Thriller mise-en-scene planning

Characters

• We will be using two people to portray the characters in our trailer. We will be have a younger female girl and a young male. Having a young, female child as the victim will create the feel of vulnerability, helplessness and innocence for the audience and create more emotion. Having a young male as the antagonist adds eeriness and creates negative ideas and enigmas to do with his character and how he is related to the young child.

Male costume • The costume the male will wear will consist of dark and black clothing to

connote the idea of him being dark and sinister and that he has some sort of authority/show he is the more powerful character. For example, police officers wear a mainly black uniform and they are people the position of power. He will also be wearing all black to connote the idea that he is anonymous. Black will also help us to keep him looking mysterious and unidentifiable.

• He will either wear a black coat or hoodie, with black jeans and either black boots or trainers. If boots can be obtained, they create a sense of looking powerful and hard-wearing, or if trainers are used both options will be a sensible choice for the location being used. In addition, heavy duty boots also create a stereotypical feel of being ‘strong’ and are mainly wore by men who do much labour work e.g. builders who often have a strong physique.

Male costume

Young girl costume

• The girl will be wearing school uniform to emphasise her age and innocence. Her hair will either be tied in a ponytail or in plaits to connote that she is still a child and is innocent and vulnerable. It will either be primary uniform or secondary. This will consist of long black/white socks, skirt and polo-shirt/shirt. Her footwear will be a typical school shoe or something durable for the location to prevent injury. Her hair will be tied in either plaits or up in a ponytail with added ribbons. Again, the idea of this style alongside ribbons gives the stereotypical look of a 'cute' young girl.

Young girl costume

Lighting

• Lighting will consists of natural, low lighting. Using natural lighting will give it a more realistic effect and feel for the audience, this is also being used due to the chosen location. It is to be set in a woods, this connotes the feel of isolation and vulnerability, especially as it will be a child trying to escape but becoming lost. At another point, there is a scene in a darkened room/garage, where again this will be low lighting given off from a match. This will create an eerie and dark atmosphere for the audience.

Make up

• Make-up used may consist of a dirty/mucky look on the child to show she would have been kidnapped and is running through a wood which could cause her to become dirtied. To create this look either actual dirt or black/brown make up will be used to create it. Cuts or bruising may be used to create the idea that the captor may have hurt her or that she may have become caught/fallen in the wood.

Props Props that are to be used consist of:• Leather gloves •Rope •Backpack/bag •Images of the characters •A piece of cloth and a liquid drug/medication•Match

The gloves will be used to add to the black theme and idea of the actor being powerful and dangerous and having something to hide or conceal, hence covering his hands.

The rope will create enigmas on what it may be used for, this is also the same for the cloth and medication. Hints at ideas of what the antagonist may do to the child. The backpack will be used as a prop for the girl to have to show she has finished school and connotes her childlike tendencies and idea of her being immature.

Lastly, the images will be used to portray the nature of the antagonist and how he and the girl are familiar and create enigmas and ideas about the antagonist and his true nature. These will also help with the build-up to the climax.

Setting/ location • We chose the setting of both a garage and a local wood. Both local are

local and do not require a long journey which makes it easily accessible for everyone. The garage will be used briefly at the start and is used to introduce the antagonist and have the audience think and suggest who he may be and what eh may do. The wood reflects the atmosphere through the way it is isolated and desolate which reflects the helpless nature of the young girl against the antagonist. Woods are known for being vast and strengthens the idea of the girl being lost, panicking and being in more danger. Woods are also places of uncertainty and often give the idea and impression of what may be inside and you never know what you may find or come across. We had the inspiration from the opening of the thriller 'Silence of the Lambs', this uses a wood as the first setting and makes you question what the woman is doing and creates an eerie and uneasy atmosphere.