1. BRICK- Textual Analysis

2. Describe the Setting & Location A small, dark drainage system- The tunnel is dark and some of the shots are unclear on what we need to be looking at. An American school.- A school is an ordinary place but extraordinary things are going to happen there. A school cold represent safety, but In this thriller film, the school may portray of series of dangerous events. (conventional in thrillers.) A telephone box-Telephones box are small and isolated, which suggest how the character may be feeling.

3. How does it contribute to the representation of the characters? The telephone box that is standing on its own may represent how the character is feeling when he is waiting there (isolated and lonely), and he begins to feel even more endangered when he starts talking on the phone. The setting also could represent the character because it is desolate and no one else is there. The sewer in the first scene is also a very mysterious and isolated location, which may emphasize how uncomfortable and insecure he is feeling.

4. Describe the lighting/ colour stock The lighting at the very beginning of the film is very dark and saturated, in the school the lighting is normal and bright. By the telephone box the colour is saturated but not much. De-saturated colours are typical of thriller films. This works well in BRICK. How is this used to create atmosphere? The grey/ blue cover of the whole thing creates atmosphere because not everything is clear and it helps emphasises small detail, e.g. Her blue bracelets, his shoes, the note. This specific lighting is used because its creates the mood of sadness and suspense. The weather represents the mood of the film, this is called Pathetic Fallacy.

5. Describe the costume/ appearance of the characters The boy is wearing dark jeans, a cream jacket and glasses. This shows that the character of the boy is a typical American teenager. The glasses may represent that the character shows a sign of intelligence, the overall dress of the character implies that he is an outcast of the social groups. The girl is wearing red shoes, blue bracelets, a skirt and a grey cardigan, What does this connote? This connotes that he is quite scruffy, working class, casual character that is just going about his everyday business. This shows that the character of the boy is a typical American teenager. The glasses may represent that the character shows a sign of intelligence, the overall dress of the character implies that he is an outcast of the social groups. The girl could have been on her way to meet friends or off out, because she is smartly dressed. this implies that she cares about her appearance, like most teenage girls. The colours are specific, the colour red may portray some sort of danger towards the girl. The girl could have been on her way to meet friends or off out, because she is smartly dressed. this implies that she cares about her appearance, like most teenage girls. The colours are specific, the colour red may portray some sort of danger towards the girl.

6. What Props are used? The props used are; Glasses Blue bracelets A watch The phone in the phone box The black car The cigarette A note

7. How are they typical of the genre? The phone box is on its own, this is typical of the thriller genre because it creates an affect of loneliness and vulnerability within the character and the audience. The black car represents danger and creates suspense, usually the antagonists will drive around in black sports cars. This is typical of the thriller genre because the audience know that straight away that it portrays danger. A cigarette is a prop that creates suspicion and normally connotes to the antagonist. This is typical of the thriller genre because it gives the audience an insight to the antagonists character. The props suggest a deeper meaning of something that cannot be figured out until the end, this is very common in thriller films. A cigarette is a prop that creates suspicion and normally connotes to the antagonist. This is typical of the thriller genre because it gives the audience an insight to the antagonists character. The props suggest a deeper meaning of something that cannot be figured out until the end, this is very common in thriller films.

8. How do they add to the action? These things add to the action because without giving too much away about the characters personalities, they leave the audience asking questions about them and the narrative. What additional information do they give us about the characters? The characters appearances give us an idea of their social class and personality. For example the girl who we see dressed in bright colours could imply that she is a sociable person. However, the boys clothing suggests that he is intelligent and more of an introvert character. The characters appearances give us an idea of their social class and personality. For example the girl who we see dressed in bright colours could imply that she is a sociable person. However, the boys clothing suggests that he is intelligent and more of an introvert character.

9. Describe the actors’Performance Body language/ accent/ paralanguage Key phrases etc. The boy who is looking down on the girl laying dead in the sewer shows that he is emotionally distraught and speechless. The fact that he is closing his hands in front of his face suggests that maybe he doesn’t want his identity to fully be shown, maybe he feels partly guilty for the girls death. When he is sitting on the side of the road beside the telephone box, he looks afraid and vulnerable. The vast space that is around him exaggerates this vulnerability. When he answerers the phone his facial goes blank, this implies danger and mystery. We hear the girls voice but the audience doesn’t understand in great detail what is going on. They can relate to the character who answers the phone because he doesn’t understand either.

10. Camera Shots An Establishing/ wide shot at the start when the girl is lying in the water and the man is kneeling on the floor beside her. This shot may have been used to show the situation that has occurred, but also it automatically engages the audience with the girl laying facedown in the water and the guy looking at her. This makes it seem like he was the murderer. The extreme close up of the males shoes, glasses/face: the shot of the shoes is important because it gives us an idea of his social status. He isn’t wearing trainers like most teenage boys do, instead he is wearing leather shoes. This could imply his innocence and having a low status. The extreme close up of his eyes are vital, the eyes show the persons emotion, the use of this shot shows in great depth what he is feeling. The associated point of view shot is used a lot in thriller films, this is because it makes the audience feel like they are next to the character and that they see what the character sees first hand. This shot is of the man looking at his watch, implying that he is expecting to see someone or hear from a certain person. It also suggests importance in the film. The watch implies that he is a punctual character. The close up of the girls bangles is a very important shot because it focuses on the bracelets which is a very specific part of the opening title sequence. Medium close up of the man kneeling on the floor. Associated point of view shot when the boy is looking at his watch and waiting for someone to arrive. And eye line shot of when he looks up at the phone ringing in the telephone box.

11. Camera Angles Low angle shot of the man in the telephone box when he answers the phone and starts talking to the girl. Low angle shots help audiences to help understand his vulnerability. This is a good camera angle to use because it makes the audience feel sympathetic towards the character because we know something bad will happen. The low angle could also represent his social status. Low angle of the boy looking at the girl in the sewer, this also shows the girls vulnerability, it shows that he feels guilty for what happened. The low angle suggests that he had feeling for this girl. There is a lot of low angles used throughout this opening title sequence, the main theme of this is to show vulnerability, sadness and danger. The low angle is the best way to show this because it tells the audience what a character may be feeling inside towards a different character.

12. Sound There is Non-diegetic sound at the beginning of the sequence. It is a high- pitched noise, it sounds like chimes or bells. This sound continues through the first scene. The sound of bells or chimes creates a mysterious sort of sound, it is an eerie noise, which makes the audience feel ‘on edge.’ When it cuts to the scene at school, diegetic sounds are used, this is used to show that it has switched to a place where noise is made. The sounds are of people talking and of the school bell ringing. This is to show the audience the change in setting, this engages the audience. The diegetic sound continues on, but however, when in the phone box it dies down to a very low key sound. This implies that something is going to happen. Which we find out something bad does happen.