This document discusses conventions in film and for an opening sequence of a psychological thriller. It notes that conventions can come from the story/plot, characters, narrative structure, locations, lighting, costumes/props, camera work, editing, and music. Specific conventions mentioned include involving a character's past, having a mentally unstable main character, fast-paced editing to create tension, and introducing the character and setting in the opening sequence through an ending cliffhanger. The document then analyzes how several conventions were used, developed, or challenged in the proposed film including the villain's casual clothing, implicit narrative, having a wild child as the main character, the home and isolated settings, and fast-paced editing. It concludes that

1. Assignment 28:
Conventions (Draft 5)
Judy Ibelgauptiene
Katia Martins
Leticia Silva
Noor Naoum

2. Conventions
Conventions in a film:
• Will involve a characters past
• Mentally unstable character
• Fast pace editing to create tension
• Find out what traumas caused the character to have mental issues
Conventions of an opening sequence:
• The audience will be introduced to the character and the surroundings
• Ends on a cliff hanger to get the audience to want to watch the rest
• Glimpse of the characters psychological problems
• Extreme close ups and close ups used

3. Conventions are from:
• Story/plot
• Characters
• Narrative structure
• Locations
• Lighting
• Costume/props
• CAM SAMC
• Editing
• Music

4. Conventions
Convention Use Develop Challenge Was there an inspiration/similarity from real?
How?
1. (MES)
The villain
usually wears
casual clothing
X
We got inspiration from The Butterfly Effect as
the main character wears casual clothing which
represents him as a normal person and shows
that even normal people can suffer psychological
problems.
2. (Narrative)
Is implicit X
Inspiration was from Shutter Island as the
audience doesn’t see that what we’re watching
and perceiving is the main characters view.
3. (Character)
Main character is
a wild child
which is an
unusually main
character in
psychological
films.
X
Most main characters in psychological films are
older people who are quite mature and
sophisticated.
The inspiration was from Memento as the
character is a middle aged man who wears suits.
However this challenges this stereotype and
shows anyone can suffer from psychological
problems.

5. Convention Use Develop Challenge Was there an inspiration from a real
film? How?
4. (Setting)
Home and
isolated area X
The film Se7en was inspirational as it
shows the main character at home, and
home is a place of comfort used in
psychological films. Also isolated areas
are quite popular as this is where the
stalking usually gets worse in unknown
areas.
5. (Editing)
Editing is
usually quite
fast paced to
create tension
X
Most psychological films use fast editing
to make the audience tell uncomfortable
to make tension high. It also makes the
audience more on edge.

6. Use/develop/challenge
USE DEVELOP CHALLENGE
- MES
- Editing
- Setting
- Narrative
- Character
We have a range of use and develop for conventions and some challenge.
Therefore our opening sequence has aspects of familiarity, but is also unique and
different in some ways