2. Typically, thriller films focus around multiple
aspects, such as:
• The storyline revolving around one case
that has to be solved
• The law being bent or broken by multiple
characters
• A plot twist that occurs midway which will
affect the protagonist
• Characters facing conflict that will be
difficult to overcome
• The antagonist eventually is caught and
will serve time for the crime that they
committed

3. STORYLINE FOCUSED AROUND ONE CASE – USED
Throughout the opening of our film the audience are
introduced to the case of Daisy Walker’s murder. Despite being
a victim of a serial killer’s rampage, the opening of the film
focuses specifically on Daisy Walker and her connection with
DCI Banks. The film then continues with DCI Walker working
solo on the case and through several problems

4. BREAKING OF THE LAW – Used
Our film definitely uses the convention of law breaking. In
our opening we immediately reveal a murder case and later
show 3 suspects on the evidence board. We felt this aspect
was important as it suggests characteristics about the
suspects shown and allows the audience to figure out who
committed the crime.

5. THE PLOT TWIST - Challenged
In our film, the plot twist occurs in the opening 2 minutes,
where the protagonist (DCI Walker) is informed with the
closing of the case, which ultimately encourages him to take
it on himself. Whereas in most thriller films, the plot twist is
revealed midway.
The plot twist in
Se7en doesn’t occur
till around the last half
and hour.

6. CHARACTERS FACING CONFLICT – Used and Developed
We used the idea of characters facing conflict throughout our film
opening – at the beginning when DCI Walker is introduced we
instantly see this connection between himself and the girl shown in
the photographs. Later on when DCI Walker is informed about the
closing of the case, we instantly can sympathise with him as he is
facing this problem. We developed the idea of conflict by creating a
emotional and mental conflict shown through the disappointment
and agony that DCI Walker faces when he realises that he is on his
own to discover who killed Daisy Walker.

7. STOCK CHARACTERS
• Criminals
• Stalkers
• Assassins
• Innocent victims
• Police
Protagonist
- Hero
- Often police
officer
Antagonist
- Villain
- Criminal

8. Mr Clark plays the character or
DCI Walker. He is an evident
‘people person’ as he is greatly
affected by the closing of Daisy
Walker’s case, which he then ends
up taking over himself. DCI Walker
is comparable to the character of
Detective Loki in Prisoners as he is
described as ‘a lonely guy’ similar
to DCI Walker who is independent
throughout the whole opening of
the film. Similar to Detective Loki,
we presented DCI Walker quite
mysterious as we didn’t provide
much information about his
background. This allows the
audience to question his
motivations and weaknesses.

9. Conor Sawenko and Edgar Walker
played the other police detectives
in the film, who are less important
than DCI Walker. However, this
was another convention that was
replicated in our film opening. We
took many of our ideas from
Se7en, especially the characters of
David Mills and Detective
Somerset. They evidently have a
father and son relationship which
we wanted to manipulate in our
own film opening by presenting
them with a significant friendship.
We wanted to portray as being
quite dependant on one another
and the idea that they work best
when they are together, similar to
the characters in Se7en.

10. We created three suspects that were featured on the evidence
board. You don’t actually see the characters in person in the
opening, however they would be present later on as the film
progresses. We took photos of 3 classmates and asked them
to pose like criminals. Although, they are aren’t present in
person in the opening they are a huge part of it, as that’s what
DCI Walker is trying to discover – Who killed Daisy Walker?

11. One of the issues that was
discovered after filming was the
description of the suspects through
the mug shots. They were
presented on the mug shot photos
as all being seven foot tall, which is
obviously not accurate.
We could have also dressed PC Hunt
and PC Clark in better clothing to
make their costumes match their
character role. Such as dressing
them in a suit similar to DCI Walker
so that their role and status is
apparent.

12. We looked into the film
‘Hot Fuzz’ which is set in a
rural town. We wanted to
move away from this idea
and set our film in a city
similar to ‘Se7en’ which is
set in a big city. We
wanted to set it in a city to
follow the stock setting
idea that big cities makes
it harder to find criminals.
We wanted the case to
appear on a big scale and
being in the centre of a
city would force the case
to be maximised.

13. Some of our initial ideas for the settings weren’t reflected in our final
product. For example, in our opening DCI Walker is in an office
which we did want to portray as best as we could. This didn’t exactly
go to plan and the final appearance of the office is extremely plain
and you see no association with the office and DCI Walker as a
person and his role as a detective. We should have personalised it a
bit more by putting framed family photos and other objects such as
a calendar, clock and phone to make it look more like an office.

14. CAMERA
• We used a variety of
close up, medium and
few long shots
throughout.
• We focused mainly on
the characters and not
on the background as
they were the most
important part of the
shot.

15. EDITING
• We edited shots so
they were fast-paced
which created a feeling
of tension and
suspension.
• We used intercutting
between the evidence
board and DCI Walker
and the two detectives
and DCI Walker.

16. We cut the shots so that they were of
different lengths allowing us to intercut
between settings to show what is happening
at two place in the same time.

17. SOUND
• We used sound to accompany the panning shots of the
evidence board as well as near the end of the opening when
DCI Walker exits his office in anger.
• We also used minimal dialogue. Next time I would change it
so that there was a bit more dialogue to enhance the
content.
• One of our tracks we created on garage band which was
used on our opening.

18. MISE EN SCENE
• We used some props such as the evidence board and the
mug of coffee that DCI Walker drinks from. However, I
would have liked to include more such as a phone or a
weapon to make the film appear more crime orientated and
it would emphasise the settings a bit more.
• We used lighting for the DCI Walkers office to focus on him
a bit more and a sense of mystery in the room.
• DCI Walker is presented wearing a full suit which you would
expect from a detective. The other two officers (PC Hunt and
PC Clark) did not wear a suit which I would change next
time as it would be more believable for the audience.
• Body language was used to create reactions and moods
from characters. For example, DCI Walker appeared furious
when he left his office which emphasised the importance of
the case for him.

19. DCI Walker (Resting in Peace)
and Detective Loki (Prisoners)
We used lighting
to create a
mysterious and
dark mood similar
to the lighting
used in Prisoners
to present
Detective Loki. We
dressed DCI
Walker in a suit
similar to
Detective Loki so
that that the
audience can
distinguish him as
a detective. We
also used a variety
of shots to
capture DCI
Walker’s reactions.

20. Traditional iconography
shown in thriller films follow
the lines of:
- Police stations and
evidence
- Urban cities
- Minimal range of colours
- Weapons
- Shadows
- Confined spaces

21. We created our own evidence board by compiling difference police
documents, CCTV snapshots, suspect profiles and suspect photos.
We wanted to replicate the board in ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ which
displays all the evidence of Buffalo Bill.
Maps
Suspect mug
shots
CCTV
Footage
Newspaper
articles
Police
documents

22. • Weapons are usually used in thriller films, however,
we didn’t use a weapon as it wasn’t featured in our
storyline.
• We could have used a phone or clock to associate
with DCI Walker and make his setting a bit more
believable.