What is character representation? Why is it important?
Character representations are specific aspects and personality traits about people based on stereotypical views. Each character types obtain similar connotations and representations which allows the audience to categorise characters into specific stereotypical groups and react to each one differently. Protagonists, antagonists, and Damsel in distresses are a few of the conventional thriller movie characters. For example, damsel in distresses are expected to look a certain way, blonde, weak, wear a white dress to show innocence, and have some relationship to the protagonist. Character representation is best portrayed using mise en scene including costume, hair and make up. It is important as they help audience differentiate the characters. Without character representations, the audience wouldn't know what to feel towards each character and films would seem unorganised as audiences need to feel certain emotions towards different character's.
Character: Antagonist
We decided to make our character an antagonist as antagonists are crucial for thriller movies and are usually the main character with the protagonist. Also the acts the unknown character commits, including beheading models in magazines, connotes an evil vibe and the audience is immediately able to infer that the character is an antagonist, and has no good intentions within.
Name: Unknown
We chose to hide the identity of our antagonist as it creates more tension and confusion to the audience as they get more eager to find out who the character is. However, although it is an unknown character, we hinted personality traits of our character in our opening scene to help the audience connote that the character is abnormal and is clearly an antagonist/villain. Our character being a male is revealed towards the end of the opening scene although different aspects in the beginning of the opening production included connotations towards his gender to the audience.
character representation:
The character is a male as we wanted to follow common conventions for our characters to make a successful opening sequence. This is because male characters are stereotypically perceived as more dominant characters which makes them seem more threatening, dangerous, and intimidating to audiences; especially female.
Age 30-35:
We decided a character over 30 would be more suitable for our narrative as older characters tend to be wiser and more experienced. This helps the audience assume the character is doing unnatural acts for a valid reason, and not only for the sake of it. Also people usually idealise and choose role models around the ages 30-35 because of their successful and contented life, however; observing the antagonist gives the audience an uneasy feeling as it is an unusual position for a grown man to be in.
Costume, hair and makeup:
The character will be wearing black tights with holes to fulfil his feminine side and appeal to people in a sexual manor, however, the holes also connote the characters gender due to his legs. Also the character finds putting the tights on difficult as they are not made for him and are almost misplaced,. This shows the audience his feelings as he also feels misplaced in his own body. On the other hand the character wears a yellow dress. This can help the audience interpret the character as harmless and with innocent connotations, which makes them feel pity for the character; however, reconsidering the brutal acts his capable of thinking makes the audience reconsider his position in the movie. Moreover, we intended to use red lipstick for the antagonist as red connotes passion and love, which is emotions the character wants to feel; anyhow, it also connotes death and blood which shows the acts the character is capable of .which is emotions the character wants to feel. The lipstick is to be put on messily to show his inexperience in make up and any feminine acts due to his gender and fear of explosion. The character will be wearing a mask to hide his identity and the makeup will be done on the mask.
Body language and facial expression:
The character will have a firm body structure and rough movements due to his masculinity. This will also show dominance and create threat throughout the opening to show the audience he is the antagonist. His facial expression wont be shown in the opening scene as he is an unknown character, however the neutral mask he wears signifies his neutral emotion and how remorseless he is in what he is doing. To continue, his soft movements while touching the manikins leg is different to when he is kicking the lipstick as he almost envies the manikins body and later on we see him pushing it over which again back up the hatred he has towards women as shown in the magazine covers.
Represented as:
He is represented as a psychotic and mentally disturbed victim of his own emotions. This becomes disturbing to the audience as they see him picking up women lingerie which makes them question how disturbed he really is, and makes them fear him a little more. Every aspect of his unnatural behaviour causes more and more fear for the audience.
Role within the narrative:
He is the main character within the narrative. His vile acts towards models will evoke hatred from the audience. However when he is putting on lipstick, the audience may see his child like actions and feel pity towards him as he didn't choose that life, but can choose his actions.
Conclusion:
In conclusion I think we were able to potray our antagonist in an dangerous and disturbed way as we tried using all aspects of conventional thriller movie characters. I believe our character will be able to evoke fear to the audience with its portrayal of a mentally unstable character who is capable of causing harm with no remorse.
Character: Antagonist
We decided to make our character an antagonist as antagonists are crucial for thriller movies and are usually the main character with the protagonist. Also the acts the unknown character commits, including beheading models in magazines, connotes an evil vibe and the audience is immediately able to infer that the character is an antagonist, and has no good intentions within.
Name: Unknown
We chose to hide the identity of our antagonist as it creates more tension and confusion to the audience as they get more eager to find out who the character is. However, although it is an unknown character, we hinted personality traits of our character in our opening scene to help the audience connote that the character is abnormal and is clearly an antagonist/villain. Our character being a male is revealed towards the end of the opening scene although different aspects in the beginning of the opening production included connotations towards his gender to the audience.
character representation:
The character is a male as we wanted to follow common conventions for our characters to make a successful opening sequence. This is because male characters are stereotypically perceived as more dominant characters which makes them seem more threatening, dangerous, and intimidating to audiences; especially female.
Age 30-35:
We decided a character over 30 would be more suitable for our narrative as older characters tend to be wiser and more experienced. This helps the audience assume the character is doing unnatural acts for a valid reason, and not only for the sake of it. Also people usually idealise and choose role models around the ages 30-35 because of their successful and contented life, however; observing the antagonist gives the audience an uneasy feeling as it is an unusual position for a grown man to be in.
Costume, hair and makeup:
The character will be wearing black tights with holes to fulfil his feminine side and appeal to people in a sexual manor, however, the holes also connote the characters gender due to his legs. Also the character finds putting the tights on difficult as they are not made for him and are almost misplaced,. This shows the audience his feelings as he also feels misplaced in his own body. On the other hand the character wears a yellow dress. This can help the audience interpret the character as harmless and with innocent connotations, which makes them feel pity for the character; however, reconsidering the brutal acts his capable of thinking makes the audience reconsider his position in the movie. Moreover, we intended to use red lipstick for the antagonist as red connotes passion and love, which is emotions the character wants to feel; anyhow, it also connotes death and blood which shows the acts the character is capable of .which is emotions the character wants to feel. The lipstick is to be put on messily to show his inexperience in make up and any feminine acts due to his gender and fear of explosion. The character will be wearing a mask to hide his identity and the makeup will be done on the mask.
Body language and facial expression:
The character will have a firm body structure and rough movements due to his masculinity. This will also show dominance and create threat throughout the opening to show the audience he is the antagonist. His facial expression wont be shown in the opening scene as he is an unknown character, however the neutral mask he wears signifies his neutral emotion and how remorseless he is in what he is doing. To continue, his soft movements while touching the manikins leg is different to when he is kicking the lipstick as he almost envies the manikins body and later on we see him pushing it over which again back up the hatred he has towards women as shown in the magazine covers.
Represented as:
He is represented as a psychotic and mentally disturbed victim of his own emotions. This becomes disturbing to the audience as they see him picking up women lingerie which makes them question how disturbed he really is, and makes them fear him a little more. Every aspect of his unnatural behaviour causes more and more fear for the audience.
Role within the narrative:
He is the main character within the narrative. His vile acts towards models will evoke hatred from the audience. However when he is putting on lipstick, the audience may see his child like actions and feel pity towards him as he didn't choose that life, but can choose his actions.
Conclusion:
In conclusion I think we were able to potray our antagonist in an dangerous and disturbed way as we tried using all aspects of conventional thriller movie characters. I believe our character will be able to evoke fear to the audience with its portrayal of a mentally unstable character who is capable of causing harm with no remorse.
There is a proficient level of detail and discussion about your character representation. Good links made to thriller conventions and intended audience reactions.
ReplyDelete-Please include and image of your character.
- Please re-label the section on character representations as gender stereotypes of role.
- How will this character have his hair?
- In your conclusion, explain why you chose to represent your antagonist in this way.