Representations in psychological thrillers

Representations in psychological thrillers

There are many different types of groups that can be represented in psychological thrillers, and due to film industry, stereotypes are developed through these representations. Different groups, such as gender, ethnic groups, ages, social class et , can be all represented in different ways and can be based on historical context, societies or common opinions.

Ethnic Groups

•   One group that are often represented In psychological thrillers are ethnic groups. This varies with Afro-Cariribeans, Asians and white Americans. Asians typically represented as hard working, intelligent, and determined in psychological thrillers and conventionally play the role of the donor in terms of character types according to Vladamir Propps character theory. They are represented in this way by the use of camera shots such as a tight frame.  The tight frame helps the audience focus on them and makes them seem more influential and important, and to highlight their intelligence.  Mis-en-scene is also used to help represent them as intelligent. They are commonly in the colour blue as this connotes someone as wise and knowledgable.

•   Afro-Carribean (black) is a common ethnicity that is represented, however are conventionally represented in a negative way. This ethnic group is commonly represented as thugs, criminals, and violent. Props such as guns, knives, and other damaging weapons represent them as the antagonists of films and makes the audience fear the Afro-Carribean ethnicity and conventionally turns them again them. This links to Alvarado's Four racial themes which states that ethnicity minorities are represented/seen as exotic, humorous, dangerous or pitied.

Gender

•   Gender representation is a key part of setting up context in the storyline. The representations of men and women normally help determine who is the antagonist and who is the protagonists. Woman in psychological thrillers are conventionally represented as innocent, pure and feminine, which connotes that she is the protagonist. They are represented through the colours of costumes, which are conventionally colours such as red, to signify love and romance, and white, to signify purity and virginity. Women are also commonly represented as inferior to men, and that the societies presented in psychological thrillers are patriarchal. This is often because of the times in which the films are set in, and in common films, male superiority is a dominant ideology.

According to Laura Mulvey's Flemish theory, she believe that woman in media products are represented as objects and judge on their sexual appearance. This is often the case and their costumes represent and justify this theory.

•   Although this representation of women is conventional, there are some films and institution that challenge this typical representation. One movie that challenges the stereotype of a being the protagonist is Gone Girl, where the woman in the end is represented as the antagonist.  

•   Men are conventionally represented as more intelligent, dominant over woman, aggressive and overall shown to be the antagonist. The use of camera angles contribute to presenting me as more dominant, and a low angle is used on men conventionally. This is to give the audience an impression that the men are standing over them and that they're standing over everybody in the world. A good example of this would be there male character of Stanley in A Street Car Named Desire.

Age

•   Young children in psychological thrillers are often represented as vulnerable, weak and victims. They are always being protected by the older generation and are represented as characters that can't look after theirselves. Children are often looked down upon in psychological thriller societies, and this is done by using high camera angles when showing them.  By doing this, it gives the audience the impression that they are looking over them. It also makes them look a lot more smaller than they actually are. When representing children, high pitched, slow non-diegetic music is played to signify to the audience that they are innocent and harmless. This makes the audience in some ways feel sorry for them. However this conventional representation is challenge in some movies, such as The Shining. Children are often put in soft colours, such as yellow, light blue etc, to connote peace and that they won't cause any harm or significant damage.

•   The elderly are often represent in a familiar way. However they have a more negative representation, and are represented as unhealthy, rude, grumpy. Their poor health is normally presented by the use of soft focus camera shots to make it looked blurred. This doesn't give the audience a clear view of them, and in some ways connotes how the elder people see the world. They are represented as rude and grumpy by the use of harsh colours, such as dark green and brown. This has an affect on the audience because these harsh colours are thought to be "ugly" and not very friendly, which is how they are trying to represent the elder generation. Just like children, elderly people have high angles used on them to connote that society looks down on them. A common ideology is that elderly "have had their time" and they are often disrespected. 

Analysing past As opening sequences- Carnage.

Analysing past As opening sequences- Carnage.

•   The use of shots on the opening sequence are affectively. An establishing shot is used to set the scene, and gives the audience a good idea of where they are. However it also makes the audience confused as to where they are, building tension within the the audience.

•    The non-diegetic music is low pitched, slow paced and gloomy. Making it non-diegetic instead of diegetic makes it feel as if it sets the mood of the scene. Gloomy dark music may reflect the feeling of the scene, and signifies that something has happened to make the audience want to watch to see why the scene feels so dark. The use of non-diegetic also  may represent a mores enigmatic feeling, instead of a particular character.

•   The visual content is de-saturated/ filtered to give the visuals a brownish, grey to make it look misty and foggy. This give the scene an eerie and mysterious, and also doesn't allow the audience to see everything completely clear, and disorientated the audience. This creates suspense and anticipation of something to happen. The desaturated scenes as well take the colour (connoting life) out of the scene, making if seem lifeless and dull, connoting death. 

•   Ambient music of the water trickling down the river. This sets the scene well, and also highlights t he silence of the environment. This creates nerves for the audience and makes them wonder why the scene is so quiet.

•   Gun shot at the end of the scene intrigues the audience, and makes them ask questions such as who's been shot, why have they been shot etc. The identity of the shooter and the victim remain concealed and unrevealed to create narrative enigmas, which links to Roland Barthes' enigma codes theory.

What could have been better:

•   Maybe reveal the identity the victim that got shot.  Revealing their identity, they could have used close up shots, tight frames and various other shots that could highlight the feelings of the character.

•   Use a variation in music to reflect different moods and feelings of different people. 

Analysing film opening sequences-The Shining

Analysing film opening sequences-The Shining

The opening sequence of The Shining contains a variation in camera angle. The main camera angle used is a very long tracking shot (VLS), following a car driving on the road along the mountain. The use of VLS is used to help set the setting the film and helps the audience understand where the movie is set. The use of the tracking shot following the car connotes to the audience that this car is important and builds tension. This is affective because it makes the audience wait in anticipation to see what will happen, so it makes them want to continue to watch.

The use of  music is a key feature in the opening sequence due to the lack of dialogue. The music is a low pitch, contrapuntal, non diegetic sound to build up a dramatic scene. The use of the dramatic sounds in contrast to the nice view of the country side on a sunny day overseeing a lake gives the audience the impression that something bad is going to happen and that they are foreshadowing something scary to happen. This is affective because it confuses the audience and makes them want to find out what is actually happening. Making the sound  more low pitched give it a more menacing and gloomy. It connotes to the audience that there is something threatening around and something bad will happen in this film.  The music in general could be a reflection of the mood of the film.

The contrast of the happy beautiful sunlit mountain and the deep, low pitch menacing music also builds tension within the audience and creates a nervous anticipation in their bodies. Building this tension in the audience makes the action scenes have more impact and come as more of shock to them. This is because they wouldn't expect bad things to occur in a setting that is nice and innocent.

The company have created a narrative enough a immediately in the film. Theorist Roland Barthes believes that all narrative texts contain action codes, enigma codes and semantic codes. The tracking shot of the car makes the audience wonder who is driving the car and why the camera is focused on that car instead of the scenery elsewhere. This links to Barthes' theory because the car/ driver of the car seems enigmatic. Enigmatic figures are never revealed immediately, and them keeps the audience watching because they want to find who this character is that is driving the car.

Another enigma code indicated to the audience in the opening sequence is that there are no characters introduced or seen at all. Conventionally, even if their identity isn't revealed completely, characters are seen in the opening sequence, however, in this opening sequence, there are no characters seen at. This makes the audiences want to continue to watch at least until they see a one character and hopefully learn a little bit about a character.

The camera VLS tracking the car driving along the mountain captures not only the car driving but also the whole scene around it. The use of the VLS makes the car seem very small and minute compared to its surrounding. This isolates the car and singles in out in comparison to the setting.  This could connote to the audience that the people in the car are in the middle of nowhere and that they're alone. This could suggest that further on, they will find themselves in a situation and they won't be able to find any help because they're alone.

The use of camera angles is key to the representation of people in this opening sequence. The car in some ways could represent the people in the film and the camera being a greater presents. The high angle on the car makes the car look smaller and inferior, which connotes that some characters are under threat and that they are made to look small and inferior to whatever the threat may be. This intrigues the audience because initially, due to the fact that the car is the only subject that is focused on, the high angle makes it look minute which may signify that there is a important subject that the audience can't see. This links back to the enigma codes.

The mis-en-scene in the opening scene can indicate further ideas of enigma codes. The colour of the car that is being followed is yellow. Although this may not connote anything to the audience, yellow cars aren't commonly seen and are seen to be unusual. This may represent a particular character as strange or different to the rest. This may be the enigmatic character that is trying to be represented, or maybe a regular character who nobody would expect to be strange. 

Analysing film opening sequences- Black Swan

Analysing film opening sequences- Black Swan

At the beginning of Black Swan, there is a long range full body shot of the the ballet dancer on her own. This is used to single her out and show that she is the main focus of the scene.  The use of lighting is prominent in the film immediately and is a key feature. The lighting appears to come from one side of the shot, which results in the light only shining on half of the dancers body, leaving the other half in the darkness. This suggests to the audiences that the dancer has two personalities, one being an innocent, pure and elegant (the side in the light), and the other personality being dark, evil but also mysterious (the side in the dark). This links to the editorial features used as well. In the beginning, when more detailed shots appear,  the subject is shown with two types of camera affects, with one to appear as a more vintage camera edit, and the other being the regular modern day image. This could connote to the audience that she can be seen in two differ ways and people have different perceptions on her. This is affective because it makes the audience wonder what this other side is and why it is "in the dark", or why it's so bad.

This lighting is also a very harsh lighting and is very bright from the audiences point of view. The use of very harsh bright lighting almost damages the sight of the audience from the visual content. Thesis leads to the audiences feel king disorientated and confused, which links back to the point that the woman is confusing and there is more to her than people can see.

The use of gender and costume (mis-en-scene) represents not only the woman in different ways but also represents men and women in different ways. After approximately 1 minute into the film an additional character is added to the scene. The is character is a male whole is dress in all black, in contrast to the woman who is dress in an all white dancing costume. By having the woman in a white, pure costume, and a man in a black, dark, enigmatic costume may signify that in this film gender has a key role. This represents that women are angelic, elegant and the good hearted characters, juxtaposed to the male who may signify the evil, death and tragedy in this  film. This makes the audience wonder who this man or figure is and why he is represented in such a negative way, and makes them continue to watch to see who he is.

The sounds in the opening sequence also represents men and women in diverse ways. The first moments of the opening sequence is filled with non-diegetic music (however could also be diegetic music that the woman is is dancing to). This non diegetic music is mellow, claiming, high pitched and has a slow rhythm. This is used to connote peace and well being. However, as the male approaches the woman, the rhythm of the music increases gradually, and eventually explodes into a low pitched, quick paced sounds that make the scene more dramatic. This could signify that the men in this film are menacing and that they should be feared. The man could also represent the mysterious, enigmatic side of the woman as well, and a male is use to emphasis the contrast of personalities in the woman. Not completely revealing the woman's two personalities make he audience desire to find out what that opposite personality is and what is it like, which makes the want to continue watch. 

The use of camera shots vary throughout the opening sequence to highlight different aspects. Various class up shots are used often during this opening sequence, during the time the is dancing. This is done to show that she is the most important person in this scene and that the audience should focus on her. The close up shots are also used to express emotions of the woman's faces whilst she is dancing.  The change in facial expression connotes that she is worried about something, or that she has something on her mind, which suggests to the audience that there is a side to the woman that they don't know about yet.

During one of these close ups, we hear the woman breathing heavily as the tempo and rhythm of the music increases. The sound of heavy breathing accompanied with the dramatic music gives the audience the impression that something is about to happen and that she is scared. This is during the part of the opening sequence wig the male, which suggests that she doesn't enjoy there presents of the male enigmatic character which connotes that he/it is evil and feared.

Referring back to the lighting of the opening sequence, it present throughout the whole of the opening two minutes.  Although this light is very bright and illuminating, the male in the black com stump is never seen clearly. The light always touches half of this face and the males face is never caught directly in the light. The doesn't allow the audience to see his face clearly and makes it difficult to establish who is, which keeps his identity covered. This adds the the enigmatically the character and m Ames the audience want to continue to watch so they can find out who he is and why he's important. Theorist Roland Barthes believes that good stories contain action codes, enigma codes and semantic codes to keep the audience intrigued. The identity Not being reviewed in the opening sequence of the film acts as an enigma code and applies to Barthes theory. It is affect because it engages the audience and entices them to earn to know how this character is. 

initial opening sequence ideas

research into genre (psychological thriller)

RESEARCH IN GENRE

(PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER)

Conventions of psychological thrillers:

•      Colours: normally dark, dull, unsaturated colours. This is done to emphasis the tensions and illusion of the film. It’s also used to sometimes represent the characters as dark and mysterious. Conventional colours would be grey or black, and these colours connote death (people in mourning), mysteriousness, and can also connote the power the antagonist seeks over their victim.

•      Images (particular scenes): sometimes you see a killer looking tired and fatigued with baggy eyes and a raged look in general. Normally the antagonist is seeking revenge on somebody that has done something to them. The antagonist normally targets the protagonist’s family to use as ransom to get what they want. The antagonists commonly find themselves washing their hands or cleaning themselves.

•      Locations: woods, cellars, abandoned houses, occasionally regular day-to-day places. However normally, the locations chosen are isolated and deserted places. This is done to suggest that nobody can help the victims of whatever is happening to the victims. This may also be done to represent the antagonist as lonely, private and enigmatic. 

•      Props:  knives, guns, torture equipment, mobile phones to use as they blackmail their victims. Commonly use to make the actions scene more violent and graphic. Using weapons make it easier to use blood in the scenes, which highlight the gruesomeness of the antagonists.

•      Costumes: the typical costumes wouldn’t be anything different than the everyday costumes you would see in the street. This is because the antagonists want to make themselves seem normal as if they aren’t doing anything wrong.

•      Music: the sounds and music during psychological thriller s normally have slow beginnings and make the scene feel mysterious and illusive. However, half way through the movie, more commonly during the action parts, the tempo of the sounds pick up and become more dramatic to build up tension in the audiences mind and body.

 Psychological thrillers commonly have asynchronous sounds (music or sounds that aren’t in sync with the visuals). This is used to almost make the audience feel confused and disoriented, to represent how the actors inside the film are feeling as well. This engages the audience more due to the fact that it gives them a better experience of the film as if they are witness what is happening in real life.

This asynchronous music is often used as non-diegetic music, instead of diegetic. Non-diegetic music is sounds that can be heard by the audience but the characters in the film, in contrast to diegetic music, which are sounds that can be heard by the characters inside the film as well. Non-diegetic music is used to emphasis what the characters are feeling inside, rather than what they can actually hear in the film. The audience get more of an understanding as to how they are feeling because the music builds tension.

•      Characters: in conventional psychological thrillers, there is a common use of binary opposites. Theorist Claude Levi Strauss believes that good stories have conflict driven by two characters who are completely opposite (binary opposites) e.g. good vs. bad, men vs. women, younger vs. old.  This applies to psychological thriller, in a way that conventionally, the protagonist is a young sweet and innocent female who is targeted by an older, evil, mentally twisted male (antagonists). However, some psychological thrillers challenge these stereotypical representations. A good example of this would be the 2014 production of Gone Girl.

•      Another conventional character you would find in psychological thrillers is a directive or a crime solver. This character conventionally plays the role of the protagonists and goes against the antagonist. This audience normally is on the side of this character and  comes out on top at the end of the film. "saves the day" 

Conventional actors/ production companies/ directors: In some film genres, there conventions actors and directors. For example, Jack Black is commonly known for featuring in comedy film, as well as Christian Bale being known for appearing in action films. In the psychological genre, there are not commonly known actors who are only known for being in this specific genre. However, the are certain production companies and directors who have made a name for themselves in this genre. Alfred Hitchcock is one of the most famous directors in this genre due to his direction of the 1960 movie Psycho. Another conventional director in the psychological thriller genre would be David Fincher. He is commonly known for his production of the 2000 film Se7en, and more recently Gone Girl. Along with David Fincher and Alfre Hitchcock, James Wan would because a well known director in this genre of film, as he was the director of the well know film franchise Saw.

Conventional production companies of psychological thrillers would include the production company of Saw, Twisted Pictures. There were many different Saw films, and over the years since 2003, they have built a reputation for being associated with the film, hence why all audiences automatically think of the production company being a psychological thriller production company. Another convention company would be Hammer Film Productions, due to their recent productions of The Woman in Black and The Quiet Ones.

Themes tackled in psychological thrillers:

•   Love: love is commonly featured in psychological thrillers. The elements of love is normally used as an excuse/ reason for the antagonist to be doing what they are doing. For example, the male antagonist may kidnap a woman, due to the fact that he is in love with her and want her to himself.

•   Revenge: revenge can also be used as an excuse. Often, the antagonist has had a bad past experience, and seeks revenge on either a specific person, or maybe society in general. This is present in the Saw franchise, where's the antagonist punishes those who have done bad things to other people in society.

•   Mental health: this is a key the,e tackled in most psychological thrillers. The mental health of the antagonist is conventionally called into question , and commonly the reason for conflict in this genre. Any character in these type of films who has a mental health problem, is normally the cause of any dilemmas and situation.

Reasons why audiences enjoy psychological thrillers:

Audiences enjoy psychological thrillers for many different reasons. Theorist Steve Neale came up  with a theory that audience enjoy specific genres due to the repetition of differentiation of the film. Neale suggests that audiences enjoy certain genres due to the fact that they either repeat the conventional elements of the genre, or that that the film tries to differentiate from the conventional elements. This could link to why audiences enjoy psychological thrillers. They could enjoy it because they like to see the classic plot that is conventionally found in that genre and want to see a clear protagonist (in this case a victim) and and antagonist (the "psycho"/ bad guy). On the other hand, they could enjoy watching psychological thrillers because they enjoy seeing various different versions of different plots and stories.

According to Blumber and Katz's Uses and Gratifications Theory, audiences use media text (watch films) for different needs. This different needs are; escape (and escape from their normal lives), entertainment, education and information, social interaction (something that'll help them communicate with others) and self actualisation (to the individual find there personality). In some cases in the film industry, the production  and direction of the film is based on true stories and aren't a made up plot. This could link to the audience watching psychological thrillers to achieve information and education. Audiences may want to find out what real people do and find out real stories that occur in the world, as well as achieving entertainment.

 Good examples of psychological thrillers:

conventions of opening sequences

Conventions of Opening sequences

The primary purpose of an opening sequence in a movie is to instantly engage the audience in the first 5 minutes and intrigue them to continue to watch the rest of the film. Film companies want to grab the audiences attention as soon as they possibly can, by using various different techniques to entice the viewers. These techniques include specific camera shots, narration, variation in the pace a scene, and production and cast credits. All these features will contribute to the audience feeling obliged to continue to watch.

Title and credits:

A key feature within the first scene of a movie is the use of credits. The opening credits normally start with the logos of various production companies that were involved with the making of the film. This is followed by the actual visual film starting, accompanied with credit such as the actors in the film, and the casting crew. This is normally done whilst setting the scene.  The logos of the production team appear first before anything else, to in some ways attract their target audience in. Production teams are often known for making films all in the same genre, and some people may enjoy this genre. By putting the production credits first, it makes the audience think "I enjoyed previous films from this company so it should be good" and immediately keeps them engaged, before the actually movie even starts. By putting the credits with the name of the actors in the opening scene is affective in keeping the audiences because they may see an actor they like, and will want to continue watching just to see the actor/actress in it.

Another convention in an opening sequence is the title of the film. This is often the last thing that comes up after the credits and signals the actually beginning of the actual film. This is often a edited graphic that is transitions onto the screen. The way it is written or the way it is transitioned onto the screen often reflex the genre of the film and determines how the film will be. For example, if the title dripped down onto the page as if it was blood. That may signal that it is a horror film and will contain some gory scenes.

Camera shots:

Various camera shots can have different connotations. One camera shot that is conventionally used in the opening sequence of a film is a panning shot. This is when the camera gently moves left or right horizontally across a landscape, character or any subject. This camera shot is effect in an opening sequence because it helps set the scene. Setting the scene helps the audience establish the specific location of the movie, and in some cases build suspense immediately makes them anticipate what will happen next. Often, the first location shown in the film is the primary setting, and shows that the setting used in the film will conclude in that same place. (example: I Am Legend).

Another commonly used camera shot in open sequences are the range of close up shots. This can either be a big close up, extreme close up or a tight frame. This is conventionally subjected to one character and this is done to emphasis that this character will have a key role in the film. This intrigues the audience because the tight frame highlights facial expressions of the subjects face. If this facial expression is a fearful one, it hooks in the audience and almost relate to them. Consequently, audiences will want to know what they are so scared about. Alternatively, the facial expression may be happy/ joyful, and in the same way, the audience will want to know why the subject is so happy and will carry on watching.

(Example: Final Destination) 

NarratIve:

In some opening sequences, narration and dialogue, or lack of, can be very affective. The use of narration is often used to inform the audience on the current situation in the film. It can also give a detailed description of context and helps the audience to comprehend what's going on. This is affective because the narration can have a major impact on the audience can engage them to carry on watching. For example, in the opening sequence Love Actually, the recognizable voice of Hugh Grant is one the first things we hear in the film. This is affective because Hugh Grant is a well known likable celebrity. This draws in the audience because they wish to continue to watch so they can see their favorite actor and see his role in the movie.

(Example of Love Actually sequence: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUoxXpqof8A)

In contrast, a lack of narration is equally affective. Having silence filled with quiet music builds suspense within the audience. Consequently, the longer there is a no dialogue/ narration, the more suspense that is built and affectively makes the audiences fear and panic grow more and more. Doing this grips them to carry on watching so they eventually resolve the suspense and regain an equilibrium. A good example of this would once again, the 2007 production of I Am Legend. In the opening minute and 30 seconds, all that is presented is visual content of the abandoned city and there is no dialogue or narration. This is done to build up suspense and make the adhesive intrigue to find out why it is silent. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLeix0ZYSCE)

According to theorist Roland Barthes, good media texts contain certain code that help audiences determine what will happen and understand what is going on. These codes are conventionally present in opening sequences, however two specific codes are typically present in opening sequences, and those are enigma codes and action codes. Enigma codes are elements of mystery in plots and present to the audience unanswered question which are normally answered later on in the movie. Enigma codes are used in opening sequences because they create suspense and make the audience intrigued as to what is happening. They purposely leave the audience wondering what is going so that they continue to watch and discover a conclusion to the story. For example, the killers identity in thriller won't be identified straight away.

Action codes are actions that happen to help the audience establish what will happen in the future.  They in some ways make the future more obvious and predictable, however, intrigues the audience to see how it'll happen. For example, in the opening seen of a movie, if a character says "call me if you get into trouble" this gives the audience the impression that something bad will happen later in the film that'll force them to call.