Costume and props

1. WilliamAdams
AS Media
Costume and Props
Costume – whatis the costume?Whyis it
important?
Why are you usingitand whenwill itbe used?
At the beginningof the film, Michael willbe
wearinga detective suit,withprofessional
trousersanda trilby onhishead.Thisis
because itreflectsthe genre conventionsof the
film,ascommonlythe maincharacterwill be
wearinga professional piece of attire toshow
hisformalityandshowMichael’scomplete
devotionanddedicationtohisprofession,with
the trilby beingused toportrayhimas a
patronisingcharacteras he isaware of his
authorityandwearsthe trilby to showhe can
wearwhateverhe wantswhile stillmaintaining
hisauthority.
I am usingit,as it immediatelyconveystothe
audience the self-belief andconfidence which
Michael has inhisoverall ability.Itwill be used
throughoutmostof the firsttwoacts of the
film, toportraythe character as slightlyself-
obsessedbutasthe revelationsof hispastare
unveiledtothe audience andcharacter,the
attire will slowlyfadeawayashe realiseshow
hisobsessionkepthimawayfromthe bigger
picture. But he will maintainthe trilbytoshow
that he will alwaysrememberwhathe was.
The villainof the filmwill have amore hooded
outfitwitha maskshroudinghisface.Thisis
importantas itreflectsthe genre conventions
as the villainof the filmisoftenshroudedin
mysteryandby wearingthe maskitcreatesa
mysteryforthe audience tofindoutwhothe
villainis.
It will be usedthroughoutthe filmasitgives
the villainasinisteridentityandcreatesfearin
the audience aswell asthe characters over
whathe will do,butwill graduallyfade asthe
mysteryof the villainisslowlyrevealedtothe
audience.

2. WilliamAdams
AS Media
The “newbie”will wearmore tatteredand
more creasedclothingwithalessformalised
outfittoshowhis inexperience aswell as
showingtothe audience the sense of nerves
whichthe character has overhisnewposition
and howuncomfortable he ultimatelyfeelsin
the job. This reflectsthe genre of the film, asit
suggeststhatthe character is more of a
comediccharacter whorelievessome of the
tensionfromthe film,andcreateslight-relief to
add realismintothe filmandensure thatthe
filmisn’toverlydarkandmiserable.
The attire will be usedmostlythroughoutthe
film, butslowlythe clothingwill become more
formal and lesscreased,sothatby the endof
the film, the audience will see thatthe
character has finallyfoundhimself and
completedhisjourney.
The love interestforthe maincharacterwill at
firstwearslightlymore bizarre clothingwhich
doesn’tquite matchshowingthe uniquenessof
the character, while alsowearingatrilbyto
suggestthatshe has a slightinfatuationwith
Michael.Thisreflectsthe genre conventionas
oppositesinfilmsgenerallydoattract,as well
as reflectingthe theme of self-discoveryby
showingthatthere islightat the endof the
tunnel forMichael.
The clothingwill be usedforthe firsttwoacts
of the film, butwill slowlydisappeartobecome
more simplistictoshow the sense of self-
maturitywhichthe character has foundtobe
able to helpMichael throughhislowest
momentsandhelpMichael rediscoverwhohe
trulyis.

3. WilliamAdams
AS Media
Props– What are the props? Whenwill itbe used?
The videotape willbe usedasitcreatesa
narrative enigmaforthe film,asthe audience
ponderthe importance of the videotape.This
reflectsthe genre conventionsasincrime
thrillerfilms,there will generallybe acommon
narrative enigmawhichintriguesthe audience,
but whichisn’trevealedasimportant,until
close to the momentwhenitneedstobecome
important.
The videotape willbe showntothe audience at
the beginningof the film, butwill atfirstfade
out of the film, withonlybrief mentionsasto
whatis goingwiththe case.But as the film
progresses,the brief clipsseenwill revealedto
be on the videotape asitisrevealedtobe
importantto the mysteryof the entire film.

4. WilliamAdams
AS Media
The gun will be usedasit becomes the villain’s
signature weapon,withthe villainusingitina
waywhichallowshimtoremainshroudedin
mystery.Thisreflectsthe genre conventionsof
the genre,as generallythe villainwill have a
commonweaponwhichkeepshimtotype,and
allowstocreate a sense of fearandtensionfor
the audience wheneveritisused.
It will be usedatfirstas the overall narrative
enigmafilm, withadistinctmentionof itsuse
and whetheritisan importantpartof revealing
the villain’sidentity.However, asthe filmgoes
on,the equipmentwillbe revealedtobe a
McGuffinfor the audience toputthemoff the
mainenigmaof the overall film.
Michael will have awalkie talkie andnotepadin
orderto have a wayof classifyingdata,and
puttingnotesdownso that he can decode the
overall mysteryandworkoutclueswhichare
important.Thisreflectsthe genre conventions
of the overall filmasthe maincharacterwill
commonlyhave apiece of equipmentwhich
keepsthemconstantlyengagedandensures
that theyare alwaysonthe lookoutforclues.
It will be usedmostlyatthe beginningof the
film– firsttwoacts – inorder to show
Michael’sobsessionwithhisprofession,and
the fact that he takesit withhimmostof the
time,suggeststhathe maybe more of an
isolatedfigure,disconnectedwithreality,with
thisbeinga keypart of the overall mystery.

5. WilliamAdams
AS Media