1. Neo-Noir Thriller
Brick
Ryan Evans

2. Neo-noir thrillers are Hollywood crime dramas with aspects of crime and sexual motivations.
It derives from ‘film noir’ which was popular in early 1940s and late 50s.
Characters are often conflicted antiheroes that are trapped in a dangerous situation and have to make life-threatening decisions in order to escape death or disaster.
Visual elements include low-key lighting, striking use of light and shadow and unusual camera placement.
What is Neo-noir ?

3. Themes and conventions
Lonliness The OTS of Brick shows us lonliness and desperation in the eyes of the main character. The first scene shows two characters sitting and laying flat next to a drainage tunnel. The wide shot helps the audience to embrace the short distance between life and death and how death can leave a person heartbroken. The phonebooth scene emphasises the isolation of the main character, making the audience feel increased anticipation as to what is going to happen next.

4. Mystery
Rian Johnson leaves us on a cliff hanger at the end of the OTS.
We are unsure of who the person is in the black car so we are left with many questions:
- Where is he going ?
- What is his association with the main character ?
- Is he the cause of the death of the girl in the first scene ?
The director and editor created these scenes and shots to keep the audience on edge and create suspense.
Creating suspense at an early stage of the movie entices the audience and encourages them to keep watching the movie closely.

5. Brendan An average-looking teenager Avoids big groups of people
Prefers to be alone
His glasses represent his intelligence and mysterious personality
He dresses as an ordinary citizen, emphasising the phrase that is used in thrillers: ‘extraordinary things happen to ordinary people’
He seems helpless in the first scene, crouching down mourning yet he is confident and investigative in trying to find out the death of his ex-girlfriend
Brendan

6. We don’t find out the true identity of Emily in the OTS but we do find out that she is the ex-girlfriend of Brendan.
She is portrayed as an innocent character, wearing white clothes and having blonde hair.
We get the impression that she is very precious to Brendan even though they have split up, which emphasises her innocence and purity.
Emily

7. Mise-en-scene
Props
Blue bangles: camera focuses on these, this keeps the identity of the girl hidden.
Lighting
Dark; corresponds death of girl.
Dark lighting could impose a menacing threat for the remainder of the film.
Costume
Boy: jacket, jeans, curly hair; casual, regular person, geek (very intelligent)
Girl: white jumper, heels, blonde hair; classy, popular, outgoing.
Camera shot
Long shot: establishes the event. Shows a contrast between life and death.

8. Costume
Jacket, white t-shirt, glasses; ordinary clothes, casual appearance suggests something is suspicious.
Lighting
Natural light juxtaposes with the situation: there is nothing natural about Brendan receiving a call from his ex- girlfriend at an isolated phone booth.
Camera shot
Medium close-up: shows a clear view of the main character and his whereabouts. The road in the background protrudes a threat.
Props
Telephone: talking to Emily but unaware of her whereabouts. The audience knows he is not safe.

9. My own opening title sequence
Outline
A man in a suit with a suitcase walks towards a location.
He places the suitcase down and another person picks it up.
That person then gets into a car and drives off.
Camera shots
Close-up of suitcase, low angle.
Dark lighting to create a sinister atmosphere.
No close-ups on faces to hide identity and create anticipation.
Long shot of car exiting.
Costume
Suits – sophistication and professionalism.
Small amount of civilians so costumes are fairly regular so men in suits stand out.
Props
Suitcase – builds tension and creates questions that are to be answered in the rest of the film.