This document provides guidance for analyzing how a thriller film represents mental illness. Students are instructed to watch a scene from the film "Don't Say a Word" and analyze how it uses techniques like shot, sound, editing, and mise-en-scene to portray mental illness. They are also prompted to consider why mental illness makes audiences uncomfortable to watch and what other social groups have this effect, as well as to start developing their own ideas for creating tension in a film opening they will create.

1. REPRESENTATION
STARTER
To analyse a scene from a thriller film for
representation of mental illness.
• Why do so many thriller films contain people with
severe mental illness?
• Why is mental illness unsettling for the audience?
I will be able to apply my understanding of shot, sound, editing & mise-en-
scene when writing an analysis of thriller openings.

2. Watch this advert

3. Analysing representation
• You are going to watch a scene from ‘Don’t
Say A Word’ in order to write an analysis of
the scene and how it represents mental
illness.

4. Reflection
• What other social groups make audiences
uncomfortable to watch?
• Why is this?
• What ideas do you have for the source of
tension in your own group’s film opening?