Media Filming Project Props and Costumes

For our filming project, we had to think about the connotations of the props and costumes our characters will be using, and how they will come across to the audience. With our sub genre being crime thriller, we thought it would be fitting to have one dominant character (Man 2), and one not so dominant character (Man 1).

The setting where Man 1 will be located is an old run down house that used to be lived in by squatters, so the house is empty, has old floorboards and is in poor condition. We will add some furniture into the house to make it seem more of a home such as a desk and a chair, but the run down look we will want to maintain to link this to the character and lifestyle of Man 1. This meaning that the character is poor, personality is damaged and in relation to his past, which has been of hatred and misfortune. Also, we will include a pen, some paper and an envelope to the setting as Man 1 will be writing a letter during the opening. Man 1 will be wearing mostly red coloured clothes including a t-shirt and converse shoes, and he will also be wearing blue jeans. The meaning of Man 1 wearing red is to indicate that he may be in danger from Man 2, who will be carrying a knife, or that he is involved in a scenario where death and blood may occur later on in the film. Man 1 in the opening will be writing a letter, this letter will be linked to a past experience and current situation between Man 2 and an unknown character to the audience at this point. The audience however, will only see Man 1 writing, what he is writing will not be shown to the audience.

Man 2 however, will be a more dominant and confident figure, and this will subsequently be reflected in the clothes and props he will be using. The clothes he will be wearing will be black boots, blue jeans, a smart jacket (possibly leather) and an accessory such as a watch or a necklace, which will look expensive to show he is of higher authority than Man 1. Also to show his dominance and power, Man 2 will be carrying a knife in his pocket. All this will indicate that Man 2 is highly ranked in a form of gang, his high rank being suggested by the bold black boots, expensive accessory and the weapon. With a weapon in his possession, his intentions may be to kill Man 1, or which is the case, Man 2 will be a messenger between Man 1 and from another unknown character to the audience, of higher rank than Man 2.

Neither man’s faces will be shown, so the audience will only be influenced by what each character is wearing and the setting they are in. Nothing will be given away by facial expressions or looks.