This document summarizes how the production of the student's thriller "Invisible Lives" uses and develops conventions of real media products while also challenging some conventions. It was inspired by "The Third Man" and uses its dystopian city setting. Low-key lighting, suits worn by the stalker character, and costumes for female victims were influenced by other films. While reinforcing some stereotypes like using young female victims, it also challenges others like age stereotypes by having an older male perpetrator. Location and visual conventions of dark streets are also used from influences like "Once Upon a Time in America" but the setting is not a conventional claustrophobic space.

1. Question 1: In what way does your
production use, develop or
challenge form and convention of
real media products?

2. The title ‘Invisible lives’ was chosen to represent the homeless that have no identity
in society, they are omniscient in the media, and are not often used in films. The title
also links in with the fact that our homeless characters have no names, due to the
fact they are ‘invisible’; no one cares about them, and therefore no one will realise
when they disappear, which fits with the title very well.
INVISIBLE LIVES

3. PICTURE OF OUR THRILLER
Our thriller ‘Invisible lives’ was inspired by the classic thriller ‘The Third Man (1958)
directed by Carol Reed. The location of our thriller was certainly influenced by the dark,
and mysterious, war -torn Vienna. The city in ‘The Third Man’ is represented as broken,
ruined and shadowed by the war, therefore creating the idea of a dystopia city.
Although in my thriller the city is not shaken by war; but fear amongst society, of
stalkers, and homelessness. The thriller convention is almost immediately established
in the title of my film when we have used a fast cut, close ups and low key lighting,
which we cross dissolved with low key lit shots of a man looking at pictures of young
girls in an office.

4. The low key lighting we have used in our thriller opening was primarily inspired by the shot of
Pope carrying josh’s girlfriend’s body in David Michôds’ ‘Animal Kingdom’(2010) and the low
key lit close ups; used to build up tension and show the audience the characters expressions.

5. The costumes we chose for our male stalker is a
smart suit, this was inspired by many films that we
researched. One of these films being ‘Once Upon
a Time in America’; in this film, the mobs and
gangsters are all dressed in smart suits and ties;
this symbolises their authority and status; it also
determines a certain amount of wealthy and
importance. The characters in ‘Once Upon a Time
in America’ are also wearing full length coats in
the film; something which also inspired us to make
our character wear a longer coat for the opening
of our thriller.
Another film that inspired our male characters
suit was ‘Harry Lime’ from ‘The Third Man’, as
he Is a big part in the film, and therefore
makes the audience aware that our character
is important within the film. ‘Reservoir Dogs’
is also another film which inspired our
thoughts due to the classic black and white
suit, which later on became an iconic fashion
statement. James Bond also was another
classic inspiration to our costume for the
villain, as the villains within these films wear
suits also.

6. The costumes that we chose for our female victims were inspired by the costume of
Lisbeth from ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ which is very androgynous and
unfeminine but yet determines her unique and independent identity. It also inspired
us to make our homeless characters look more ‘plain’ to fit with their status, and the
idea that they have no identity, this also represents the lack of money they have to
buy feminine clothes which are not suitable in the weather that our thriller is set in.
The bride in ‘Kill Bill Vol 1’ also inspired our costume choice due to her lack of
fashionable clothes but rather; relaxed and comfortable attire.

7. In our thriller opening of ‘Invisible lives’ we
have reinforced the generic stereotype of
using a young girls as our victims as it helps
the audience to sympathise with the
characters. Girls are stereotypically weak
and vulnerable, an easy target for much
stronger, older men. Although we have
reinforced the stereotypes with gender, we
have challenged age stereotypes by using
young people as our victims. The media
conveys young people as being associated
with anti-social behaviour and rioting that
which we challenge because our victim is
young, and also because our male character
is much older and middle class, therefore
challenging the stereotypes of the middle
class- as they are traditionally associated
with success, politeness and respectability. A
homeless person is often associated with
crime and drug abuse, and also can be
associated with the Home farm protest and
‘Occupy London Protests’.

8. Although we have not used a conventional claustrophobic location for the opening of our
thriller; we have used the generic convention of dark wet streets, which are used in films
such as Once Upon a Time in America:
Thelma and Louise:

9. I can compare these two shots that show the female character in our thriller is
similar to that of Lisbeth in ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ after the rape scene in
the film.

10. Conclusion
• Overall I have developed and challenged conventions of the thriller genre in the
opening of my thriller.