This document provides an analysis of the 2002 thriller film "Panic Room" and the thriller genre conventions it uses. It identifies the film's genre as thriller, its target audience as those over 18 due to disturbing content, and some common thriller conventions seen in the film like the house having minimal furniture. It also analyzes specific shots from the trailer in terms of genre, representation of people/objects, and whether they reinforce or challenge stereotypes.

1. Assignment 2: Genre Analysis
“Panic Room”
Colour = GREEN
By Chelsea Hopkins, 12S

2. Panic Room (2002)
• www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP8jyFEDdNw&safe=active

3. Identify the basic genre of the film and
similar films
• The genre is THRILLER
• Other films in this genre include:
Saw (2004)
Shutter island (2010)
The exorcist (1973)
Taken (2008)

4. The purpose of the Thriller genre
• The purpose of the thriller genre is to create
suspense, tension and excitement throughout.
It provides a rush of excitement and
exhilaration in order to keep the viewer on
edge using different paces.

5. Audience
• The main type of audience for Thriller films is
18+
• This is because many scenes are disturbing for
younger views and include a lot of violence
throughout.

6. Conventions from this genre
Thriller Conventions Examples From Films
The house is usually somewhat empty,
minimum furniture and less people
than the attackers
There are still unopened boxes e.g.
labelled kitchen
The villain/s loses control at some
point
Police arrive at the door
There is always a point where the
victim is almost caught
The victim and her daughter are shown
in lift with villain looking in
There is a point where the victim tries
to regain control
The victim is shown holding a gun at
someone

7. Genre Conventions
Thriller Conventions Evidence Explanation
horror One of the villains is shown
shaking his head at a cctv camera
that he knows she is watching,
whilst holding a phone symbol to
his ear, making it appear quite
sinister
Drama The victim is shown standing by
cctv cameras but looking away
(seeing if she is alone) and a list of
medical equipment is shown
during the trailer
Action Tools are laid out on the
table, showing that there is going
to be a scene related to
demolishing something

8. Sub-genres in the film
• The sub-genre is Thriller/Drama
• Other films in this genre are:
• Black swan
• Argo
• Dark knight rises
• Fight club

9. Denotation & Connotation
The denotation is showing that the
man is showing the camera and
phone symbol held at his ear
The connotation is showing the man making a
threat to the woman watching the cctv
monitor, warning her that calling the police is a
bad decision and showing her that he is not afraid
of hurting her
The denotation here is showing a phone on
the receiver
The connotation here is
showing that something
rather sinister will take
place, in which circumstance
the phone will be needed to
make a call

10. How are people, place and objects
represented in the trailer
The low angle of this shot
shows the men are more
powerful as they appear to be
intimidating The labelled boxes show that the
house in recent ownership, which is
unexpected for the burglars
The idea of the camera coming
from behind tells the audience
that the character does not
know what is coming at him

11. Explain the stereotypes in the trailer
This shows that men have
control and are the dominant
figure
This shows that women take on the
protective role in terms of caring for
a child during an intense, frightening
event

12. Are the stereotypes challenged or
reinforced
Stereotype Re-inforced Challenged
Empty houses are targeted Common robberies tend to occur
in empty houses, as the family
have just moved in we can
understand that the burglars did
not expect anyone to be at the
house
Men with more muscle
tend to be burglars
This is challenged as not all of the
men are larger in size, however the
smaller ones have more facial
hair, showing them as rugged
which could be intimidating to the
audience

13. Context of the trailer
• In the 21st century, crime rates in society are
soaring which is the theme throughout the
film
• The film is a thriller typically made for an
audience of over 18