This document analyzes the conventions used in a student film titled "Evaluation 1 – Conventions of a Thriller" compared to well-known political thriller films like JFK. The student film uses camera shots, costumes, actors, props, and locations similar to other thrillers to conform to genre expectations. It establishes the main protagonist through camera time, uses music to build tension, and subverts expectations in some ways like not including political ideas or blood. Overall, the analysis finds the student film successfully uses many standard thriller conventions while putting its own spin on some elements.

1. Evaluation 1 – Conventions of a
Thriller
Georgia Martin

2. Editing
• We have the most camera time on our MP this is to demonstrate him as a
protagonist. He is supposed to be a good guy coming to visit a school which
suggests he is in touch with the community, by having the most camera time
on him it tells the audience that for this part of the film he is the main
character and the good person. There is less camera time on the assassin as
he plays an antagonist he is the bad guy in the film, he shoots the MP for his
own selfish reasons, you can never see his actual face in the film only partly
his face and body, this is because it builds tension and suspense when an
identity is a secret
• We created dramatic irony, by cutting to the assassin as the MP is talking
shows that the audience knows there is danger but the characters do not
know which creates suspense
• Our film is similar to JFK as an MP/ President is shot by an unknown
assassin, our film is similar in conventions to this one as firstly the
protagonist in both is the political figure, we have shown the political figure
with the community as in JFK.

3. Editing
Similar to JFK we used dramatic irony to
create tension, the audience knew he
was going to get shot but the cast did
not. Our product has conformed to
generic expectations as in these films
such as JFK they let the audience know
what is going on before the cast in the
film know, this is common for a political
thriller

4. Sound
We have used non- diagetic sound in our thriller to create tension, our non-diagetic
sound is the music. The music is fairly slow and gloomy implying to the audience that
something is about to occur, The diagetic sound of the MP’ speech is too demonstrate
the genre, the further show it is a political thriller and to reel people into the speech
before the shooting.
However, the sound we have put in our film subverts generic expectation because for
example in the film JFK there is the sound of a trumpet in the opening sequence
instead of music which ours has, the trumpet is slow and fairly quiet which suggests
that something bad is about to happen. Our film also subverts generic expectations
because usually in a political thriller the political figure talks about their political ideas
through diagetic narrative such as in JFK in the opening sequence the narrative is
saying how “Kennedy is being soft in communism” which is expressing political ideas
which could lead to why he got shot. In our film we have no political ideas shown
which also subverts expectations

5. Camera
In our film we used wide shots of the MP to show his body language as fairly chilled out
before the shooting occurs, you can see him as dressed smartly so is important through a
wide shot.
We have also used close up shots, these are used to show emotion and surprise, we have a
close up shot on a student to show her shock and surprise when the MP is shot.
Furthermore, we used a long shot to symbolise the mise en scene and genre elements, it
showed the theatre we were using a whole and the MP from the assassins perspective
Long shot

6. Camera
• Our film has conformed to generic expectation as camera shots are used very
similarly to other political thrillers such as Vantage Point.
The long shot in Vantage Point, similarly to
ours is used to show the mise en scene of
the location to show the political figure like
ours is in touch with the communit

7. Mise En Scene- Costume
In a film, costumes are a very important aspect, in both my film and Vantage point
costumes clearly show binary opposition the good characters are both dressed smartly
in suits also implying authority whereas the bad characters are dressed very casual,
showing in general society they have no authority. Also, we conform to generic
expecations of a political thriller as the political figure is always dressed smartly

8. Mise en Scene- Actors
Our actor is someone strong in
sense of authority but weak in
strength, as he gets shot, this
conforms to generic expectations
as mostly in a political thrillers the
MP is not the strong hero, however
in White House Down which is a
political action thriller the
President manages to help save
people which suggests that our
film in this way subverts generic
expectations

9. Mise en Scene- Props
• In most political thrillers, there is either some sort of shooting or attack in ours
there is a shooting of an MP so the prop used is a gun, the gun is there to suggest
violence and threat and keep the audience on the edge of their seat as it is in the
thriller Vantage Point. We did not use any fake blood in our film as we thought that
it was cliche and unnecessary this subverts expecations of a thriller as no blood
was involved

10. Mise en Scene- Location
• Our location for our film was a school hall, where the MP was giving his speech in
front of students. This conforms to generic expectations because in films such as
Vantage Point although the political figure was not talking to school children he
was still talking to members of the community for a similar reason. Location is very
important in a film as it sets the scene for what is going to occur next