Subject Matter & Representation Issues

>The subject matter for “Paperchain” consists of...

Serial Killers: There are many infatuations within our society, and one of them, I am sure are... ‘Serial Killers’. American TV dramas such as ‘CSI’ and ‘Criminal Minds’ inject episodes of bloody murders and twisting plots into our lives via T.V- stories about people who devote their lives to revenge, murder and other aspects of the darker side to humanity. Directors and actors devote their money and time into trying to portray why somebody would do such things, we as humans are obsessed with the idea of a person killing other people for the ‘fun’ of it, and we are interested in what really makes them tick. Serial Killers are a real thing; therefore people can relate to them, they evoke more fear in us than a monster or alien would.

Murder: Murder scenes are gory and violent and disgusting. However, people have become accustom to seeing them conveyed across various mediums of the media. People like to watch mystery dramas and work through the clues of the crime scene like the detective or agent on screen, they feel engaged and involved. Almost always, the audience will know more about the murder than the people in the film; this provides them with a sense of importance.

Psychology of serial killers: Another infatuation within our society. Many people would like to understand what makes a person do such brutal things to others, because they think if they understand it will be easier to accept the violence as an aspect of humanity. A lot of films, especially thrillers, are engaging to watch because it focuses on the mindset of the killer, this is what makes some films very successful.

Childhood factors: This is important; especially for our storyline- it kind of holds it all together. For many thriller films, it is this which establishes the main enigma. It can also be a technique used to play on the sympathies of the audience. Seeing a child turning into a serial killer is different from just seeing the serial killer- it evokes a different attitude within the audience. It could be used to make the audience really think about the film they have seen, and to form their own opinions as to whether the antagonist is really the antagonist, or just a child influenced by their troubled surroundings or a person seeking revenge for a loved one.

Props (what the Paperchain suggests): The Paperchain within our thriller reflects the killer’s childhood. Something has happened to him, somebody was taken away from him... the Paperchain represents the killer’s possible

reason for why he does such horrific things. It is a prop which runs throughout the opening sequence, and it plays a main part in reflecting how the killers mind is split between his childhood and adult life. He uses the Paperchain as an outlet; he cuts up the paper very precisely, kills the woman, and then drowns the Paperchain. It is a sense of finality for him, drowning the Paperchain means that he can put something to rest in his mind, a nagging memory that has been troubling him. However, I believe with props, the audience can also derive their own meanings from it, therefore it is important to have a prop if it symbolises something relevant to the storyline, because then many interpretations are available for everyone.

>The representational issues of “Paperchain” consist of...

We have followed typical conventions and stereotypes very closely within “Paperchain”, this is because it is our first attempt at a fairly new concept, and we didn’t want to make it complicated by challenging stereotypes. Also, I believe that successful thrillers can be either stereotypical within the concepts or they can break away, as long as it works. Furthermore, the idea is one which we all believed in and agreed on as a group.

White male: Many serial killers are perceived as being middle aged white males- this is the image I derive from the media’s representations of them. They also seem to be portrayed as social outcasts, loners, who are somewhat detached from people. Due to the restriction with actors for our film, we did follow this convention; I think it works with the different components to our storyline anyway. The character we have chosen fits the part.

Intelligence: Lots of films toy with the idea of the typical ‘serial killer’ image as being a male of high intelligence, resulting in him being able to execute detailed and precise brutal killings without getting caught. Inevitably, if the serial killer didn’t cover their tracks, they would be caught and then just go to jail... it wouldn’t make good viewing. Audiences want to see a cunning villain who can out-smart everyone around them. Our antagonist is a businessman; he earns lots of money, lives well and has status in the business world. He lives and works in London.

Double-Life/’Normal’ guy: I think the ‘Normal Guy’ stereotype increases the audience’s fear factor because the audience can relate to them as real, everyday people... your next door neighbour for example. It evokes a sense of awakening amongst the audience, People are not always who they say they are..., and then they begin to feel edgy because of this. It definitely holds the suspense and tension as well as mystery because sometimes the killer is unknown and ‘normal’ people fear it is

someone amongst them. We used the typical ‘normal’ man image because we thought it would be more effective to our storyline. He is a businessman by day and then has this sinister double hidden life by which he murders innocent women in brutal ways. This also provides the audience with a relatable antagonist and makes the thriller seem more realistic.