EVALUATION QUESTION 2:How does your media product represent particular social

groups?

‘C A P T U R E D’

KIPP BOUCHER

OUR CHARACTERS

In the opening title sequence of our film, there are three characters. One named Harry, a male, white, middle class photographer in his very early 20s. The other two, unnamed to represent the fact that their individual identities are not important, are two white, English schoolgirls around the ages of 16-17.

Harry is typical of the thriller genre in many ways. He’s creepy, clearly twisted and also has an air of mystery and unpredictability with his split personality.

The girls are also typical of the genre as they are represented as an unimportant part of Harry’s story. As it appears that Harry is going to kill them in the opening title sequence, we assume that they will not be around for long. They also appear self-obsessed, and this shows that they are vulnerable, creating typical tension.

MISE-EN-SCENEOur use of mise-en-scene was done to give hints towards our characters’ personalities.

HARRY• The hoodie that Harry dons helps suggest his need to hide something. It shows that he is

mysterious and also shows that he is smart, as he knows he has to be careful.• Harry wears a suit that suggests his class. It shows that he has money and believes in

looking smart. The fact that he cares enough to look official suggests that he uses his rouse to get murder victims fairly often.

• The use of the camera shows, again, Harry’s class. It shows that he is wealthy and cares about his photography, for one reason or another.

• Harry’s figure expression is very bland and emotionless, making him seem very creepy.• The business card that Harry hands to the girls at the end is again indicative of his desire

to display himself as official.

GIRLS• The girls wear black skirts, tights and black shoes, like a school uniform to suggest that

they are in school.• They have lots of makeup on, and are showed applying it as well, suggesting that they are

clichéd ‘popular girls’.• Their figure expression isn’t particularly special or interesting. This is done simply to

suggest their unimportance as well as their vacant-mindedness.

MISE-EN-SCENE

OTHER FILMSOur characters reflect a few characters in other thriller films:

Seymour ‘Sy’ Parrish from ‘One Hour Photo’• Much like Harry, he works in the field of photography, and has a

direct link with the mise-en-scene of cameras.• He shows psychotic features; becoming obsessed with a family

that he photographs. Harry also shows psychotic photo-related traits.

Thomas from ‘Blow-Up’• He is a fashion photographer, linking to the photography aspect of

our film.• There are direct links to murder, as he accidentally photographs a

murder and then solves the mystery behind it.

Patrick Bateman from ‘American Psycho’• Sharing a second name with Harry as a direct nod, Patrick is a

wealthy young man, with a passion for appearing smart, like Harry.• He is also a split personality suffering psychotic serial killer, like

Harry.