The document discusses key elements of mise-en-scene that are commonly used in thriller films to create tension and suspense. It describes how costumes are used to distinguish protagonists from villains, with protagonists wearing lighter, natural clothing to appear innocent while villains wear darker colors. It also discusses how lighting, location, props like knives and guns, and character positioning can be manipulated to unsettle audiences and highlight power dynamics between characters.

1. RESEARCH INTO LOCATION
AND MISE-EN-SCENE IN
THRILLER FILMS
By Jemima Wright

2. LOCATION
The location of any film is essential, as it can make or break a movie this is because it creates the world we escape to when we watch a film.
Consequently if there is no realism incorporated in the location we find it hard to believe it ruins the experience for us. When linking to thriller films,
the location is of great importance as it foreshadows the narrative, without the eerie locations for instance a haunted house, it would be hard to
create tension in a movie.
Conventional locations are generally extremely isolated from the rest of society, this creates more suspense as the characters are automatically
placed in a vulnerable position. The actual buildings are usually old and have a dark history, this creates enigma as we are left to wonder what has
happened there before and could it happen again? Abandoned ware houses are commonly used in the thriller genre, this is because they are
usually old and shabby, this creates an unsafe tone. The fact that they are so big also makes the characters seem insignificant and the timber walls
makes their voices echo more, this is unsettling for the audience as anything or anyone could be lurking around. Another location which is used a
lot in thriller films are haunted houses, they are usually exstremely old and out-dated, filled with clutter and covered in dust. We already have a pre
existing schema as to what happens in these houses, so therefore as we see the protagonist walk into one, we immediately know that know good
is going to come out of it. They are used so much as anything could be hidden amongst the mess and because they are usually big stately homes,
there are so many rooms, this not only disorientates the protagonists, though us to as it puts them in a helpless position. Graveyards are seen in
many thriller films, us as an audience naturally have an unnerving label attached to them, this is because they are assosaited with death and
devastation, by including it in a film its as if the characters fate is being pointed out to us. Because they are usally around wooded area, it makes
them even more eerie as the characters will be far away from any refuge. Other typical locations include; Dark alley ways, barns, woods, Cabins,
Lakes, Country roads, basements, attics, asylums etc. Basically the location has to emphais the feeling of loneliness and subordination.
However not all thrillers are located in these creepy locations, more unconventional settings appear in recent thriller films, these include big cities
and more populated areas. This is effective as it makes the film seem more realistic as we believe the events could happen to anyone. The fact
that such brutality can happen in such a highly populated place is almost as creepy as them happening in a more conventional, hidden location.
More enigma can be created in these locations as it is harder to establish whom may be causing the disruption as there are so many potential
suspects. Because we don’t usually associate urban areas with thriller films, when something tragic does happen it is more unexpected as we may
not even be aware of the genre from the outset.

4. MISE-EN-SCENE

5. COSTUMES, HAIR AND
MAKEUP
Costumes are extremely important in thriller films, they give us the ability to help build a representation of a character. In thriller films, the
costumes vary a lot, you usually see the protagonists wearing ‘normal’ clothes that someone of their social class or group would wear, they
generally base their clothing on stereotypical ideas. By wearing these costumes, we are able to relate to them as they don’t seem like anything
out of the ordinary, so therefore when brutality is directed at them, we are made to think that it could happen to anyone, even us. The
protagonists costumes are stereotypically of lighter shades, this has connotations of purity and innocence and eliminates any suspicions of
them having a darker side to them.
The protagonists hair and makeup also fits this trend, they tend to put less emphasis on makeup so that it doesn’t provoke any wrong
interpretations. Natural makeup is common as it highlights their clear conscious. Women's hair is usually long and down in order to indicate her
femininity and make her appear more attractive for the male audience. The way in which hair and makeup is characterise also depends on the
type of person, for example teenagers are more likely to be slightly more made up, this is because they are more indulged in their appears,
whereas an older woman will be more natural as she has more responsibility's which prevents her from taking as much care of her looks. By
not using dramatic hair and makeup, more attention is drawn to their personality, so therefore the audience can build a deeper connection with
them, this consequently makes it harder to watch when they become the victims of the corruption.
On the other hand, the villains clothing differ to this as they are usually portrayed wearing darker clothes as it foreshadows their sinister
personality's. This immediately helps us as an audience depict whom the bad guys are as colours such as black have connotations of death,
power and evil,. For example characters such as Dracula are only characterised wearing the colour. Villains are commonly seen wearing suits,
this is because it highlights their intelligence and wealth of which puts them in their position in the hierarchy. Villains hair and makeup is
considerably more dramatic, this is because it exaggerates their character a lot more. Typically they are seen to wear dark makeup to reflect
the evil within them, this is usually shown around their eyes as the audience will be more inclined to look them in the eyes, which are typically
seen as ‘the pathways to their sole’ this adds a creepier more chilling touch. There hair can be extremely sporadic and messy in order to
reflect their disorder or opposing this it may be slicked back and immaculate, it is rarely in between as they want to portray the villain as far
away from your average guy as possible.
Costumes in thriller films play on Barthes theory of binary opposites, as they help us establish the differences between characters and their
personality's. By playing on stereotypes, these distinctions become a lot clearer for us to depict.

7. The costumes used to portray these characters immediately help us identifies their roles in the film. We can tell
that the female is the victim, firstly due to the blood around her face, indicating that she has been hurt. The red
clothing has connotation of seduction, this could suggest that her sexuality is being taken advantage of. The fact
she is wearing little makeup automatically makes us see her as being sweet and innocence so we can empathise
for her. She looks like any ordinary girl, this makes the image more chilling as young girls can identify with her
style. We can also tell by the males costume that he is a villain, first of all, he is wearing all black, this makes him
appear serious, uninviting and potentially evil. His suit reiterates this idea as he looks formal and somewhat
intelligent, this could put him in a superior position especially as blondes are stereotypically characterised as
dumb. The contrast in the two characters outfits is extremely noticeable which helps us define their differences

8. PROPS
Props in thriller films differ majorly depending on which sub genre the film due to the fact that the genre is so broad. the type of props which are
used, make it easier for us as an audience to distinguish between the sub genres. The most common prop used within most thriller hybrids is a gun,
the most popular being a pistol. They are used to highlight conflict and help us establish who the aggressor is and what they may be capable of.
They are generally used as a murder weapon and can be used by character such as the villain or the armed forces. The type of gun used really
depends on the character for instance as police officer is likely to use a pistol whereas the aggressor is more commonly seen with a sniper. They
are incorporated a great amount in the genre due to the shear danger and stigma attached to them, they have the ability to end a humans life in just
a pull of a trigger, this is extremely frightening for an audience as the victim is unable to defend themselves against the weapon. When a character
possesses such item, we are immediately terrified of them as we see them as being more powerful and in control of the situation.
Another prop used widely across the genre is a knife, they bring a more chilling touch to a film. This is because in order to kill someone with the
weapon, it is likely you would have to stab the victim numerous of times. As a result of this they die a slower more painful death and we are able to
see this visually through fake blood and seeing the victim in agonising pain, making Stabbings are definitely more visually displeasing for the
audience as they are more animated and realistic. For an audience we are naturally more unnerved by a murderer holding a knife, this is because
we all possess the weapon as kitchen utensil, making us fear that it could happen to anyone. Knifes are also effective as they can be intricately
used to create a number of different camera angles which can create more tension and suspense. An example of this could be using the
reflectiveness of the knife to reveal the murderers identity or extreme close ups can be used in order to give us a more explicit view of the weapon
entering the victims body.
Another type of props commonly used are portrayed to us in the form of chain, ropes, tapes and blindfolds. These are usually perpetrated by the
aggressor to the victim as they leave them to appear more vulnerable than ever. By restricting their ability to move, their likeliness to defend
themselves is extremely small, this leaves us as an audience to be more fearful and scared for their future. They create a great deal of tension as
we are left wondering if they will be able to free themselves from the constraint.
Masks are another prop widely used in the thriller genre, they are mostly worn by the villains. By wearing a mask it creates an enigma as we are
focused on trying to depict whom may be behind it. As we are unable to see the aggressors face, we are unable to build a connection with them,
making them appear more grotesque and inhumane, as a result we are unable to suspect what they may be capable of creating a higher fear factor.

10. FACIAL EXPRESSION AND BODY
LANGUAGE
Facial expression are vital indicators of how the characters are feeling, they are especially important in thriller films as victims may have to
hide their feelings in the presence of the villain in a form of self defence, consequently from just looking at the characters face we are able to
identify what they may be disclosing from other characters in the film. We can also depict what type of person the character is through
looking at their face, it make it easier to distinguish between good and evil. Another crucial effect of facial expressions in thriller films are
that it helps us to relate to the characters, for example if the victim has been hurt, there face may become tense and scrunched up, this
emphasises their pain to the audience and allows us to sympathise for them, making it more chilling as we can get a real gage as to what
they may be experiencing. On the flip side the facial expressions of the villain are also of importance, this is because it confirms their
insanity and corruption. They are usually seen as being emotionless, this can be portrayed through their lack of expression, even when they
are hurting the victim. Alternatively the villains derailment can be observed if we see them looking happy or gaining satisfaction from
causing pain.
Body language is also a vital element in thriller films, it reveals the characters feelings and meanings to each other. We can build these
assumptions through a variety of indicators such as; How the characters position their bodies, the closeness to and space between them,
how they touch themselves and other characters and how their bodies connect with inanimate objects for example a gun. Through
stereotyping, we can associate particular body languages with characters in thriller films. Villains usually have an extremely bold and
confident approach, their shoulders held back and their chest sticking out, this reiterates their power and authority. Whereas the victims
portray avoidance tendencies this emphasises their weakness. Therefore it is so important that the characters body language reflects their
personality and the way the way the director wants them to come across as it can hugely alter our interpretation of a character.

12. LIGHTING AND COLOUR
Lighting is crucial within films as it not only helps us detect the genre though it is effective in ensuring the movie is visually pleasing for us as an
audience. Thriller films use low key lighting to create a sinister atmosphere as it alludes to shadows which create uncertainty and tension. There
are various different lighting techniques will helps make a thriller film successful and eerie;
• Key lighting; This is the most exposed lighting, it creates extremely bright and powerful visuals. Its main purpose is to highlight the form and
dimension of a character or object and allows us to see it in vivid detail, so we can completely understand what is occurring.
• Back lighting; This simply when the light comes from the rear of the subject, it is frequently used in thriller films as it creates a ‘halo’ effect
around the subject, making it look 3 dimensional which is effective in creating realism. It also is used to create a silhouette of a character, so
therefore we are deprived of the knowledge of their identity, this can create a great amount of suspense. Back lighting also has the ability to
create silhouettes, this is unsettling for the audience as they are unsure whom the character approaching may be.
• Under lighting; This is when the lighting comes from below the subject, this can disorientate the audience as it creates huge shadows which
can mask the identity of the character, it therefore sets a more mysterious and eerie tone.
• Low key lighting; This is creates by using back and key lighting, the combination of the two make extremely harsh differences between the
light and dark areas on the screen. As a result of this, shadows appear darker and deeper which adds emphasis to them, this makes the
scene appear more menacing.
• Top lighting; This is where the light is places above the subject as a result the features are emphasised, making them appear bigger and more
powerful. This is usually used to highlight the villain in a thriller film as it makes them appear more scary and sinister.

13. Backlighting
Under lighting
Low key lighting
Key lighting
Top lighting

14. POSITIONING OF CHARACTERS
AND OBJECTS IN THE FRAME
It is essential to make conscious decisions when positioning a character or an object in the frame, this is because it can draw our attention to
particular elements which hold some importance and also show relationship between character or objects. There are various different effective ways
to position objects; if the subject is in the foreground of the frame, we instantly know we should attached some significance to it as it is in our central
view, alternatively if its placed in the background, we pay less attention to it, making it lack emphasis or meaning. If a moving object is arranged in
front of an inanimate background, our eyes are instantly going to be drawn to it so therefore it will take up most of our attention as we are left
wondering as to where it may be going or why its moving. If the characters/objects are evenly distributed in the frame it creates more of a balance
and shows a sense of equality. Alternatively if they fill up one side of the frame, it will seem imbalanced and maybe disorientating alluding to us as
an audience feeling unsettled. If characters or objects are placed at either the right or left edges of the frame, they are seen as extremely
insignificant as they are the furthest away from the centre and therefore our not in our main focal point.
We can also depict the relationships between characters by their positioning in the frame, if they are extremely close together and are making
physical contact e.g. Holding hand, this suggests that they are friends or even lover. However if they are on opposite sides of the frame we can
instantly depict that there is distance between them which could highlight a possible feud. If a character is placed on a higher level to another this
could reflect inequality in their relationships, in relation to thriller films, the villain would usually be positioned above the victim, this shows them
asserting their authority and sustaining their power. In contrary if they are positioned at the bottom, their vulnerability, subordination and
defencelessness is emphasised to us an audience as we can see them being threatened.
The way that characters bodies are positioned can also tell us a lot, if they are facing us, this is the most intimate position, they are in our eye line of
so therefore we are more likely to build more of a personal connection with them, this is vital in thriller films as it allows us to empathise for them.
Contrasting this is when the characters are positioned with their back to the camera, this reflects a high level of anonymity , it could show the
characters isolation from the other subjects in the frame and creates a lot of suspension as we are eager to see what is being hidden from us.
Another position is profile, this is when the character is looking from one end of the frame to another, so we can only see one side of their face, this
makes it appear as if the character isn't aware that he/she is being observed and therefore creates a sense of realism. Another commonly used
position in thriller films is the three quarter turn, this is where only certain elements of the characters body is tuned to us, for instance their head this
shows them making a conscious effort to reject us from seeing their identity, it also shines them in a harsh light.