The document discusses conventions established in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho that were influential for subsequent horror and thriller films. It analyzes the use of distorted titles representing Norman Bates' broken mind, tense music to create sudden tension, and camera techniques like panning shots that could make the events seem universally relatable. The document then examines how the film The Secret Window applies some of these same conventions through its camerawork, sound, titles, and mise-en-scene elements while also subverting some conventions through its opening sequence.

1. Psycho

2. Conventions Psycho was the first of its kind, and created many of the conventions that we associate with horrors and thrillers today. The use of music to instantly create tension The distorted, broken titles, which mirror the distorted, broken mind of Norman Bates. Text at the beginning avoids giving a particular year. This help creates the effect that this could happen to anyone, in any place, at any time.

3. Titles In Psycho the titles are representative of Norman Bates broken and incomplete mind. This is demonstrated by the fragmented, broken way in which the titles are shown on screen. The titles also represent the battle Norman Bates faces between two separate personalities, which is demonstrated by the disconnection of the names appearing on screen and the struggle for them to stay as one.

4. Sound The music used in Psycho is one of the main conventions associated with thrillers, even today. It is used effectively to instantly create tension for the audience It does this through the use of quick sharp notes, and sudden changes in pace and key of the music. The music is used as a medium through which Alfred Hitchcock is able to successfully express themes and ideas later depicted throughout the film, without giving any evidence to audience of events to come.

5. Camera Angles Alfred Hitchcock’s use of an establishing shot has the effect of making the events in the film generalisable to most, due to the fact it pans a seemingly normal city. This gives the connotation of this being a possible story no matter where you live. The camera pans the city as though searching for a victim, then zooms in on a location as though it has chosen its victim. This has the effect of instantly setting up a main character, and potential victim in the story line.

6. The Secret Window

7. Conventions The Secret Window uses the camera to zoom in slowly on its main character at the beginning of the film. This could be argued to be one of the main conventions of thrillers as it has been appearing in films since Alfred Hitchcock first thriller, Psycho. However, it in some sense breaks the conventions of thrillers as it start with what could be called action. Most thrillers tend to build up the tension in the audience slowly building a feeling of anxiety. However The Secret Window starts with Johnny Depp stealing a key then bursting into a motel room with people sleeping.

8. Use of Titles In The Secret Window titles are used effectively to create a sinister atmosphere, done through the use of the colour. The titles start off white, a colour often associated with purity and compassion. However they change to red, a colour associated with evil, death and murder. They change to red the moment the house the main character lives in becomes visible on screen. This gives the connotation that the house is going to some how be involved with murder, death or evil things.

9. Sound The first scene starts with a mixture of diegetic and non-diegetic sound all blended into one. The clashing sounds could represent the clashing, confused nature of the character. There is a sound used similar to a heartbeat in the first scene. This is used to create tension for the audience, it also demonstrates the pressure upon the main character

10. Camera Techniques In The Secret Window the first shot is a MCU shot, this used to display the main characters facial expressions. We understand by the bags under his eyes that he is stressed and hasn’t had much sleep. The his pale skin suggests he is drained of physical energy and the look on his face suggests he is suffering from a mental battle with himself. Just like in Psycho, the idea of camera slowly zooming through the window and picking its victim is used in The Secret Window. This is effective because it mirrors the idea of someone slowly sneaking through the window and approaching the victim which makes the audience feel uncomfortable.

11. Mise en scene The first scene is filmed at night outside a motel, it also snowing. I think the weather is representative of Depps state of mind at that given time, cold and and harsh, while the motel gives connotations of a sleazy, squalid lifestyle. When the camera zooms through the window it approaches Depp’s costume and deliberately shows a rip on his dressing down, this reinforces the idea of sleazy, squalid lifestyle, however it also implies he may have been involved in some sort of struggle. The rip is effective because it makes the audience ask questions How did he get the rip? Was he involved in a struggle? Ect.

12. The Secret Window

13. Conventions The Secret Window uses the camera to zoom in slowly on its main character at the beginning of the film. This could be argued to be one of the main conventions of thrillers as it has been appearing in films since Alfred Hitchcock first thriller, Psycho. However, it in some sense breaks the conventions of thrillers as it start with what could be called action. Most thrillers tend to build up the tension in the audience slowly building a feeling of anxiety. However The Secret Window starts with Johnny Depp stealing a key then bursting into a motel room with people sleeping.

14. Use of Titles In The Secret Window titles are used effectively to create a sinister atmosphere, done through the use of the colour. The titles start off white, a colour often associated with purity and compassion. However they change to red, a colour associated with evil, death and murder. They change to red the moment the house the main character lives in becomes visible on screen. This gives the connotation that the house is going to some how be involved with murder, death or evil things.

15. Sound The first scene starts with a mixture of diegetic and non-diegetic sound all blended into one. The clashing sounds could represent the clashing, confused nature of the character. There is a sound used similar to a heartbeat in the first scene. This is used to create tension for the audience, it also demonstrates the pressure upon the main character

16. Camera Techniques In The Secret Window the first shot is a MCU shot, this used to display the main characters facial expressions. We understand by the bags under his eyes that he is stressed and hasn’t had much sleep. The his pale skin suggests he is drained of physical energy and the look on his face suggests he is suffering from a mental battle with himself. Just like in Psycho, the idea of camera slowly zooming through the window and picking its victim is used in The Secret Window. This is effective because it mirrors the idea of someone slowly sneaking through the window and approaching the victim which makes the audience feel uncomfortable.

17. Mise en scene The first scene is filmed at night outside a motel, it also snowing. I think the weather is representative of Depps state of mind at that given time, cold and and harsh, while the motel gives connotations of a sleazy, squalid lifestyle. When the camera zooms through the window it approaches Depp’s costume and deliberately shows a rip on his dressing down, this reinforces the idea of sleazy, squalid lifestyle, however it also implies he may have been involved in some sort of struggle. The rip is effective because it makes the audience ask questions How did he get the rip? Was he involved in a struggle? Ect.

18. Taxi Driver Conventions The opening scene of this movie begins with a taxi emerging from a cloud of smoke, this could represent clarity and the fact that the viewer is obscured, it begins with non-diegetic sound, which creates mystery around the film and its plot. The common colours of red and black are used for the credits, which represent evil/violence and mystery. The close up of the first characters face lets us know that he is the protagonist and puts the viewer in an uncomfortable position. The way that he looks around as if he’s looking at someone or something further enhances the discomforted feeling of the audience.

19. Camera Techniques The immediate camera technique that is used is an extreme close up of the main characters face, with a specific focus on his eyes. This camera technique makes the viewers feel quite uncomfortable, as well as keeping the idea identity of the character secret. Another technique used is the POV shot of the driver, this shows the world as a blurred image. This may be representative of the  characters distorted, blurred view of reality. 

20. Use of titles The credits are in red with a black background as well as being in a capitalised block font that lights up like a taxi light, the fact that the font is in capitals and not in comparison free hand writing shows lack of personality or masked personality. The titles also fade in and out of black. This represents the idea of a hidden, secret identity.

21. Mise en Scene The use of smoke as a prop is used effectively to demonstrate the idea of hidden or distorted identity. Along with the colour fade of the titles, the idea of hidden identity is successfully conveyed through Mise En Scene.

22. Sound The non diagetic sound is effectively applied, however instead of use to create tension, which subverts from the typical conventions of films in the thriller genre it is used to demonstrate something about the characters nature. The music changes from slow paced to fast pace, this could represent the unstable manner of the main character and his how vulnerable his personality is to change. This idea of change is also mirrored by the change in setting from a slow, creeping taxi by itself to a busy night strip.

23. Se7en comparison

24. Titles Conventions kept: Se7en keeps the main conventions of a thriller through the use of distorted writing in the opening credits. This mirrors conventions associated with early thrillers such as Psycho The credits are written on a black background in white writing, as though they are scribbled in chalk. Along with short clips of hands cutting and writing this gives connotations of a calculated plan. Conventions Subverted Images are incorporated into the titles. Unlike psycho which starts with credits followed by an an establishing shot, then slowly zooms into a particular location. Se7en has close up camera shots throughout the credits creating sense of danger, death and accompanied by the credits scrawled on a black background creates psychotic atmosphere.

25. Sound Conventions kept: The use of music to create tension is displayed throughout many thrillers, such as Psycho. Se7en keeps this convention but its music has a slightly more complex feel to it, as it is linked with the timing of the camera shots. It is the use of non-diagetic sound to create tension. Conventions subverted: The use of the music is used to subtly build tension as oppose to in psycho which instantly instigates a sense of danger and tension.

26. Camera Angles The use of ECU are used throughout the intro of Se7en to make the audience feel uncomfortable. The camera is constantly jumpy and purposely distorted and disconnected. This gives connotation that the character depicted is disconnected from reality. The speed of the changing camera angles, also depicts a sense of urgency around the characters activities.

27. Mise en scene The use of mise en scene is present throughout the intro of Se7en. Especially the use of lighting and shadow. The use of light and shadow is to demonstrate the contrast between dark and light. Dark being evil and light being good, portraying the characters battle between two ultimately different personalities. Use of props The book is the very first thing that the audience sees on screen. This automatically poses questions about the significance of the book, and why it was placed in the first clip we see.

28. Conventions Original conventions of thriller are upheld in first scene as the start could be described as introduction of main character in a perhaps civilized and normal environment, only to draw the audience out of there comfort zone through a combination of pathetic fallacy and the blood red opening credits. He is driving on dangerous ice and snow, as he drives is gets snowier and snowier to indicate increased danger of driving , which contrasts with jovial even cheery mood brought by the music. However he remains calm as though nothing is wrong but the red subtitles indicate death and danger is near. He crashes, the music stops taking away the happy jovial mood with it. However the blood red subtitles continue. Some of the conventions are challenged, such as the use of music to create tension, which can be observed in films such as ‘Psycho’. In contrast the music is used to demonstrate how comfortable the main character feels, although we as the audience are aware of dangers due to use of red subtitles and increasingly heavy snowfall. Misery

29. Use of Titles Credits are in blood red to suggest sense of danger or death. The title of the film, ‘Mercy’ is accompanied by an establishing shot of snowy isolated woods. Big which distorts image on screen for audience, which suggests something is trying to be hidden.

30. Mise en Scene Mise en scene is used effectively throughout the first scene of misery. Particularly the use of colour, in every scene until the character leaves the cabin. The repetition of the colour red is used as a motif and subtly builds connotations of danger in the audiences mind. 2. CU of wine glass with Red costume in background 1. ECU of the match stick, the end is red 3.ECU of type writer, and the sharp violent movements of the red apparatus. MS of main character in red shirt. The remote location of the film is a reflection of perhaps the cut off from society that the main character faces. It is a suggestion of the fact that the film may stray from the norms and values of society. The comfort of his home is in juxtaposition with icy, cold, unforgiving harsh terrain outside his cabin

31. Sound Music in the first scene is out of key and lacks rhythm, suggesting the broken and dysfunctional nature of the character. Although he is surrounded by luxuries, the music is perhaps representative of characters real emotions. The upbeat, jovial music in the car is used to make audience feel sense of dread, as it contrasts with blood red subtitles. The car crashes and music is replaced by the sound of the wind. The lack of music is used to display the isolation and remoteness of the location.

32. Camera Techniques Establishing shot tells little about actual location, only that it is near the woods. POV shot when the car crashes, to make audience feel involved in the crash