Analysis of a Crime Thriller

Typical conventions of a Crime Thriller

+ Screen time is on main characters mostly
+ Variety of locations
+ Mysterious music
+ Protagonist has a partner
+ Focus scenes on a protagonist
+ See the crime planned from the very start

My example: Murder By Numbers

So to see if these conventions were actually present within crime thrillers I decided to analysis the film 'Murder by Numbers'.

At the very beginning there was mysterious music to fit the establishing shot at the same time of hearing the sound of the water flowing roughly. So from this you can tell straight away that it fits the conventions of the mysterious music appearing within the film.

Next there are a variety of locations just as the conventions state as they feature college, the beach at the beginning and also the house which you see the protagonist in. The protagonist is also not alone as he has his fellow partner so therefore this fits the convention that the protagonist isn't on his own.


Throughout the film the scenes are mainly focused on the protagonist so this also fits the conventions. And the last convention  which it fits is the fact you find out about the crime from the very start so therefore again it fits these conventions.

Overall this film fits the conventions extremely well. A few other things which I picked up on were: dull colours were used throughout the film to create tension, There was also a voice over at the beginning so therefore this created some suspense from the very start, unusual settings and finally the mise-en-scene was thought about extremely well especially the props and lighting and finally the colours.

Fake blood

Conventions of an Action Thriller + Analysis

Below I have wrote the conventions of an action thriller:


+ More screen time for the protagonist
+ High place of authority person is shown to be negative
+ Locations vary a lot
+ Partially introduced to various other characters
+ Isolated characters - amnesia
+ No reason behind violence
+ Outnumbered protagonist
+ No fancy/glamorous locations
+ Innocent victims
+ Different countries
+ Weaknesses shown strongly
+ Clues along the way
+ Mature cast
+ Binary Opposites
+ Protagonist normally has a talent e.g. athletic

My analysis of an action thriller --> Quantum of Solace

From watching the opening sequence of this film you can straight away spot the conventions of an action thriller within this sequence. For example from the very beginning of the film James Bond has all the screen time. This fits the first convention as in this film James Bond is shown as the protagonist.
 In the first five minutes of the film the locations already vary a lot so this again fits the second convention of the 'locations vary a lot'.
 Moving on: you are partially introduced to other characters as you are shown the action of the victim being beaten, but only briefly. So therefore you are shown other characters in short bursts of filming. We also aren't aware of a reason for the violence which is shown within this film at the beginning so therefore this fits the convention of there being no reason behind the violence.
  Next the convention of it being in different countries. This is present as throughout the film the countries are varied a strong amount.
 Also weaknesses are shown about the main characters in short bursts of shooting so that they don't get portrayed to weak. However when they are shown they are as the convention says: 'shown strongly'.
 Clues are along the way just like the conventions states and also there is a mature cast for this film so this too fits the conventions.
 As in all action thrillers there are binary opposites in this film which are both protagonists and the antagonists.
 Finally the protagonist is shown to have a talent as he is '007' and he is portrayed throughout the film to be talented so the directors have thought about this well as the audience can clearly see that James Bond is superior.

Gothika poster analysis

This is the poster for the psychological thriller called 'Gothika' which is based on a ghost story in which a repressed female psychiatrist wakes up as a patient in the very asylum where she worked with no memory of why she is there and what she has done. The two tag line's is clearly represented in the poster, one on the females arm; 'Not Alone' and the other one which is just underneath; 'Because someone is dead doesn't mean they're gone.' This is effective in catching the audience's attention as they are very emotive and powerful statements and it also helps to link to the films narrative.
The protagonists name is also presented on the poster. Due to the protagonist being a well known actress helps the audience to want to see the film as they know the actress in it. Also helps to convey the idea the film is a big production and popular due to Halle Berry being a part of it.
The use of the dark colours helps to show that the film belongs to the Thriller genre and the idea that the film links with a mysterious and eerie theme. Also the colours are also mysterious and fanatsy like which conveys the fact that its based on a person's mental state and is it all reality or fantasy.
'Gothika' has chosen to be presented in a font that links to the idea that someone had scratched the word 'Gothika' out. This is a representation of the plot of the film as the protagonist is based in an asylum so the idea that she is trying to escape and find herself is shown. Halle Berry's facial expression is very dazed and confused which provides the idea that she is the protagngonist as she is the only character on the poster but also she is the one suffering with her mental state.

Polictical thriller analysis - Munich Massacre

Conventions of a political thriller:
- Uses many locations, often focuses on different cultures or countries.
- False heroes, characters we think are good reveled not to be.
- "Helper", character who provides the protagonist with something useful.
- Threat is set against a backdrop of political power struggle.
- Plots are designed to give political power to someone while opponents try and prevent this.
- Innocent people drawn in to the political world.
- Trying to prove innocence.

Munich

Munich Massacre focuses on culture and countries as it is a film of the true story of the 1972 Munich Olympics, 8 terrorists from the organisation "Black September" raided the apartments of 11 Israelis and killed. It is a typical convention of a political thriller to be based on a true story.
The film uses many different locations which is also typical of a political thriller, these locations include the apartments and the Olympic stadium, and sets of where the police do their work.
The treat is set against a backdrop of a political power struggle. the plot line is designed to focus on a political power to the group of terrorists, while the police try to figure out the best way to control the situation.
Innocent people had been drawn in to the political world and have had their lives taken due to some other people's political power struggle.

Thursday 10th February (unable to film)

We had planned previous to today than we were going to film after college however, due to the weather we have decided to postphone our filming.

So the new date for filming be a week today (Thursday 17th February). This allows use to be more organised before the shoot as there is still a few things we need to organise such as finding squibs and creating props so this gives us the chance to be able to organise our shoot more effectively.

Childrens film Evaluation

After watching our Children's Film we spotted a number of things that we could improve on in our Thriller project.

Such as;
- Allowing more time to edit the clips together.

- Making sure the shots run smoothly and link together well.

- The use of the match on action shot wasn't smooth which affected the continuity of the opening sequence. 

-  The music was not empathetic; allow more time to compose any music or soundtrack needed and to make sure it fits in with the appropriate scene.

- To develop and make our titles more complex and enable them to link with the genre or plot well.

(The points marked in red are the things that I feel I really need to concentrate on and improve for my thriller opening sequence)

To improve these points that I have highlighted above I will need to make sure I leave enough time in order to create any music needed and to make sure I have enough time to edit the shots to make sure they run smoothly. I also could make sure I plan and produce a detailed storyboard which allows me to know what music will be needed and when and the order in which the shots will be shown in.



However in our clip we also managed to spot any skills or aspects that was positive within our opening sequence:
- The acting from the characters within the clip was realistic.
- There was a good amount of simple dialogue which helped to represent the storyline.
- The credits were colourful; links well to the children's film genre.
- The storyline wasn't too complicated for the target audience.

- We used a variety of shot distances including close up, establishing shot, long shots and pans.

(The points marked in green is what I feel were my strengths in my childrens opening sequence) 

                  

Review Of Childrens Film

The positive aspects of this film

The film was colourful throughout this means that it would appeal to the younger generation which was the target audience, so this made it appropriate to the task.

The storyline was quite basic and simple which fits the classification of a 'U' film which we had chosen.

The music worked well but could be improved a bit more to fit the characters moods more.

Improvements we need to make during the Thriller

The camera work was to shaky so this didn't work well. Therefore I would improve this as it would then make it a better quality film.

Throughout the film the shot distances didn't really vary so during the Thriller we need to use a variety of distances.

The titles were to basic as they only consisted of being literally just the title 'Be happy Charlie' in simple text so for the Thriller we need to make the titles advance by quite a big standard so that the film will look more well made and thought about. Also it will show the audience that we are talented enough to make the titles more advanced by creating them in photo shop for example and then maybe animating them.

And finally the mise-en-scene was thought about but not to a very good standard so therefore this time we will need to plan more in advance so that we can make sure that the mise-en-scene works well and fits the thriller genre.

Peers thoughts about the video

They thought that the music was good and that the characters would appeal to the target audience. And overall it flowed well.

However to improve it we would have to slow down the text transitions as it was hard to read it in a short amount of time. They didn't understand the moral too well so this could be improved and finally there were alot of shadows.

Conclusion

Overall from looking at my personal comments and my peers comments the two main things which I would say is most important which our group needs to improve most on would firstly be the camera work as it was shaky at time and causes shadows which weren't needed therefore we need to take this into consideration before filming.

Another thing which I would improve is to think about the mise-en-scene more so that it will fit the thriller genre this time and appeal to the audience more.


The things which worked well within the childrens film were the time spent on the characters worked well as they would appeal to the audience well. And also the music was quite good.

How I will do this

To make sure that the camera work isnt shaky I will make sure the tripod is used to a good standard when needed so that the filming is clear and easy to understand what is happening.

And to improve the mise-en-scene I will make sure that a variety of props are used and also to make sure that we plan when we need the props to film so that we have them on the right day to film the scenes which they feature in. Also to make sure that we consider the location and the lighting so that it will fit to the opening sequence and the genre. This can be done by making sure we do the location recce so that everything is considered before filming. And finally the final thing within mise-en-scene is the costume. We have already thought about this so therefore this will be made sure that the costumes are at a good standard and that they work well to the thriller genre.

Checklist for filming

Thursday 10th February 2011

- Characters (Protagonist and Antagonist)
- Camera
- Tripod
- Batteries/Charger
- Mobile Phones (in case of an emergency)
- Squibs + (make up)
- Black Coat
- Ensure antagonist is wearing black
- Money in case of an emergency + for food and drinks
- Protagonist must have appropriate footwear


Monday 14th February 2011

- Magnifying glass
- Newspaper Article
- Map
- Books
- Black and white photos
- Weapon

Storyboards

Call Sheets

A call sheet is issued to the cast and crew before filming. It contains a production schedule and contact information for the duration of the filming.

Our production schedule:

4.10pm- We all collect specific equipment from Holly and we then go to Reception and wait for the cast members.
4.20pm- cast and crew all meet up at Reception.
4.25pm- Leave college on the bus to go to the town centre.
4.50pm/5.00pm- Arrive at filming location and set equipment up, also brief the cast members of their task and the basic storyline.
5.15pm- Film shots.
6.00pm- Finish shooting (break)
6.30pm- (if need to film more shoots) break finishes at 6.30pm
7.30pm- Shooting finishes.

Who's collecting the equipment?
-Nicola collects and returns the tripod
-Georgina collects and returns the dolly
-Jade collects and returns the camera


What Bus are we going to get?
The citi7 bus from outside college to Mid-summer common.

 The weather:
We have checked what the weather will be like on the day we are planning to film, and it is appropriate filming weather: It is cloudy which will match the theme of our thriller and add pathetic fallacy. It will also not rain which means that we don't have to worry about the equipment getting damaged.


Sound:
Our filming location is surrounded by noise such as the public and traffic. However, this will not be a problem for us as we do not have any dialogue in our opening sequence. Also, during editing we will mute the sound that the camera has picked up, and make music on garage band to go play during the whole opening sequence.

Shot Lists

Top Tips for filming and other areas.

+ Be organised
+ Preperation is key
+ Good Planning- Foundation of success - No guessing or luck

1) Script writing
2) Storyboarding
3) Test shooting
4) Shooting
5) each process layers build throughout each stage

1) Script - dont rely on memory write ideas down write in at simple was - action + emotions, should be easy to imagine. The script needs to be divided into locations. So EXT (exterior) and INT (interior).

2) Walk through - Act it out, maybe on the actual location you're going to use. This will help identify problems with the script aswell as problems with the location. Also by doing this it shows you potential successes or failures of your project. As we need to fnd the problems early. As if the script isnt right then it will never work.

3) Location Recce - Always needed.
+ Find locations + diagnose problems
+ make notes on what you see and hear
+ Take pictures
+ Source local info e.g. car park, toilets, food, health and safety = appropriate clothing + footwear needed for your location
+ This could make or break a shoot

4) Digital Storyboard
+ Take a variety of different frames, angles, shot types.
+ Print them or on phone for reference of filiming
+ Google Earth - birds eye view, location maps to show where people would be walking etc.

- Always have a shot list
- Annotate your script e.g. go through script it needs to be clear to the audience throughout.
- Could print script off and say how you would show each bit e.g. to show a male student you could have a close up of his face, and to show a college location you could do a wide shot of a college.
- So after doing this the script will  now have turned into a shot list. When doing this you can include the EXT. and INT.

5) Test Shots
+ Get used to locations
+ Used to equipment
+ Polish up script
+ Identify props/costumes - actually needed
+ Helps the editing process
+ Will definately help you before the real shoot

Remember that the little things help develop a character.

7) Shooting schedule
+ Organise day/time
+ Write restrictions you will have

If you are organise you can = shoot on time and possibly shoot more. It then gives you more options when editing.

Mise En Scene Analysis

Lighting- throughout our opening sequence the lighting and colours will be dark and dull to help represent a gloomy and eerie atmosphere. This also helps to convey that the film is part of the Thriller genre.

Location- we are going to set most of our shots in cambridge town in the evening as it an easy accessible location for all of us and the fact that the use of the old town buildings and spacious fields helps to create a dramatic atmosphere.

Costume- the protagonist will be dressed in casual clothes underneath a black long coat. This helps to create the idea the character is of mature age and the idea that this is part of her daily routine.
The antagonist will not be seen in the clip except for his eyes and hands, however they will be dressed in all black to create a sense of mysteriousness and suspicion.

Props- in our opening sequence we will be using many different props that help to link to the narrative of our film such as; a newspaper article, books, letters, magnify glass, the weapon and pictures. All of these props help to uncover another clue in the story and about the antagonist.

Location, Cast and Crew research

Idea's for locations to shoot-
-Cambridge town in darkness where minimal street light is used. This will be the location for the shots in which we film the protagonist walking on her own. To the left is an image of the midsummer common which we will be filming these scenes at. The image is obviously in daytime but we will be filming at night.

-In college we will shoot the props which will be used in our opening sequence.




Cast and Crew

Cast: 
       protagonist- friend who will be available in the evenings to film
       antagonist- friend who will be available in the evenings to film
Crew:
       Nicola Gutteridge, Georgina Pope and Jade Peters- we will be sharing the responsibilities fairly within the group e.g filming, being responsible for the props and camera equipment, editing, directing and organising costumes and locations.

Classification Research

For our film; Watched we would have given a 15 classification however, when we researched the guidelines for this classification is stated that 'Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.' In our film one of the main weapons which would be used towards the end of the film is an ordinary kitchen knife which is an accessible weapon for all ages and because of this we changed our classification to an 18.

We will be aware of these guidelines below when creating our opening sequence:

18 classification guidelines;

-doesn't breach any area of crime or has been created through the commission of a criminal offence.

-the material used in the film doesn't present a risk to individuals and their morals or their behaviour within society.

-use of explicit images of sexual contact which cannot be justified by the context.


In our opening sequence or the film we will not be using any sexual contact which could not be justified by the context but we will still be keeping our classing our film as an 18 due to the use of crime and weapons.

Opening Sequence- broken down

This is a break down of our opening sequence, music will be played throughout the whole sequence building tension as the sequence develops...

0-10 brief establishing shot of the location; Cambridge fade into the protagonist walking down the street in the dark.

10-20 beginning of the credits, close up shot of one of the props e.g Magnify glass

20-30 end of credits plus a mid-shot of the protagonist walking, point of view shot in the view of the protagonist walking then jump cut to a close up of the protagonists face

30-40 more credits followed by a zoom in to a newspaper article

40-50 close-up of blood dripping down a hand followed by a close up of someones eye

50-60 tracking shot of the protagonists feet while walking, getting faster


60-70 mid-shot of a book flicking the pages followed by a jump cut into a close up of the same view

70-80 montage of photos representing memories followed by mid-shots of the protagonist inbetween

80-90 extreme long shot of the protagonist walking away from the camera with the antagonist near the camera

90-100 jump cuts between the montage of all the props already shown in the sequence

100-110 long shot of the protagonist follwed by an extreme close up of the antagonists eye which would jump cut to the antagonists hand dripping with blood

110-120 zoom in of the weapon followed by the title

Mood Board

This our mood board which includes images that have inspired us to use in our Crime Thriller; Watched. There are various images of locations that we are intrested in filming at for example the top left picture shows a street at night with a street lamp. We chose this as it looks mysterious but it is also realistic. We also included a picture of a lake as it represents past of the narrative as it is where the protagonist's sibling died.

We included the main props that we will use within this film such as the weapon that the antagonist will use against the protagonist, and the use of the books, photo of the two sisters, letters and the newspaper that presents the clues.

There is a picture of the protagonist- the female and the antagonist- the male. The pictures help to represent their personality and role within the film. Also the eye represents the antagonists identity as for most of the film he is unseen of, only heard but the audience understand he is watching and stalking the protagonist so the eye is symbolic to this.

Initial outline of narrative and title

Outline of the narrative:

The antagonist kills the protagonist's sibling previous to the film, so now the antagonist is coming after the protagonist as they want to get the rest of the family. However, as the antagonist is stalking the protagonist, they leave clues and hints along the way about their identity and what they're after. 
In the end, the antagonist is revealed to the protagonist just before the final crime takes place.

The title of our film will be 'Watched'. We have chosen this because it reveals to the audience the genre and the type of film it will be and what they can expect. It also helps to represent the theme of stalking in the film but due to it being one word it doesn't give too much away which helps to intrigue the audience. The title is unique, short and snappy which helps the audience to remember the film and it helps to draw their attention.

Production Logo; Must See Films

We chose to call our production company 'Must See Films' due to the use of the eye in our logo and this links together well. The name is short and snappy and easy to remember. It also helps to link to the genre of our film as it has the connotations of a Thriller. For example the colour of the font helps to represent blood and an intense atmosphere. The font is foreseen as an old style so it reflects the idea that this film is will be aimed to a more mature audience.
We chose the eye as it will help to link to the basic plot for our film and it also creates an eerie feeling for the audience. It presents the idea of being watched and unsettled which links to our chosen genre; crime/psychological thriller.
If we have time to animate our logo we will make the eye zoom towards to the viewer to give the effect of being watched and drawn in which links to the idea of watching the film and the events that would be represented within our opening sequence.

New line cinema logo

The use of the dark colours helps to relate to the Thriller genre. The use of black and the blue shadow behind the logo helps to convey mystery to the audience. The use of the old-fashioned font and the film reel relates to the idea that the film is aimed at a mature audience.

The logo itself is very simplistic so it draws the audience's attention to the company name and the use of the colours.
The fact that the music is high-pitched and the pace is fast helps to relate to the Thriller genre and to create tension before the film starts.

Analysis of past students work

 I chose to analyse this past thriller opening created by Q1-09 due to the fact I like how simple the opening is but it is very effective.
The shooting material was very simple but specific and it gave clues on what to expect in the film such as; the main themes used within this opening sequence was fire and eyes. This gave a brief insight to what to expect in the film but it didn't give too much away such as the characters or the plot.
The elements of the mise-en-scene help to relate to the thriller genre such as the use of dark colous and the montage of pictures that link to the storyline. The use of jump cuts helps to increase the pace of the opening sequence and create tension and confusion amongst the viewers which helps to persuade them to watch more. Also the use of the pictures in the shot are abstract and weird which helps to create the question 'what are they doing there?' and the idea that un-ordinary events happens within the thriller genre.The soundtrack created was very appropiate and it helped to create suspicion and an eerie atmosphere. It links well with the shots throughout and contributes to the representation of the thriller genre.

Q1-09's blog is also a good representation of their final project. Their blog is organised and their research and planning is detailed. They are able to show they gained a full understanding of the thriller genre and what they wanted to include in their final project. In their blog they cover all aspects of the creation of their thriller opening including what equipment they are going to use and why, the soundtrack they are intrested in using and why, where they got their inspiration from and the different techniques they would like to use which is shown on their storyboard. They also keep a detailed log on what they did every lesson and what they would like to achieve by the next.
Looking at this groups opening sequence and blog gave me some idea's on what my group can include in ours; such as the montage of pictures linking to our plot. I also like how organised and detailed their blog is which makes it easier to keep up to date with the project.

Analysing a past students work

Marking Criteria

- Holding a shot where appropriate
- Framing a shot including + excluding elements.
- Using a variety of shot distances as appropriate.
- Shooting material appropriate to the task
- Selecting mise- en - scene including colour, figure, lighting etc.
- Editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer.
- Using various shot transitions and effects.
- Using sound with image
- Using titles appropriately.




This video fits the marking criteria extremely well in my opinion. They have held shots where appropriate to a very good standard for example when you see the girl on the floor with blood everywhere they hold this shot well which creates tension.


Throughout filming they have thought about shot distances really well as there is a variety throughout this opening sequence. This technique makes the film more interesting to watch.

All the material they have shot is appropriate to the thriller conventions so they have filmed appropriately to the task.

They have thought about the mise-en scene too. You can tell by the wide range of costumes and props used which works really well. The lighting changes at appropriate times to reflect the mood of the sequence and action.

They have edited it together well so it all makes sense to the viewer so this is continuity editing.

They haven't used a wide range of transitions/effects but I think this is good as it makes the sequence seem more realistic.

The sound track behind the sequence works really well too as they have suited it to each mood which exists within. Also the voice over works well as it creates more suspense. And at the point where the speech is repetitive this also works well as it sticks in to your mind more.

They used titles at the start of the film which worked well and looked professional.

Overall I enjoyed watching this film as it was a good time length, and overall it just fits the marking criteria well.

Fargo - Crime thriller

Conventions of a Crime Thriller

From the very beginning the audience see the crime being planned, so this shows the audience that the crime will be the main focus of the film.

You can tell by the amount of screen time who the main characters are going to be and who the binary opposite characters are going to be.

The focus of the scenes are mainly on the person who planned the crime and the reason for it.

There is always mysterious music and features long opening credits to build the tension.

The protagonist always has a partner and that is their weakness.

The locations vary throughout the scenes.

Characters

The protagonist and Antagonists are established at the beginning of the film.
The protagonist is in debt and this links to the crime. From the very beginning you know that he is the one planning the crime and he will go to extreme lengths to get out of debt: even getting his wife kidnapped so this shows us that he is desperate.

The antagonists within this film are shown stereotypically as when you first see them they are both men who are wearing leather jackets and smoking which you would expect them to be like.

From the start when you see the wife you get the impression that she is very family orientated and has a close relationship with her dad. Also she is shown to be quite weak and innocent. This helps the audience identify with her.


Filming/Editing

The editing which is used in this film is quite simple so the only technique which is really used is cuts. So this makes it more realistic so therefore you understand the crime more and that there is less focus on the action. This is not typical of a thriller genre, and has been used in this film to make it more realistic, and focus on the crime. It also suggests that the characters are quite simple, slow and dull. This is also shown through their lifestyle.

Throughout the opening sequence establishing and long shots are used. This makes it clear to the audience where each scene is set so its easier for the audience to understand.

Close ups are shown of the protagonist and antagonists so this shows that they are the main characters and focus of the film.

Psychological Thriller and example.

Conventions of a Psychological Thriller
- Misleading story; twists and tricks.
- Unusual happenings which are extra-ordinary
- Clever characters thinking ahead of everyone else.
- Isolated characters.
- Film works up to a final shocking reveal.
- Characters have fascinations or the fear of death.
- Danger on a mental level rather than physical.
- Characters try and find their own purpose.
- The idea of characters being in conflict with their minds; they don't know what it is true.
- Two or more characters preying on each others sanity.

An example of a Psychological Thriller is Momento which was directed by Christopher Nolan.
- The main character is suggested to be isolated due to the fact he has lost his memory and his wife has been murdered so he is alone. This is represented as his 'weakness'.
- The film uses a mature cast, links to the target audience being mature.
- The whole film is based on the protagonist's mental state and the death of his wife before the film.
-There are many twists within the Momento storyline and this is represented as the narrative is non-liner.
- He represents a fascination and obsession with his wife's death and avenging her.
- The protagonist throughout the film is in conflict with his own mind. He see's flashbacks from the past but barely remembers these events for long enough to take action and this frustrates and confuses him.
- The use of long term memory allows the audience to identify with him.

The difference between a thriller and a horror film

Thriller...

- More mature cast

Example of a Thriller

- Often highly regarded actors/actresses
- Focus on crime - who did it? how? why?
- Often detective is the lead role
- Victim is not always known to the audience

Horror...

- Young cast - often teenagers
- Violence - blood/guts
- Focus of narrative is the violence not the actual crime
- Multiple victims
- Lead victim often becomes detective
- Suburban settings
- Adults are absent or not supportive

Example of a Horror

Conventions of a Thriller

- Creates tension for the audience
- Good and bad characters binary opposites
- Non linear narrative
- A scene that causes questions for the audience that wont be told until the end
- Uses suspense
- Narrative centres around a crime
- Protagonist - lead moral
- Protagonist - will have a weakness - this is often referred to in the titles
- Protagonist will be seen in peril.
- Antagonist - villain

- Complex web of clues and questions. Leads to the protagonist being isolated.
- Themes of mistaken identity, mirroring, illusions.
- Objectification of females.
- Viewer becomes voyeur
- Micro elements build suspense

The prestige

The mise-en-scene fits the conventions of a thriller opening. The lighting is dark and only shows key features in some shots which helps the audience understand which parts are important to the narrative. The props such as the bird cages are often associated with the feeling of being trapped which can make the audience feel tense. The set of the theatre has a red carpet, which has the connotations of danger, this foreshadows a dangerous plot line for the view which creates tension.
The narrative themes are conventional from what an audience expect from a thriller because the narrative is very "dark", such as some of the clip being set in a prison and a man's life could be taken.
The character's social classes are established from the very beginning through things such as the mise-en-scene. Characters who are of a higher social class ate indicated by having rich costume, and characters of a lower social class are wearing much more dull costume. Having characters of different power is typical in thrillers as it helps the narrative such as one character taking control of another.