Kayleigh Kee

Understanding the codes and conventions of fictional film production:

Section 1 – Narrative:
Narrative is defined as a ‘chain of events in a cause and effect relationship’. A classic narrative
structure must be structured to have key moments, to build up to the climax of the story. This can
be explained through the theory, put forward by Todorov, who said that a story must have a
specific chronological order; equilibrium, disruption, recognition, reparation and new
equilibrium/resolution. However, a lot of media texts do not follow the classic narrative structure,
and instead use different editing styles to create a different meaning to their film, based on the
modular narratives in contemporary cinema theory, by Allan Cameron. Cameron identified four
main types of modular narratives:

 Anachronic
 Forking Paths
 Episodic
 Split Screens
For example, the popular horror film, ‘Final Destination’ uses a series of flash forwards
(anachronic) and forking paths edits, to create a strong, well-structured horror film. Many films do
not follow this classic structure, to give their film a more original and refreshing feel.
A narrative is how a story is structured, so therefore the theories established by Todorov,
Barthes, Propp and Levi-Strauss are all very relevant. Todorov constructed the idea of the
chronological order of a story, but this would not work in creating a well-structured story, without
the help of the idea of binary oppositions, put forward by theorist, Levi-Strauss. Binary
oppositions are the idea of two sides in a story, and the audience typically side with the
characters that are on the ‘right’ side; the concept of good vs evil, is an example of his binary
oppositions theory.
Todorov established the idea of the classic narrative structure, yet there are other theorists that
contribute to the narrative of the story. For example, Propp’s character archetypes; this means
that each story or film, will have a selected sample of characters, these being:

 The Hero – the one who seeks something

 The Princess – the one who needs to be saved and who is usually the prize for the hero
 The villain – the one who obstructs the hero
 The Father – usually the father of the princess who gives her away to the hero
 The Donor – the one who provides help and information to the hero
 The Helper – the one who helps the hero on their quest
 The Dispatcher – the one that sends the hero on their journey
 The False Hero – the character that the audience believes are good, until the ending
when their character changes.
In Propp’s theory, these character archetypes are there to establish an increase of
understanding, from the point of view of the audience. These character types are prominent,
even in narratives today. When looking at my horror genre case study film, ‘The Strangers’, it is
harder to apply this theory. This is because this film doesn’t follow the classic narrative structure,
as it uses a series of flashbacks. It is also because of Barthes enigma code theory. The enigma
code refers to any part of a story that is left unexplained, for example, at the end of ‘The
Strangers’, when we see the female character open her eyes and scream. This code creates an
open ended storyline, and has been intended to enable stories to hold back details to increase
intrigue for the audience. Barthes theory is elaborating on narratives that do not follow the simple
linear structure, and so other devices, such as the enigma code, are used to give the narrative
more structure, and/or a more gripping storyline.
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Section 2 – Visual Storytelling/Audience:

Horror/Home Invasion:
Through watching the two home invasion case study films, I have observed the typical
conventions used for this specific genre. The general conventions of this genre, include:

 The settings/locations being similar in multiple home invasion movies. Films of the
home invasion genre, are usually set in rural locations, to emphasise the idyllic
atmosphere and reinforce the feeling of isolation; they also tend to have big maze
like houses/confusing layouts. The big houses are there to position the audience to
feel small, which then forces the feeling of isolation onto the audience.
 The characters - more than likely will be an upper-middle class, white American
family/couple. By having a rich, well achieved family or couple, we can see this idea
of the ‘American Dream’. For example in The Strangers, we see the couple in their
family summer home – we can see that they have a lot of material wealth. This is
common for the protagonists in home invasion movies, as it is usually lower
class/poorer people who are the antagonists, who are trying to take this all away
from them.
 The final girl archetype – she is a lone survivor and the only character to survive until
the end – by keeping at least one character alive at the end of the movie, keeps the
narrative open, and so continues the sense of mystery.
The general conventions are highly important, because it reinforces the notion with the
audience that they are watching a film in the horror genre. However, it would not have the
same effect, if it did not follow and contain the typical technical codes. This is the typical
editing styles, cinematography and sound used for a film of this specific genre. Editing styles
are important in this genre. Some of these include:

 Flashbacks - Flashbacks are a common editing style in the home invasion genre,
because it shows the audience the characters past life and how they got to where
they are now. This is important because it builds up the audience’s empathy for the
characters, and positions the audience on the side of the protagonists.
 Action Match Shots – the action match shots show all of the drama that is happening
in the scene. This also works well when the pace of editing is quickened. The pace
begins slowly as it builds up to the action, and then the pace of editing quickens
during the climax. The quickened editing, means there is a lot more happening on
screen, and so is a lot for the audience to take in. The scene never quite settles,
which is disturbing for the audience and reminds them that all is not well, and
reinforces to them that they are watching a film of the horror genre.
Another technical code is the diegetic and non-diegetic sound used. Typical diegetic sounds
that can be heard in both of the horror case study films include:

 Creaking doors - The creaking door solely portrays the fact that they should not be
there, and foreshadows the fact that something bad will happen later on.
 An Alarm - the alarm sound is there to emphasise the danger.
 Repetitive sounds of music – in The Strangers, as the first attack begins, we can
hear the repetitive sound of her music, as it gets louder in the sound mix and finally
build to a crescendo. This sound makes normal things feel abnormal, and so is
contrapuntal to the scene.
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These Foley sounds, are amplified generic noises, and so emphasise how the
sounds become louder in the sound mix, when there is any action taking place on
screen. In addition, when action is taking place on screen, the non-diegetic sounds
used, are rather important. For example, in The Strangers and in some scenes of
Don’t Breathe, whenever there is a lot of action happening, there is a lot of loud
crashing noises – whenever the protagonists are fighting against the villains, the
crashing noises become louder in the sound mix, as to emphasise the chaotic
atmosphere.
The cinematography is also another important technical code. One feature of this being
lighting, particularly low key lighting. As seen in both of the case study films, the power in the
house goes out, and the characters have to use other forms of light, such as candles or
torches. This again makes the audience feel uneasy, and could be potentially foreshadowing
the danger the characters will be in later. Camera shots are highly important too. Some
important camera shots include:

 The use of high and low angle shots – these shots usually pair up with POV low
angle shots looking up at the villain. This is important because it positions the
audience as the character in trouble, and creates a sense of enigma as the audience
will not know if the character gets away or not.
 Close ups – the use of close ups shows the emotional facial expression of the
characters. Close ups can also be used to show how close the predator is, which
would put the audience on edge as they will know something is about to happen to
the characters.
 Long shots – long shots create a sense of dramatic irony when the audience can
see the predator in shot but the characters can’t. This is disturbing for the audience
and so reminds them of the genre they are watching. Long shots can also depict the
isolation of the house, and so reinforces the aforementioned general convention of
isolated settings.

The symbolic codes of the home invasion subgenre are also important. The symbolic codes
are what is happening in and around the scene. Some of these include:

 Yellow colour palette – the yellow filter builds a feeling of sickness and danger,
which could be foreshadowing the bad things that will happen to the characters.
 Props – the main props in horror movies are some sort of weapon. The villains
would usually have knives, as they are gorier, and so would make the audience
uncomfortable, and reinforce the notion that this is a film of the horror genre.
 Costumes – in the case study film, ‘The Strangers’, the villains wore masks to hide
their identities. This is a key concept in home invasion movies as it creates enigma,
as the audience grow eager to find out who the villain is.

Some films challenge the audience’s expectations. For example, films that do not follow
Todorov’s classic narrative structure – this is common in horror films, as there tend to be plot
twists throughout the films. In addition, some films also contradict Levi-Strauss, and the
theory of binary oppositions – character development is also common in horror films. For
example, in the film Don’t Breathe, we see a group of teenagers planning on robbing an old
blind man. If this film were to follow the binary opposition’s theory, the audience would
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remain on the side of the old man until the end, however, throughout, we start to side with
the teenagers, and so the expectations of the film were challenged.
It is important for films to evolve and do something different, to enable originality throughout
the film; Films of the same genre would get increasingly boring, if they all followed the exact
same structure and had all of the same codes and conventions. My two horror case study
films conform to typical conventions. Both movies contain the majority of the general
conventions, and they both have the final girl archetype. They both have the typical
conventions, and both have very similar narratives.

Crime Thriller Genre:

The crime thriller genre uses many codes and conventions to emphasise the genre, which I
have observed through watching my case study films. The general conventions that are
typical in films of this genre include:

 Red herrings – in crime thriller movies, the audience do not know who the villain is,
and so multiple red herrings are used to increase enigma. For example, in the case
study film, ‘Prisoners’, the audience are positioned alongside the father, who believed
that Alex was the kidnapper, however, he [Alex] himself was a victim.
 Stock characters – the protagonist, usually a detective, goes beyond the call of duty
to track down the killer, and usually become obsessed with the case, and/or break
the rules to achieve their objectives.
 Similar themes – violence and mystery are both key themes in the crime thriller
genre, as they both enable a gripping storyline and create enigma for the audience.
 Open narrative – in the two case study films, the narrative has remained open, and
the audience are left wondering what happens next. This references Barthes enigma
code, as it raises questions that demand to be answered.
These general conventions are important in establishing the genre of the film being watched;
these conventions are highly typical and symbolic of crime thriller movies. However, like any
other genre, these codes would not have the same effect, if no technical or symbolic codes
were used.
The technical codes include sound, cinematography and editing styles. Sound is an
important technical code, as it adds emphasis to the drama that is happening on screen. It is
typical in crime thriller movies, for sounds to get louder in the sound mix, when a lot is
happening on screen. For example, in the case study film Zodiac, when the protagonist is
close to finding out who the killer is, we hear the diegetic sound of the phone ringing. This
sound is diegetic, so usually would not have much of an effect, but because there is a lot of
drama taking place, the audience are positioned alongside the protagonist, so the loud
ringing noise of the phone, would create a sense of uneasiness. In addition, a lot of fast
paced sound track music is used. Again this music gets louder in the sound mix, when a lot
of drama is happening. This is disturbing for the audience and reinforces the idea that
something of importance is about to happen, and reinforces the notion with the audience that
they are watching a film of the thriller genre.
Another important technical code is the cinematography. One common feature of this being
lighting, particularly low key and chiaroscuro lighting. The low key lighting is emphasising the
thriller genre, and adding a sense of fear for the audience. We see the chiaroscuro lighting a
lot in the case study film, Zodiac. This type of lighting is typically focused on one specific
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character, which portrays the idea to the audience that not all is well in the scene. The
camera angles/shots that are used are also key in this genre of film. Some of these include:

 Close ups – close ups are used predominantly on the protagonist, to illustrate to the
audience the emotions the character is feeling. Close ups are frequently used when
the character has, or is close, to solving the case. The fact that the audience are
forced to read the characters facial expressions, positions them with the hero, and
increases the mystery in the scene.
 Over the shoulder, POV shots – these shots allow the audience to see the
protagonist through the eyes of the suspect. This allows the audience to see the hero
as he begins to realise that this character is not all good, and could be potentially
foreshadowing the danger this character will face later on in the film.
 Zoom and dolly movement – the zoom heightens tension and positions the audience
with the protagonist, in realising that they are in real danger. The dolly movements
follow the character, which again, positions the audience in the protagonist’s shoes,
and creates a sense of fear for the audience.

The editing styles are also essential in this genre. The main editing style is shot reverse
shot. There is a lot of dialogue in thriller movies, and the shot reverse shot positions the
audience to feel like they themselves are involved in the conversation. The pace of editing
also gets faster, as the characters are getting closer to solving the case. The quickened
pace of editing also creates enigma and intrigue, and would make the audience want to
solve the case even more so.
Some films challenge audience expectation, however, this is less common in the thriller
genre. This is because it is very typical for thriller films to follow Todorov’s classic narrative
structure. However, this being said, there are some films of this genre that contradict this.
For example, the film ‘Memento’ contradicts this classic structure, as it actually goes in the
opposite direction. Lower budget films often tend to be more experimental because they are
aimed at a niche audience, who are usually more film literate. They therefore need
something more surprising or original to maintain interest. My two case study films both
conform to typical conventions, as they both include the majority of the general conventions.

Section 3 - Textual Analysis

Horror Genre

Don’t Breathe: Scene 5 Analysis

In scene 5 of the film ‘Don’t Breathe’, multiple codes and conventions are used to help
emphasise the horror genre. For example, the horror genre is made prominent through the
mise-en-scene; one way this has been done, is through the costumes of the characters. All
three of them are wearing all black clothing, with leather gloves and backpacks to carry the
cash they plan on stealing. These costumes being all black make sense with the scene, as
they are about to break into someone’s house, and so would wear dark clothes so they
aren’t easily spotted. However, it has also been done to emphasise their class – the working
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class/poorer people stealing from a rich man, plays on the fears of the audience. The
costumes of the characters, pair up with the set design in the bedroom, to achieve its
purpose. In the bedroom, we can see lots of family photos, and a video of the man’s
daughter playing on the TV. This builds sympathy for the old man, and positions the
audience on his side, as we already know that his daughter is dead.

The lighting in this scene is another key

element to achieving the purpose. For
example, at the very beginning of this scene,
the overhead lighting that is used, has a slight
green filter to it, which covers the boy’s face.
This has been done to portray his sense of
uneasiness, and emphasises how sick and
weak he feels, which is clear to the audience,
because earlier in the movie, he was the only
one that was not comfortable with the
burglary. Furthermore, when the girl breaks
into the house, the lighting is very low-key,
which is parallel to the scene, because it is the
middle of the night. However, the low-key
lighting is symbolic to films of the horror
genre, as it is dull and mysterious, and is
typically done to create a sense of enigma. In
this particular shot, the room is dark, but her
face is lit up with light from outside. This high
key lighting on her face has been done so the audience can clearly see her facial
expressions, and can see that she is quite fearful and anxious which suggests that she
doesn’t want to be robbing this house. This positions the audience to feel sorry for her,
because we know already that she is only involved in this life of crime, so she can provide
for her sister.
ne other code used is camera work. This
scene uses many different camera shots and
angles to portray and express the characters
emotions and feelings. Here, we see the two
boys arguing, and the dominant boy fills up the
frame, obscuring the other boy. This has been
done to highlight his power. This also allows
the audience to completely understand that he
is the leader of the three, as he is loud and the
most dominant. This could also have been
done to foreshadow the problems he in
particular will have to face later on in the
movie, and create a feel of suspense for the
audience, as it is a cliché in horror films, for the
leader (or the powerful person who isnt always
necessarily liked by the other characters and
audience) to encounter difficulties, or even get
killed off first. Furthermore, when all three
characters are in the house, we see the camera zoom in on the hammer on the wall, and tilts
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upward. One of the characters bend down, and we go over his head. This creates a sense of
dramatic irony, as he is unaware of the importance of the props. This specific camera
movement could even be foreshadowing, and creating enigma, because we do not know if
the hammer will be used as a weapon later on. Another camera movement that is used in
this scene, is the steadicam/dolly movements. These are smooth movements that move
from character to character. This is important as it establishes the environment – which is a
large, maze-like house. Large houses are iconographic to the horror genre – they are very
common to use, as they are made to look scarier and as they are big and maze-like, the
characters then look smaller and more timid. The use of these dolly movements around this
big house, really sets the tone for this film, as it feels predatory, and keeps the audience
disorientated.
Finally, both diegetic and non-diegetic sound play a key role in this scene. Diegetic sound
includes the dialogue between the characters in the scene. There is whispered dialogue
between the two male characters, that becomes increasingly more informal and aggressive.
This language and menacing tone add up to portray the dominace of the character. Another
diegetic sound would be the birds in the trees. This is contrapuntal to the scene, as birds
singing has connotations to being quite peaceful, but we as an audience know that that is
not the case. This creates an uncomfortable mood, and highlights the idea of isolation as no
one is around because it is so early in the morning. There is more non-diegetic than diegetic
sound in this particular scene, which is distinctive in horror films, where a lot of sound effects
are used to create tension and an underlying sense of paranoia. The non-diegetic sounds in
horror films is not just added sound effects, but things like incidental music or an added
soundtrack. For example, in this scene, there is an added screech of a violin. This is a high
pitched, piercing sound, and so would leave the audience with a feeling of discomfort, and
anticipation of what’s to come. In addition, when the girl is alone in the house, there is a low,
humming diegetic ambient sound, which progressively becomes louder. There is a gradual
crescendo to a screeching sound. This plays on the feeling of irritation and positions the
audience to a place where they will feel on edge. Some sounds are louder in the sound mix,
whch may have been done to indict that they are perspective sounds, so we hear things
from the point of view of the blind man.

Hush Scene Analysis

The film ‘Hush’, is of the home invasion horror subgenre, and in the final fight scene,
many codes and conventions have been used to help emphasise this genre. This has
been done primarily through the mise-en-scene; particularly the costumes the characters
are wearing. The woman in the scene is wearing her pyjamas, which highlights the home
invasion subgenre, as she clearly was settled at home, and not prepared for this fight in
any way. In addition, his costume is made up of all black clothing and a hoodie. This
costume makes sense to the scene, as he is breaking into her house to kill her, so would
wear clothes like this so he would not be easily spotted; the hoodie is a way of hiding his
identity too. At the beginning of the film, he is wearing a mask, yet that gets taken off
mid-way, however when he wears his hood up, it is difficult to clearly see his face.
Furthermore, the choice of props used emphasises the genre. It is predominantly knives
or sharp household objects that are used as weapons – this makes the fight scene even
more gory, and reinforces the notion of the horror genre.
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Another code used to enforce the

genre, would be the camerawork.
Many different shots and camera
movements have been used to create
the right tone for the film, for example,
here, an aerial shot has been used.
The aerial shot is directly above, to
afford a clear view, and allow the
audience to see everything that is
happening from a bird’s eye view. This
is effective in heightening a feeling of
fear, as the woman is deaf and is
unaware of his presence behind her,
and creates suspense as, according
to the audience, she is about to be
murdered. The aerial shot also
enables us to see exactly how she got
out of that situation unharmed, which
positions the audience on her side, as
she is now being portrayed as a
strong female character. In addition, another camera shot, would be the use of POV
shots. Here we see a POV shot from the woman, looking up at her attacker. POV shots
are very personal, and positions the audience in the protagonists shoes, which
enhances enigma, as we are left wondering if this is the moment she dies, or if she takes
on the final girl trope, and finds a way of surviving. In addition, the editing styles are
important and work alongside the camerawork to express the horror genre. For example,
as the attacker has her pinned down and she is looking up at him, she begins to have
flashbacks of her past life, and growing up with her sister. This intensifies the
anticipation with the audience, as it suggests that she is about to die.
One other code used is lighting; the
lighting is very conventional to horror
films, as it creates a particular tone. For
example, the lighting throughout this
scene is very low key, which is typical of
films of this genre, as it heightens the
sense of fear. Here, we see the use of
chiaroscro lighitng, as the alarm has
been activated; this type of lighting, adds
emphasis to the characters face, and
allows the audience to see the pain that
he is in. This positions the audience to
see the womans character development,
as to begin with, we felt empathetic
towards her, yet now we are able to see
that her character is stronger than
depicted.
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In addition, the lighting during the flashbacks is a lot more high key. The colour pallette
also changes during the flashbacks, as during the scene, it is very dull and grey, yet
when she is having flashbacks, they are very warm and bright. This suggests that even
though she thinks she is going to die, she can still remember her loved ones, which the
audience then are able to see, are the reason for her survival.
Finally, the use of both diegetic and non-diegetic sound, help to emphasise the horror
genre. The diegetic sound of the alarm is very loud in the sound mix, which is disturbing
for the audience, and reinforces the notion that they are watching a film of the horror
genre. In addition, the fact that she was the one that triggered the alarm, to cause the
attacker distress, could potentially be foreshadowing the danger that the attacker will be
in later, as opposed to her. Continuing, the diegetic sound of dialogue is highly effective
in emphasising the genre. The attacker talks to the woman, even though he knows she
is deaf, which positions the audience to feel empathetic toward her, and creates a sense
of dramatic irony, as the audience can hear him telling her that he is going to hurt her,
yet she has no idea what will happen. Furthermore, the non-diegetic sounds used are
just as important. For example, when we see him behind her in the bathtub about to stab
her, we hear the incidental eerie screech of a violin. This sound becomes louder and
builds to a crescendo, which is highly disturbing for the audience, and dwells on that
feeling of uneasiness.

Crime/Thriller Genre

Prisoners Scene Analysis

In this scene of the film Prisoners, we see detective Loki discover who the kidnapper is.
Many codes and conventions have been used to emphasise the thriller genre, and amplify
the feeling of suspense for the audience. This has been done through the mise-en-scene.
The costumes the characters are wearing are effective in achieving the purpose. For
example, the aunt is wearing a knitted jumper and cardigan, which is suitable for a woman of
her age; the costume she is wearing also gives the audience a slight insight to what her
lifestyle might be like, which according to the audience so far, would be quiet and relaxed, as
she is a retired woman, looking after her nephew. However, in this scene, we realise that this
is a complete juxtaposition to her menacing character. In addition, the setting of the scene
plays a part in highlighting the genre. The scene is set at the aunt’s house, where detective
Loki, and the father, had been earlier in the movie. This enforces the genre, as it reinforces
the notion that not everything is as it seems, and obtains the general convention of thriller
films, that everyone is a suspect.
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Another technical code that indicates the genre is the camerawork; many shots and angles
have been used to set the tone and
amplify the drama happening on screen.
Here, a low angle shot of the aunt has
been used. At this time, the audience
know that she is the one that has
kidnapped and attempted to kill the little
girls, so the use of a low angle shot,
positions the audience to look up at her,
and would make them feel small and
vulnerable, and shows that she holds the
power. In addition, this is a juxtaposition
to her facial expressions, which indicate
that she knows she is guilty, and knows
that she has been caught.
In addition, the use of over the shoulder
shots are also highly effective. Here we
see an over the shoulder shot, where the
audience are positioned to see the aunt
attempting to drug the kidnapped little
girl. The audience are positioned on the
side of detective, so therefore can directly feel the tension growing. Furthermore, the
detective is closer to the camera, and takes up most of the frame. This emphasises his
characters importance, and implies that he will rescue the little girl.
Another key element used in this scene
that elaborates on the crime thriller genre,
is the lighting. Lighting creates meaning,
and the audience can immediately identify
the tone of the scene, just by the lighting
used. For example, here there is high key
lighting behind detective Loki, and a
yellow colour pallette has been used. The
yellow colour pallette gives the scene a
warm tone to it, which portrays the idea
that he will find the girl before anything
bad happens to her, and there will be a happy ending. The high key lighting in the aunt’s
house, shows the façade that she has been keeping up, which the audience are now aware
of as we have seen the kidnapped girl. In addition, the fact that the lighting is highlighting the
detective, creates a feeling of excitement and suspense, as the audience grow more and
more eager to find out if the film has a happy ending.
In addition, the colour pallette and lighting
drastically change as he walks down the
hallway, closer to where the girl is being
kept. The colour pallette used here is very
dull which is an indication to the audience
that not all is well in the scene, and also
heightens a sense of fear for the
audience, as we can only assume that
something bad will happen to him.
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Finally, the use of both diegetic and non-diegetic sound, work together to emphasise the
thriller genre. A lot of the diegetic Foley sounds, are amplified and louder in the sound mix.
For example, the knocking sound of the door, is loud in the mix, and so is quite disturbing for
the audience. The knocking is also a very harsh noise, so could be foreshadowing the
possible danger the detective or the girl will be in later on in the scene. In addition, when
detective Loki is in the house, the audience are faced with an eerie silence. There is a sense
of dramatic irony, as the audience already know that the aunt is about to kill the kidnapped
girl, so the fact that there is no noise, is rather contrapuntal, as silence usually has
connotations to peace, whereas in this scene, the audience know something bad is about to
happen. The dialogue in the scene can also be used to show the thriller genre. Throughout
the film, the detective’s character is quite passive, and he is portrayed as just an ordinary
detective working a case. However, as he catches the aunt trying to drug the girl, his
language becomes increasingly more informal and aggressive. This language and menacing
tone both add up to portray the dominance of this character. Furthermore, non-diegetic
sound is also highly important. When the detective starts to realise what is happening in the
house, a low pitched piece of incidental music can be heard. This low sounding soundtrack
increases the build-up of tension, and suggests the idea that something bad may happen to
him, as he continues with his discovery.

Scene Analysis – Zodiac

In this scene of the film ‘Zodiac’, multiple codes and conventions are used to emphasise the
crime thriller genre. For example, as the scene opens, we are faced with heavy rain. The
rain is a metonym, and an indication of the characters, or the audiences, feelings; we see
the character Robert, get into a stranger’s car – a stranger who knows a lot of information
about the Zodiac, which not even the police know, and so the audience would be on edge
and automatically assume the worst for this character. The heavy rain could have been used
to foreshadow the uncomfortable, or even dangerous, situation, Robert will find himself in
later on.
This scene uses many codes and
conventions to indicate the genre. One way
the genre is represented is through the mise-
en-scene. As we see Robert enter the house,
we see him pass a mirror. However, we
cannot see his reflection, we only see Bob’s
(the Zodiac suspect). The use of this prop,
can suggest that he is two faced, or has a
hidden personality that Robert is unaware of,
which leads the audience to believe he is the
Zodiac killer. In addition, the setting of the
film. It is common for thriller films to be set in
isolated, suburban house, with narrow
corridors – the camera is static throughout, as
it is always on a tripod, so does not move
freely. This is conventional to films of this
genre, and creates a sense of claustrophobia
for the audience, so positions us in the
protagonist’s shoes. Finally, the hero’s facial
Kayleigh Kee

expression changes when he realises the man he is with could be the Zodiac killer. The tone
and mood of the scene changes the moment he realises that he could be in danger, and the
audience are positioned to feel the same fear the protagonist is feeling.
In addition, the cinematography is also key in
portraying the genre. At the beginning of the
scene, many mid shots are used, and the
frame is balanced with characters filling either
side of the frame. This keeps a calm
atmosphere and it would feel natural to the
audience. However, when the hero mentions
the Zodiac, the other man turns to the side,
showing only one side of his face. He is
obscuring his facial expressions, possibly
indicating that he has something to hide. As the mood changes in the scene, more close ups
are used on the hero, as well as high and low angle shots. This positions the audience with
the hero, and establishes a sense of being trapped. The high angle shot used on the hero,
shows his vulnerability, and adds to the point that he may be in danger. The lighting also
works well with the camera shots; the scene begins with high key lighting then moves to the
use of overhead chiaroscuro lighting, on the man who is suspected to be the killer. This type
of lighting creates shadows across the man’s face, to show the audience that he is
potentially dangerous, and is hiding something about his personality. The lighting also
changes when the protagonist realises he might be in danger, to emphasise the fact that that
the suspect character cannot be trusted, and builds suspense as the audience do not know
what will happen to the protagonist.
Furthermore, the editing styles are important in this scene. There is a lot of shot reverse shot
throughout, to show the conflict between the two characters. It also shows how the tension is
building and creates enigma, as the audience begins to feel worried for the hero. Another
editing style is POV, eye line match shots from the hero’s perspective, looking up at the
man. This positions the audience to feel weak against the man, who is dominating, and
looking down at the hero.
Finally, sound is a key element in this genre of film. As aforementioned, the non-diegetic,
ambient Foley sounds of rain, gets louder in the sound mix and sets the atmosphere. In
addition, the creaking floorboard from above while the characters are in the basement. This
sound raises the audiences suspicion that they are not alone in the house; this paired with
the fact that the man is avoiding answering the hero’s question, raises the question, of is he
hiding someone in the house. The tone of voice of the characters again is conventional of
the genre. The hero has a more high pitched voice, to show that he is scared and timid.
However, the man has a low rumbling voice, to emphasise the fact that he is a menacing
character. Finally, the loud whistling sound of the kettle as the hero runs up the stairs. This
sound is heightening tension at the climax of the scene.
All of these conventions are symbolic to the crime thriller genre. From just one scene, the
audience are positioned to feel what the protagonist is feeling, and are positioned in this
sense of enigma, where they are left questioning, who the Zodiac killer is.