The document discusses how the media product uses and challenges conventions of the thriller genre. It summarizes how the opening scene uses conventional elements like an intimidating male antagonist, isolated setting, low-key lighting, and unsettling sound effects. However, it also challenges conventions through an unconventional boutique setting, atypical credits, and a character obsessed with fashion that questions gender norms. Overall, the product aims to engage a teenage audience through themes of gender, social expectations, fashion, and obsession.

1. Question 1) In what ways
does your media product,
use, develop or challenge
forms and conventions?

2. The Task
• Our overall task was to create a 2 minute thriller opening scene. However this task was broken up
into 3 categories, Research, Planning, and Filming. The research stage was first which made it
easier for us to plan for our thriller as we had gone through many existing thrillers which
helped us gain insight into common conventions which we could later on use on our thriller to
make it a successful opening. In the planning stage we planned out our storyboard and filmed
our preliminary. The preliminary task was useful as it helped us with out production roles later
on. We used technology including the camera and Final Cut Pro which was helpful as we didn’t
waste any time discovering how to use it during the filming stage.

3. Does my thriller follow conventions of a
thrillerCharacters
• The antagonist is conventional due to his
gender, age, and body language/movements.
Antagonists are conventionally males as they
are portrayed more powerful and
intimidating. Also he is middle aged, as most
antagonists are middle aged which shows
they are more experienced and mature and
are aware of what they are doing. Moreover,
although our characters facial expression isn’t
shown, his body language is. His body
language is firm and has a straight posture
which helps the audience infer he is
confident, as most antagonists are.
Setting• The opening scene was set in a
boutique which isn’t conventional
and in fact challenges common
conventions, however it was an
abandoned and isolated area
which made the setting familiar
for thriller movies. Moreover, the
boutique looked like a secret lair
rather than a clothing boutique
which helped it make the opening
scene conventional for thrillers. I
used the boutique to portray the
characters fashion obsession and
how the gender representation
challenges social stereotypes

4. lighting
• As my research shows me low-key
lighting is a common convention
used in all successful thrillers. Low
key lighting is used throughout my
opening scene to indicate sinister
behaviour and feelings. It also
showed his bad intentions. Spot
light was also used to direct the
audiences attention to certain
iconography's. Also a red filter was
used in certain point of the
opening which connotes danger
and passion.
Typography
The typography in our production again
challenged common conventions as we made
them our selves using magazine cut outs and
it wasn’t added in during the editing stage.
However, although it isn’t a common for
opening credits, it’s a conventional technique
used in thrillers, i.e. Se7en. Moreover, the cut
outs were each individual and different which
show his isolation from society, and his
precision in his job as they were all perfectly
cut.

5. Cinematography shot
sizes and angles
I used various cinematography
techniques to prevent tiring the
audiences eyes and making it repetitive.
It also helped present the genre of the
film as there was sudden movement
and didn’t spend a long time on certain
shots. For example, as the character
pulls the lingerie a close up shot was
used to highlight the importance of
gender representation. As the scene
progressed, low angle shots were used
to show the characters body language
and make him look more superior to
the audience. This helped the audience
infer his personal status and character.

6. Cinematography
camera movements
A tilt show was used on the manikin to show
the ideal body figure women and our
character idolise. This slightly connoted the
characters intentions as the viewers are able
to see his obsession and hatred is towards a
certain gender. Moreover, a tilt shot was also
used during the opening credits as the ‘foot
appeared’. This was significant as it gave
audience ideas on the characters gender
representation.
Panning shot was used while the antagonist
was touching the clothing. The panning shot
helped signify the importance of women
clothing for the character and the various
amount he has. Also helped audiences guess
the themes of the movie.

7. Sound
• The sound we created for our thriller opening was quite contrapuntal to an extent. This is due to
expectations audiences have of thriller sound effects. However, although the sound contrast
our scene, we have common conventions of sound including whispers, and intimidating sound
effects added onto the track.
• The sound connoted common themes such as femininity and fashion, but also embedded fear for
the audience as it confused them and had them expecting more.
• Thriller sound tracks usually start off slow and soft so the audience isn’t immediately scared,
which my sound track also does. I chose to do this so the audience is suddenly shocked by the
visuals and sound. Also I wanted to use this as it was a common convention, which will round
off in my thriller being successful.

8. Editing
• Editing helped bring our thriller together using
Final Cut Pro. We added image together and
then used editing techniques such as Slow
motion while the character was changing. This
highlighted the importance of the scene as
that one scene is a big part of the film. It also
again displayed the gender of the unknown
character, as audiences were able to see his
legs and arms. A fade to black was used in the
end as the Title appeared. The fade to black
created tension for the audience as they
weren't aware where the character would
appear again.
• More importantly, we added in filters and
overlapped images which made the images
seem more distorting and intimidating for the
audience. The filters such as ‘flashes’ shocked
the audience and again evidenced the genre
thriller.

9. Mise en Scene: setting and iconography.
• The opening scene was set in a boutique which isn’t conventional and in fact challenges common
conventions, however it was an abandoned and isolated area which made the setting familiar
for thriller movies. Moreover, the boutique looked like a secret lair rather than a clothing
boutique which helped it make the opening scene conventional for thrillers. I used the
boutique to portray the characters fashion obsession and how the gender representation
challenges social stereotypes
• There is more than one iconography visible in the scene and all of them represent females, i.e. lip
stick, lingerie, and red handbag. These all contrast the character as he is a male character
however, enjoys dressing as a female. Moreover, he uses the lipstick to draw rather than for
his lips, this illustrates his inexperience in using makeup.
•

10. Mise en Scene: Lighting and Colour
• Lighting and colour are one of the main conventions expected to be followed to
make the thriller a success. Low-key lighting is a common convention in the
thriller genre, which is why my opening scene consists of low-key lighting
throughout. Also the red filter again connotes danger and passion.
• Moreover, I mainly used the colour red, i.e. red handbag and red shoes, red
represents love and death which both contrast each other. This can help the
audience think that the love and passion he has is going to create danger and
harm to others.
•

11. Mise en Scene: Costume, body language and facial
expression• Costume: My costume use questioned social expectations as antagonists are expected to wear
dark and sinister colours, however my character wears a yellow dress. Despite that, the
yellow connotes the innocence behind the antagonists evil actions and his childlike intentions
•
• Body Language: As an antagonist, characters a expected to be powerful and remorseless,
therefor; conventionally their body language needs to be sturdy and unyielding so they look
confident, intimidating, and affirming as they need to show the audience the power they
posses due to their position.
•
• Facial expression: Our characters facial expression is hidden throughout the opening scene
with a mask. Although we cant see his face, we can still see the character is quite cold
hearted as the mask is a neutral mask with no facial figures.

12. Theorists: Aristotle, Todorov,
• There are social expectations for certain age groups especially younger generation, so
while picking our themes we thought hard to use themes that can evoke emotions
to audiences as our target audience were teenagers.
• Themes such as fashion was used as the younger generation cares a lot about outer
appearance and our character representation of the antagonist, may provoke
second thoughts and help them think differently
• We used Todorov theory of equilibrium, disequilibrium, and New Equilibrium. There
was a clear middle start and end to our thriller. The Equilibrium being the magazine
cut outs and model images, disequilibrium being the appearance of the character
and his negative actions on the manikin and magazine models, and the
disequilibrium not being stated as it is an opening and was left on a cliff hanger.
However, the character achieving the appearance he wants may also seem like the
New equilibrium.

13. Themes
• The themes we used were all clearly shown in the opening scene which
made the genre and plot of the thriller clear for the audiences.
• Gender: Was shown as our character was confused about his gender and
sexuality
• Social Expectations: Was represented as socially it is expected for ‘females’
to dress up and look after them selves, however our character challenges
this
• Fashion: Fashion magazines shown throughout the opening.
• Hatred: The character hated models and females people idolised as he
wanted to be like them
• Obsession: Obsessed with beauty and fashion as he subverts social
expectations of male characters.

14. Credits
• Our opening credits were made from magazine cut outs which was
conventional to thrillers as it is commonly seen that antagonists cut
out words from opening credits. This was inspired from Se7en as
the character was cutting out letters. We developed this idea
further by making our opening credits out of cut outs.

15. Target audience
• Our target audiences were teens and
young adults between the ages 15- 21.
This is because teenagers are more
attracted to watch thrillers as they look
for excitement and thrill in a movie.
Moreover, we chose to make it a 15+ as
the themes we use such as obsession,
hatred, desire and jealousy aren't
portrayed as severe as it would have
been if our opening scene had been an
18+ such as in Se7en.
• Also our research shows us that most
thrillers target teenagers which makes it
conventional. More importantly the
sensitive content included in the thriller
genre may scare and harm younger
audience both psychologically and
physiologically.
•

16. Conclusion
• To conclude I enjoyed the filming and research
stages the most as I gained the most
information and experience in them. The
research stage helped m develop my
knowledge further by helping me understand
the micro-elements and how much difference
they make to a film. The filming stage made
me gain experience in using professional
media technology including cameras, lighting,
and sound. I learnt how to use and develop
the common conventions that make a thriller
successful such as mise en scene techniques.