Research 1 : Thriller conventions
Severance
Season 1, Episode 1: Good News about Hell
- Make notes on Lacey’s repertoire of elements as you watch the episode.
| Element | Conventions |
| Setting (mise en scene/locations) | Office – with aspects that look similar to an insane asylum with the Featureless, sterile, and repetitive workspaces, symbolizing the monotony and dehumanization of corporate life. Costumes as suitable office attire, making the text seem all the more immersive for the viewer and making the piece realistic while also presenting an ominous atmosphere, forcing the viewer to second guess themselves to whether or not something sinister is actually going on. In addition the this, the costumes are bland and lack any representations of character traits, this dehumanizes the characters and |
| Characters (representations, stereotypes, behavior, body language, specific actors/stars) Consider Propps character types. | Woman is trapped- woman is the victim which is a typical stereotype. Male character is scene to be In Control which represents the typical stereotype of the workplace, where men have more power than woman. |
| Narrative events (how is the narrative ordered and structured? Is it elliptical?) | The episode begins with a flash forward to a scene which the first 20 minutes of the episode will build up towards. The remainder of the episode follows both mark and Hally The narrative of Severance Episode 1 is nonlinear and mysterious. It switches between Mark’s work and home life, showing their separation. The episode begins with Helly waking up confused, revealing information slowly. Key moments, like moving between work and home, are missing, reinforcing the severance concept. This structure keeps viewers unsettled, just like the characters. |
| Iconography (well known or recognizable people/objects/buildings/mise en scene/props/costume, setting, symbolic codes) | the elevator acts as a symbolic, ominous location that transports employees between the oppressive office space and their personal lives. The elevator’s movement feels like a transition between these 2 worlds. the building which the company is located in is a sleek, sterile, and unnervingly minimalist corporate office, devoid of personality and warmth |
| Style (technical and audio codes e.g. camera use, editing, sound, lighting, color) | Camera angles consist of many wide shots Aswell as a centered camera, making all scenes seem symmetrical and orderly, mirroring the order and control of the office. |
Research 2 part 2: Thriller Conventions:
| Story Arcs within the episode: make note of which are resolved by the end of the episode, and which will continue into the season. | mark seems to be dealing with the pressures of his personal life and his work at Lumon Industries. The episode opens with him returning to his job at the company, which uses the “severance” procedure to separate work and personal memories. Hally is desperately trying to escape after her mind has been erased, mark is unable to watch. |
| Todorov’s Narrative Theory: In what ways does his theory apply (or not apply) to this episode. | The episode does not reach a resolution or new equilibrium. Instead, it ends with more mysteries and questions, postponing the traditional attempt at repair. Severance subverts Todorov’s model by beginning inside the disruption. The “equilibrium” for the audience is never truly clear—are we meant to see the workplace as normal or unnatural? The fragmented storytelling, switching between Mark’s “innie” and “outie” life, disrupts a clear cause-and-effect structure. |
| Binary Oppositions: list and explain the oppositions present in the episode. How is this adding to narrative conflict? | The central opposition is between the severed workplace (“innie” life) and the personal world outside (“outie” life). This contrast highlights the ethical and psychological tension of severance—Mark’s innie exists only at work, while his outie has no memory of his job. The audience sees the emotional struggle of both versions of Mark, creating a conflict over whether severance is a liberation or a prison. |
| Themes: What themes can you identify in the episode and how are these being portrayed so far? | Mark’s character embodies this conflict, as his two versions exist separately, yet their struggles reflect a deeper connection. Lumon Industries enforces absolute control over its severed employees, dictating their behavior, thoughts, and even emotions through strict policies. The contrast between Mark’s bleak, isolated outie life and his disconnected innie life suggests a critique of work-life imbalance. Helly’s panic at realizing she has no personal past emphasizes the psychological horror of having no sense of self. In addition to this the panic that she is experiencing, contrasts with the bleak and dull nature of the setting, adding to the sense of thriller. Mark’s decision to undergo severance is tied to his grief over losing his wife, showing how trauma can push people to seek extreme solutions. |
Research 3- Film Opening Convention
Although there are many different ways in which to start a film, film openings often include a set of typical conventions for specific purposes such as: ⇨
Some common ways of starting a film include:
- Suspenseful opening
- Antagonist/Protagonist introduction
- Flashback
- Establishing shot
- Engaging visuals
In class we have analyzed a range of film openings to consider their conventions and how the film opening works to engage the audience. Here are my film opening analysis sheets…
-
Production Company Logo Research ~
Production Company: A24:
The film company a24, also known as a24 films LLC, founded on august 20th 2012 by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel and John Hodges. The film company is best known for their experimental film style, which delves into different genres such as drama, romance and most notably horror, putting out popular films such as Talk to me, I saw the tv glow, and hereditary. Their logo in particular is effective in still branding the companies work while allowing the felxability of changing genres as the logo itself is simplistic, and changes within the opening to fit the genre and style of the different movies.
Due to the company not being around for a prolounged period of time, the logo itself as not been victim to any significant changes however, as previously mentioned, it does change within different movies to match the overall genre and theme, to set the scene and set a mood within the audience members. The company itself, has seen many different strides within their inocme with their highest grossing movie (everything everywhere all at once) genreating a profit of $144,986,358 in the worldwide box office, with the film itself also being awarded 7 awards at the 2023 achademy awards, (the Oscars).
