

strength. It is also a close up which is typically used to show us a character’s

facial expression so we get an insight in their

emotions. These are conventional in the horror

genre.

Facial Expressions – In this shot he has a stern

but also scared look which both makes him

looks strong but vulnerable at the same time. His vulnerability

contradicts the conventional image of a male character but the strength portrays it.

House at the End of the Street:Conclusion of Characters

ELISSA

Elissa is constantly shown as a conventional female role as throughout the film she is seen in pale colours and is usually lit up, showing her innocence. She is also portrayed as the victim through her facial expressions and camera angles.She is very pretty and shows some skin which follows Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory. All of these combined give her the conventions of a typical female character in the Thriller Genre.

RYAN Ryan shows both signs of a conventional male role but also challenges some of the stereotypes involved in a Thriller genre. He is constantly shown in dark colours giving him a more dangerous edge than is necessary in a male lead but he also shows strength which is conventional in a male Thriller character. In some scenes he also seems sad or scared which challenges the stereotypical strength that the man must have in these types of films. The camera angles used show him as strong and intimidating, these combined make an interesting character profile which is a bit conventional in a Thriller Genre

Abduction:Nathan

Lighting – There is natural lighting, giving the impression that this

character is an protagonist but this

challenges the conventions of the

Thriller genre.

Props – The weapon on the table is a

conventional feature when it comes to male characters in this genre as they are meant to be

the protectors.

Facial Expressions – He has quite a stern look on his face that makes him seem strong which is a conventional virtue in a

male lead.

Costume – He is currently in a dark shirt and jacket and is often seen in dark but casual clothing. This

challenges the conventions of a

protagonist as darkness usually represents the

antagonist.Camera Angles – This is a low-angled shot which is conventionally used with the male character or the

antagonist as it makes the person in the frame seem strong and/or intimidating to both the

audience and other characters. It could also be classified as a long shot which has been used to

show us the props on the table as well as his reaction to them.

Abduction: Karen

Lighting – There is natural lighting in the majority of the scenes that she appears in.

This shows that she is most probably a

protagonist of the film.

Costume – She is wearing a pale top

which could symbolize innocence which is conventional in the female character of Thriller films. She is

also showing skin in this shot. Throughout the

rest of the film she can be seen in casual dress.

Props – The pom-poms are stereotypical for a preppy female who is

conventionally a victim but the fact that she is

the female protagonist is challenging to the

conventions of a Thriller film.

Camera Angles – This is a long shot which is used to

show us her attire and face, giving us an idea of her everyday life. This is

one of the less conventional shots but it is

still used often.

Abduction:Conclusion of Characters

NATHANNathan is the conventional male lead in the Thriller genre. His facial expressions and the camera angles show strength and determination which are key characteristics in this type of role. However his costume is quite dark which is usual for the antagonist but not for the protagonist so this shows examples of Neale’s theory that some conventions should be repeated and others challenged.

KARENKaren is the conventional female role in a Thriller film, she is often seen in pale clothes which would show her innocence which is a conventional trait in this kind of role. She is also very pretty which follows Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory as that states that pretty girls are only there for male amusement. Also the fact that there is natural lighting surrounding her shows that she is a protagonist and is quite soft in character which is a trait in the female role of Thriller Films.

The Shining:Jack

Lighting – There is low key lighting in this shot, casting shadows across

his face. This conventionally represents the

antagonist of the film.

Body Language – In this shot he is hunched over

this could represent pain or intimidation on another character. A

stereotypical villain is normally hunched over

or intimidating to smaller and weaker

characters.

Facial Expressions – Throughout the film he is facing insanity and that shows in his face, especially in this shot. He seems both in pain and angry which could represent him trying to

fight the crazy but could also show that he

is on the breaking point.

Costume – He is dark clothing which is

conventional for the antagonist in Thriller

films because the stereotype for those in dark clothes is usually

that they are dangerous.

Camera Angles – This is a close up which is a conventional for

Thriller films as they are used to show the emotions felt by the

characters whether it be fear or intimidation.

The Shining:Wendy

Lighting – There is a bit of high key lighting to show that she is the

protagonist of the film as it highlights her face,

this is a conventional feature of Thrillers.

Props – The character herself is holding a

knife which shows she is being attacked and

wants to defend herself. The axe is also visible,

letting us know that she is the victim in the

situation instead of the attacker.

Facial Expressions – You can tell she is the

victim because of her shocked expression and

her wide eyes. Wide eyes are stereotypically related to fear, shock or

surprise.

Costume – In this shot she is in her pyjamas showing that she was caught at a vulnerable moment as she was

asleep when her attacker came.

Throughout the rest of the film she can usually be found in at least one

bit of pale clothing which could represent

her innocence.

Sound/ Dialogue – Most of her dialogue is either

worried words or screams which are

conventional for the victims of Thrillers.

Camera Angles – This is a medium shot which is normally

used to show us the attire of the character and their emotions.

The Shining:Conclusion of Characters

JACK

Jack is the stereotypical antagonist in Thriller films. He is often seen in dark clothes with a crazy gleam in his eyes. The shots to show him are usually either low angled shots or close ups which are conventionally used for this type of character in this genre. Also the lighting used to show his character is almost always low key which represents evil and darkness, showing the audience that he is the villain of the tale.

WENDY

Wendy is the stereotypical victim in this type of film. She is almost always in pale clothes showing her innocence and is often found screaming or yelling. Her voice is also soft showing that she is no danger. The lighting used to highlight her shows that she is either the victim or the protagonist as it is either high key or natural.