Actors for Our Thriller - UPDATED

Our protagonist was played by Laurie Taylor who is 20 years old. He suits the role of our protagonist because he is tall, making him appear intimidating and capable of surviving in the brutal world that our thriller takes place in. He also has quite rugged looks, suggesting the cruelness of society and the hardships it makes people suffer through. As well as this, he is old enough to fit the age of our character, making our thriller more believable whilst also making it evident he's old enough to have a past. Laurie is also capable of exhibiting the emotions involved within the character.

 Our femme character, although not featuring a lot in our opening, was important when considering physical aspects such as height. We decided on Caitlin Mapes, a college student who was formerly a drama student, and has had experience with playing other female flirtatious characters such as Audrey in a Little Shop of Horrors stage production.

Our assailants were portrayed by Lucy Hiscox and Thomas Keeble, seeing as these characters have very little dialogue it was important for them to have the right physical traits. Lucy has a slim, athletic build therefore making her capable of defending herself against other characters in our thriller. Similarly to this, Thomas has a broad, athletic build as well as being very tall. This makes him appear intimidating whilst also making it believable that the would be able to beat our protagonist in a fight.

Our female controller was portrayed by Isabel Hurren, although she has no acting experience the role was very small and simplistic, making it inconsequential. Despite having no experience she fits the physical requirements of the role.
 

Explanation of Planning

Whilst planning our thriller we spent a long time discussing possible ideas, when we had decided on one we equally divided the tasks required as part of the planning process for a successful opening. We each spent time working on our allocated tasks separately but we also helped each other with tasks during lessons. Before posting anything we checked to see if everyone was happy with it so it was the best quality possible and everyone had an input on it. For example, Lucy wrote about Costume Design but all three of us shared ideas about it and discussed possible costumes. We also all worked together while choosing actors because we believed this was an important decision that required everyone's input. Overall, we have all participated in the planning both individually and as a group.

Preliminary Task Feedback

Thriller Title Sequences

Fonts are a key way of revealing certain aspects of a film, for example Blackletter fonts could be used to reinforce the fact that the film is set in the past in Western Europe, as that is where this font style originated from. The colour of a typography can also be used to suggest aspects of a film, an example of this is that white could be used to establish a theme of purity and innocence whereas black could suggest that something is immoral and corrupt.
          

 

The first titles in the opening sequence of Inglourious Basterds use a bold serif typeface, this constructs connotations of strength and masculinity. This links with the themes of the film because it revolves around strong men fighting in World War 2. However the font is also eroded in several areas, this connotes struggle and suggests that the characters are damaged from their experiences. The use of black against white allows the font to stand out, making the audience notice it more. The central position of the titles adds to this. The dark colour also suggests power and dominance as it assists the typeface in capturing the audience's attention. Alternatively, black is often used to suggest bad intentions and is commonly the colour worn by a villain, such as Darth Vader. This, therefore, could suggest that the characters or aspects of the film are immoral and sinister.

 

As the actors names begin to appear they are shown surrounded by a blood splatter. This immediately draws the audience's attention to their names and connotes violence. This combined with the stereotypical military font reinforces the themes of war and death present in the film. The typeface for the actors names is written in white, this would typically connote innocence and purity but when its surrounded by blood this becomes ironic and suggests that these characters are definitely not innocent victims. When the actor's name is first shown it's the main focus of the shot, this allows the audience to focus on who's in the film. This also serves as an introduction to the characters as the focus then moves to a picture of the character/actor. This allows the audience to discover who's who before the film begins.

This is shown at the end of the titles and introduces the film to the audience. The typeface is eroded around the Nazi symbol, this could be used to shown how destructive the Nazi regime was and how much damage it caused to the rest of the world. The symbol could also be used to further emphasise the themes of the film.

         

The typeface used to introduce the studios is sans serif and in white, this is very simple, it could be used to reflect the killer's simplistic view of life and death and his lack of emotion when it comes to killing people. Throughout the title sequence the text moves, this could be used to mimic the killer's unstable state of mind. It could also be used to symbolise how hectic the detectives' lives have come now that they are involved in the murder's case.

This typeface is scratchy and mimics handwriting, this could link with the visuals inbetween the shot of black that show the murder removing his finger prints. This could be used to foreshadow that hands are an important aspect of the film. This shot uses reverse type which draws the audience's attention to what's written on the screen. This typeface also flickers further emphasising the theme of instability. All of this combined makes the title sequence very sinister and unsettling as we are watching are serial killer plan as we are introduced to the actors in the film. It is also very evocative as the typeface combined with the variety of images intrigues the audience and makes them start to ask questions.

The placement of the actors name as part of the book could suggest that she is part of his plans and foreshadow future events of the film, this combined with a font that mimics handwriting makes it appear as though he is writing them into his plans.

Shooting Schedule - Group

Costume Design - Lucy Hiscox (UPDATED)

When planning the opening of our film, we found that costume helps to build the audiences image of a character by subtly showing them their attitude and purpose. 

 

For our main character, we have chosen simplistic every-day style clothes. These ordinary clothes show that this character is an ordinary man with a simple lifestyle. Doing this makes the audience assume he is a character who is out of place in a cruel and brutal world, as he is a typical and average man.  

 

In our last scene of our opening, our protagonist is shown after being beaten up by his kidnappers. This has not been explicitly said, however the audience can insinuate this due to the make-up we will use on our actor to show a black eye and several cuts and bruises. The purpose of this is to show that he is vulnerable in this moment, further emphasising the idea that he is an amiable man who is caught up in this cruel world. However, special effect make-up can be difficult for amateurs, making the film seem comical instead of serious and dramatic. If the make-up doesn't achieve its desired effect we will remove it and have the character's vulnerability conveyed through acting and his position of being tied to a chair.  

 

However, the beginning scene shows a character who is later revealed to be the twin brother of our main character (same actor as protagonist), so will wear a different style of clothes. This character is dark and intriguing, so to reflect this we have decided to make this character wear dark clothing to portray his cynical and thick-skinned but ultimately cowardly demeanour. 

 

For our female character, we haven chosen a tight fitting dress. All we see of this character in our opening is their silhouette, so having her in a dress establishes to the audience that she is female. We have also taken inspiration from the classic femme fatale convention of film noir, this character meant to immediately appear seductive and feminine. Doing this makes the audience immediately question whether she is to be trusted, as her cryptic entrance could make her appear as an antagonist, further  assumed by her femininity and seductiveness. We decided to put a modern twist on the traditional use of red for femme fatales, the use of red connotes danger as well as love and passion. In film noir the femme fatale usually has red lipstick or nails, instead of doing this Caitlin had red hair. This is very modern and current whilst paying tribute to film noir.  The leather jacket that she is wearing gives her character an edge and suggests that she is not an overly feminine or emotional character. The black colour of it could also connote mystery and fear, suggesting that she is a dangerous character that shouldn't be challenged. 

 

 

 

 

 

For our two assailants we decided that they should wear very simplistic but current clothes so they blend in with other people when in public, this suggests their stealth skills but also their need to remain hidden due to their criminal backgrounds. The dark colours of their outfits will construct connotations of mystery as well as implying their villainous nature as black and other dark colours are associated with villains such as Darth Vader and Dracula. This will make it clear to the audience that they can't be trusted and will only bring mayhem to the protagonist's life. We also chose to have them both wearing hoods, this further emphasises the mystery surrounding them whilst also making them even more intimidating as its difficult to connect to a character when you can't see their face, leaving the audience feeling uneasy much like our protagonist.  

 

For our enigmatic woman who is in control of our assailants we picked a business-like outfit to further emphasise her authority and superiority over the other characters. Traditionally suits are a symbol of power as well as intelligence, by having our character wear a suit shirt we would be applying these traits to her. The white colour of her shirt would typically represent purity and innocence, this is ironic in relation to our character and could suggest that she doesn't believe that what she is doing is wrong, in turn making her unsympathetic and further villainizing her. The lack of formality of her outfit could imply that she doesn't see what she does as a serious issue and doesn't understand the consequences it has on other people's lives. This secures her as an antagonist in our audience's eyes.





Storyboard - Group

Independent Study - How do costumes suggest character?

How do costumes suggest character?

Costumes are an essential part of building characters, the director and costume designer work together closely to decide what to reveal or hide about their character. For example, a character wearing worn, plain clothes suggests that they can't afford to buy new, fashionable clothes. Costumes also act to make a character feel real and believable, this means that a character in a teen, coming of age film set in the 1980s wearing the trends of the time and the extras also dressing the same way makes you believe that the film was set in the 80s and not filmed in 2016.  Another way costumes are used is to make the audience believe that the character's had a life before the film started. If the costumes aren't suitable from the time period or setting it can be jarring for the audience and make it difficult for them to immerse themselves in the film, for example, if a character from a film set in the 1800s was wearing jeans and a t-shirt it would make the film appear unrealistic and less believable. Whereas, Captain Jack Sparrow's costume in the Pirates of the Caribbean series that's worn and dirty makes you believe that he's a pirate. Therefore, a costume designer has to seamlessly blend a character into their story.
 
In Gone Girl, Amy Dune is portrayed on the surface as the perfect wife who supports her husband, however as the film goes on we discover that she's jealous and vengeful. Her costumes are usually simple but sophisticated. For example, when she first meets Nick she is wearing a casual outfit but she still manages to catch his attention. This suggests that Amy is naturally alluring and captivating because she doesn't have to but any effort into her appearance to appeal to Nick. However, as the film goes on we discover that this look was perfected to seduce a man like Nick and she's using it to play a version of herself that's very different to the truth.

Amy's costumes often include lighter colours which is confusing for the audience because colours such as white are used to connote innocence and purity which is very different from the way Amy acts. Alternatively, that could be the point, it could suggest that as well as playing a game with Nick and the police, Amy is playing with the audience by getting them to trust her and then revealing her menacing intentions. This all links in to how intelligent Amy is as she knows exactly what she's doing and the effect that it will have. At the end of the film, Amy uses white to play into the media's view of her being a vulnerable housewife that has been taken away from her perfect home. The modesty of the nightgown also plays into this as it suggests that she is sophisticated and pure. However, the dark, scarlet colour of the blood that covers her and the dress connotes violence and danger. To the characters in the film this suggests that Amy has been through something tormenting and both emotionally and physically scarring. On the other hand, to the audience, who know that it was Amy that killed a man and that its his blood that covers her, it reveals how dangerous she is. Red is also seen as a very romantic and alluring colour.  This could have been used to play into the idea that she's a femme fatale and has the power to kill a man after seducing him.

 

Amy also wears black on several occasions, this colour has several different connotations. Black can be used to suggest authority and power which fits with Amy's character as she is very controlling and always stays one step ahead of everyone else. Alternatively, black is also used to present evil as a lot of villains such as Dracula and Darth Vader wear black. When Amy wears black at her parents book release it could be used to suggest her anger and menace towards the way her parents have treated her. It could also be used to show that she is trying to gain control over the situation by demanding attention by wearing such a bold colour which reinforces the idea that Amy is a very jealous character as she wants the attention to be on her instead of her book counterpart.

In the film Sicario Emily Blunt's character, Kate Macer, is recruited to try and tackle the violence occurring on the US-Mexican border by hunting down a drug cartel that's responsible for the death of her team.
At the opening of the film Macer is wearing her tactical amour in an attempt to take down a drug cartel. Her uniform connotes authority and power because it tells the audience that she is more than an ordinary citizen and has the strength and intelligence to be part of the FBI. It also suggests danger and violence as she is prepared to defend herself from the oncoming events. The dark colour of her uniform is also used to construct connotations of authority as black is a strong and bold colour.

When she's not on a mission Kate wears simple and practical clothes. The colour palette of her wardrobe is cold and bleak, this could be used to mimic the negative and hopeless view of society and government organisations explored throughout the film. Kate's costumes are gender neutral and she never wears anything overly feminine, this could be used to show that to move up the ranks in the FBI and be taken seriously she has had to make herself less feminine because even though society has progressed, jobs in the army and organisations such as the FBI are still traditionally male and its difficult for women to be treated equally. The plainness of her clothes and the fact that she wears little to no make-up could support this. They could also be used as part of her costume to suggest that she has no time to spend on her appearance because she's focused on her job.

To conclude, the colour and style of a costume give the audience clues about the character and their personality. Costumes can also be used to reinforce the role the character is in, for example, the red in Amy's costume mimics the way traditional femme fatales wore red and the amour that Kate wears is used to emphasise the fact that she is part of a government organisation and fights for her country.  A character's costume is an essential tool in discovering more about who they are and what their motives are.

Pitch - Isabel Hurren

A man gets caught up in the world of violence and crime after his identity is mistaken.

Camerawork in Thrillers - The Dark Knight Rises

          

The Dark Knight Rises is the final film in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, during this film a new villain, Bane, comes to Gotham and attempts to take over the city. Bane manages to temporarily achieve his goals when he defeats Batman but by the end of the film, when this scene occurs, Batman has returned and there is a plan in place to save the city from the atomic bomb Bane was going to use to destroy it. This film included the recurring cast of Christian Bale as Batman/Bruce Wayne, Michael Caine as Alfred, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox and Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon. It also includes several newcomers to the Dark Knight cinematic universe: Anne Hathaway as Catwomen, Tom Hardy as Bane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake and Marion Cotillard as Talia al Ghul. The film was released on the 20th of July 2012 in the UK and grossed $577.7 million worldwide. It was a financial success as it over double its estimated budget but many fans felt that it fell short of the mesmerising masterpiece 'The Dark Knight'.

 

At the beginning of the scene a range of mid shots are used to establish the chaos that has taken over Gotham City as a result of Bane's plan. This range of shots emphasises how many people have got involved in the fight, this shows both the power that Bane has because he managed to do this to the city but it also shows how powerful people's love for their home can be as they are willing to fight with their bear hands in an attempt to save it. The lack of diversity between the peoples' clothes could be used to show that in Bane's eyes they are all the same and are insignificant. This could be used to show that antagonists in thrillers, much like the Joker in 'The Dark Knight', have little regard for humanity and they don't care about people, instead they only care about their own goals.

                                 

 

                              

 

                              

 

Throughout the first half of this scene low angle shots are used of Bane, these could be used to emphasise how much power he has over Gotham. They could also be used to reinforce the idea of how physically strong Bane is as well as how intimidating he is and his physical advantage over Batman. This breaks a convention in action Thrillers because normally the antagonist is mentally stronger than the protagonist so the protagonist then has to use their physical strength to defeat them. However, through these shots Bane's physical strength is emphasised suggesting that he doesn't need mental strength as his power comes through violence which is easily achieved through his build. This could be used to build the audience's anticipation because it makes them more equal, therefore, making the fight more intense as you don't know who will win.

 

                                  

 

                                  

 

                                  

The close ups of Bane allow the audience to see the emotions on his face. For example in the second shot it shows Bane searching for Batman and his eagerness to fight. However the third shot suggests uncertainty in his face as he feels Batman's strength and determination to win. Alternatively, both shots could be used to show his happiness as he watches the city tear itself apart as well as how much he enjoys fighting and competition as he scrabbles with Batman.

As the fight continues close ups of Bane as still used, however now instead of showing his confidence and strength they establish his vulnerability and weaknesses. This suddenly changes the audience's view of Bane as he goes from being a dominating and ruthless monster to a man scrambling to catch his breath and to defend himself. The close ups allow the audience to see the fear in his eyes as Batman begins to win the fight. The high angle of the second close up emphasises this as it makes Bane appear vulnerable and weak. It also reinforces the idea that he has been defeated.

When Bane and Batman fight over the shoulder shots are used to reinforce the idea that they are on opposite sides. This shot type is first used when they start to fight, as the action continues the camera zooms into where the characters are. This places the audience directly in the action, this enhances the chaos and panic of being in a fight and helps connect the audience to what's happening. The over the shoulder shots also serve to place the audience with the characters, for example, the first shot reinforces how physically dominating Bane is and makes the audience fear for Batman. However by the second shot the audience has seen how powerful Batman is and when they are positioned with him Bane becomes small and vulnerable. This could be used to emphasise the idea that Batman is a hero and not just a vigilante because he makes the viewers feel safe and protected from the way he's positioned with the camera.

                                                                                                                 

 

 

The shift in power is also enhanced by camera angles, as after Batman begins to win the fight the angles of him change from being eye level, which allowed the audience to connect with him and his struggle, to low angle shots. These shots re-establish his power and determination. Alternatively, they also support the view in the film that Batman isn't a hero as he becomes vicious and menacing. This is a common theme used in film noirs as usually the protagonists has to give in to their inner darkness to defeat the antagonist. However, the rage that is evident in these shots could be considered acceptable as Batman is getting his revenge for all of the pain and destruction Bane has caused to both himself and his home city.

In conclusion, throughout this scene a range of shot types are used to influence the audience's opinion of characters and their current situation. For example, the view of Bane develops from a ruthless tyrant to a weak and defenceless man. The is used to create tension and reinforce the audience's anticipation because it makes the scene unpredictable and in turn exciting.

Sound in Thrillers

How is sound used in thriller movies to create tension?

Sound is used to create tension in many different ways, for example it can be used to emphasis a character's emotions or it can be used to reinforce the impact of an action. Sound helps to control the audience's emotions and is therefore very useful when it comes to building suspense.

             
In the climax of the film, 'The Social Network', an unsettling and sorrowful score is used to reflect the character's emotions. This is when Andrew Garfield’s character Eduardo discovers that his shares in the company have been diluted to 0.03%. It's at this point in the film that we learn how ruthless Mark Zuckerberg was whilst working to achieving his success.

The soundscape includes a variety of different elements, for example it includes a voiceover from Eduardo's perspective. Eduardo is explaining the situation to the lawyers whilst the audience watches the event happen, this shows the difference between how Eduardo felt before and after the confrontation with Mark. This builds tension as through the emotions in his voice and his word choices the audience can tell that something important is about to be revealed, this builds suspension as they are captivated by the relationship between the two main characters and are curious to discover its downfall.

The score is first introduced when the depth of the betrayal Zuckerberg committed is revealed, introducing it at this moment emphasises the grief and anger felt by the characters and reinforces the sense of betrayal to the audience. There are three separate parts of the score. The first part is a tense and unsettling piece of music made up of broken strings, this adds to the suspense in the scene because it's introduced just before the audience discovers what Mark Zuckerberg did to someone who was supposed to be his best friend. This piece of music also builds suspense because it reflects the uneasy atmosphere in the scene as the characters wait to discover what happened. The second part is involves a slow progression of piano keys, this piece enhances the sorrow felt by the characters due to their loss of friendship and trust. It also mimics the lawyer's reaction to their clients decisions as they realise that the man they are representing is a ruthless person that's controlled by jealously instead of loyalty and compassion like Eduardo. The third section of the score is a dark bass synth, this is introduced when Eduardo starts to get angry, this combined with the piano emphasises his emotions and makes his character appear intimidating as he threatens Mark and Sean. This adds to the suspense in the scene because it reinforces how hurt Eduardo is because he is usually a kind and quiet character but when this section of the score is used he becomes strong and menacing. This, therefore, builds tension as it emphasises the depth of the betrayal because it had the ability to change the way Eduardo acts.

        

In the climax of the film 'Se7en' the soundscape combines diegetic sounds with an unnerving score to build tension. During this scene the protagonists, David Mills and William Somerset think they've beaten the antagonist John Doe but then quickly discover that they were wrong and that he's still in control.

At the beginning of the clip, the diegetic sound of a pocket knife being opened in heard. The emphasis on this noise forebodes violence and reinforces the danger that surrounds the characters as despite the fact they aren't using the knife in a violent way they still have to carry one to defend themselves. When Morgan Freeman's character, William Somerset, discovers the contents of the box the score is introduced, this emphasises the horror of what he has just seen and the fear that is building within him. The introduction of the score combined with the fast pace of the editing increases the tension because it connotes panic and suggests how out of their depth and lost the protagonists are. The score being played in bursts instead of a full piece of music could be used to represent the gaps in the detective's knowledge as they don't understand the man they are fighting and they still don't know the entirety of what he has done.

The shouting that can be heard whilst Somerset tries to stop David Mills from listening to John Doe also constructs connotations of trepidation as the protagonists attempt to defeat the antagonist who clearly still has the upper hand despite being in handcuffs. The shouting also creates a sense of confusion and desperation which creates tension as the audience has to listen to the heroes try to scramble to save themselves with no avail as Kevin Spacey's character still has control over the situation. The calmness in John Doe's voice as he speaks whilst the other characters are consumed by fear and anxiety is very eerie and unsettling, especially as he is describing breaking into someone's house and killing their wife. This also builds tension as it emphasises to the audience how mentally unstable and immoral his character is.

The use of strings in the score when David Mills' wife is mentioned represents the spike of fear felt by him when he discovers that his wife might have been caught up in the game that Doe is playing. This, combined with the distress in his voice, puts him at binary opposition with Spacey's character because unlike him David cares about other people and wants to protect them, as shown by the score and the dialogue. The volume of the score is lowered when Doe tells Mills that he killed his wife, this builds tension as it allows the audience to focus entirely on the dialogue as the information is revealed. The rhythm of the score could mimic the beat of war drums, this could be used to represent the fight between the protagonists and the antagonists. Alternatively, it could also be used to suggest the inner struggle of David as he tries to stop himself from giving into his rage and grief and therefore doing exactly what Doe wants him to do. The emphasis of the gunshots as David kills John Doe, reinforces the anger behind the action and finality of it as there's no turning back now.

         

This clip is from the film 'Captain America - Winter Soldier', this scene is when the real antagonists of the film are revealed. During this fight scene the soundscape is used to emphasise the force behind actions and to build anticipation. For example, at the beginning of the scene a score isn't used, the makes the audience suspicious and start to expect that something is about to happen. This is also reflected through the camera movement as the Captain observes his surroundings and realises that something is going on and that it had something to do with him.

When the score is introduce it's when Rogers begins to notice small details, such as a man sweating, and becomes even more suspicious. The rhythm of the score mimics a heartbeat and could be used to suggest that the Captain is unsure and anxious to understand what is going on. The score then stops when he realises what's about to happen, this allows the audience to focus on his dialogue which builds tension as it tells them that the characters are about to start fighting and they can see that the Captain is greatly outnumbered and has nowhere to go.

The diegetic sound of the Taser could be used to reinforce the idea that Steve Rogers is in the wrong time period and that he is very out of his depth and lost in the modern world seeing as he is from the 1940s. The lack of a score then adds even more emphasis to the surge of music that's introduced when the fighting starts. The suddenness of it could be used to reflect how quickly a situation can change, this then emphasises how skilled the Captain is as he immediately jumps into action and starts to fight back. The diegetic sound of the kicks and punches being thrown are emphasised, this could be used to show how strong and powerful the Captain is. This also reflected by the camerawork as it shows an elevator full of people that Rogers managed to defeat on his own. The smash of the glass could be used to further show how strong Rogers is and that it’s dangerous to cross him.

There is a lull in the score when the fighting slows down but the heartbeat like section can still be heard, this could be used to mimic the pace of the fight. For example, when the fighting is in full swing the music is fast and loud but when it stops for a moment the volume of the music lowers and the pace slows down. The focus on the heartbeat could be used to suggest how exhausting constantly fight is. Alternatively, the consistency and strength of the beat could be used to enhance the idea that the Captain is incredibly determined and that he won’t give up. The lack of the full score during this section builds suspense as it allows the full effect of the character’s actions to hit the audience and it also allows them to focus on the fact that the Captain is being forced to fight someone that he trusted and thought was on his side.

The diegetic sound of him kicking his shield up could be used to reinforce the power that the shield has as well as how important it is to him. The more emotional, strings used after the fighting is finished could be used to establish the idea that the Captain is hurt by what has just happened as the people that made him who he was just tried to destroy him. The fast pace of the music could also be used the reflect Rogers’ sporadic thoughts as he tries to find a way out of the situation. The smash of the glass and the noise of the impact that the Captain makes when he falls reinforces the height he has just fallen from and how painful that would be. This builds tension as it tells the audience how much danger he is in as he had to go to such extremes to escape.

         
 

During this scene from the film ‘Reservoir Dogs’ a man is tortured by Mr Blonde whilst ‘Stuck in the Middle With You’ by Stealers Wheelers plays in the background. This scene use a variety of sound techniques including contrapuntal sound and silence.

At the beginning of the scene there is no underscore, this creates a similar effect to the scene from ‘Captain America – Winter Soldier’ as the audience starts to anticipate that something important is about to happen. The lack of a score also allows the audience to focus on the dialogue and the tension that it’s building between the characters. The shouting of the victim in this scene also serves to build the suspense because it establishes how scared and desperate he is as he knows that there’s no easy way out of the situation. The diegetic sound of the slap is used to emphasise Mr Blonde’s strength as he does it easy but it makes a loud noise. This focus on violence could be used to foreshadow the future events of the scene and to forewarn the audience that action is soon to follow.

As Mr Blonde slowly pulls on the duct tape the sound can be heard, this slow pulling is unnerving and builds tension as it unsettles the audience. Mr Blonde’s dialogue is also disturbing as, much like John Doe, he discusses awful acts like torture calmly and casually. This could be used to show the audience that he is disconnected from society, similarly to most antagonists in thrillers, and has little care or regard for other people’s lives. This, therefore, builds suspense as the audience discover how cruel he is because he’s torturing the man for fun instead of a means to an end. The grating sound of the chair scraping against concrete as the victim attempts to escape reinforces the idea that Mr Blonde is immoral because he is frantic to get away as he knows that whatever Mr Blonde decides to do it will be extremely painful and both mentally and physically scarring.
The use of contrapuntal sound as Mr Blonde prepares to torture the victim is unsettling and makes the audience uncomfortable. This is because the song is very happy and upbeat which is in complete contrast to the horror of violence. The song could be used to reflect the joy that Mr Blonde gets from causing pain to others, further emphasising how corrupt he is. The fact that the contrapuntal sound is also diegetic could suggest that Mr Blonde is mocking and further antagonising his victim by dancing in front of him and appearing happy before giving him life changing injuries. As the song plays the camera pans away from the characters but groans of pain can still be heard, this tells the audience that something big is happening without showing them. Not allowing the audience to see and only letting them listen builds tension because the audience have no idea what Mr Blonde is doing to hurting the victim. The happiness in Mr Blonde’s voice when he’s finished and the camera returns to the characters reinforces just how evil his character is.

In conclusion, sound is used in many different ways to build tension, it can be used to reinforce emotions or to unnerve the audience. Sound adds emotions to scenes that can’t be added by visuals or dialogue by itself.