Treatment

Treatment

Group Roles

Cinematography: Saana, Conor

Mise-en-scene: Rebecca

Sound: Rebecca, George

Editing: Conor, Saana

Title: 

The Hypnotist 

Synopsis:

Dr J. Smith specialises in hypnotism and provides treatment for patients who have previously suffered trauma. Rupert Jones is one of his patients who attends a session after suffering from increasingly violent and obsessive visions of an unknown girl. In attempt to unravel his issues the doctor heavily influences his patient to confront the issue by finding this girl. Rupert, who remains disorientated, is offered hypnotism and without consent, a strange injection to follow. Rupert’s visions repeatedly reveal him carrying a torn photograph of his victim which matches the complete photograph on his doctor’s desk. The complete copy shows that Dr. J. Smith is in the previously missing half of the photograph. Is the hypnotist really who he appears to be?

Key Genre Conventions:

“Fast-paced and frequent action”:

The frequent visions of Rupert’s to create a non-linear narrative that jumps from the visions back to the session in the doctor’s office.

“Resourceful heroes who must thwart the actions of more powerful and better equipped villains”

The remainder of the film would follow up on more individual cases of the “serial killings” that have been occurring. The audience will discover that the doctor is behind each and every murder that will result in his victims (the patients) fighting back for justice. 

“Ordinary citizens accidentally drawn to danger”

Each of Dr. J. Smith’s patients are ordinary and helpless who believe they are in safe hands however by chance, by being advised to choose his services, they fall victim to become murderers through mental influence.

“Primary mood: ‘fearful excitement’”

“There is one thing that I get to offer you, and that is hypnotherapy” is the line that will commence the following action. This intends to leave the viewer anticipating what is to follow while feeling slightly on edge as a result of previous shots.

“The conflict between the main characters is mental and emotional as

opposed to physical”

We are attempting to lean more to the ‘psychological’ thriller genre. “Mental” conflict is displayed

through the patient’s visions and the influential hypnotherapy of the doctor. Although one incident of 

“physical” conflict occurs during the film’s opening (the injection), it’s purpose is to affect Rupert 

mentally to cause him to continue having visions until he carries out the murder.

“Characters who switch sides or who cannot be trusted”

This applies to the doctor’s character and at the same time, his patient, Rupert. Although it isn’t made explicit, there are hints that alert the audience that Dr. J. Smith is not genuine and may be the cause of Rupert’s aggressive visions. Equally so, Rupert’s character is split; while he is victimised we cannot trust him entirely because his visions suggest that he is capable of murder.

“The use of a staircase as a motif for impending danger or suspense”

The Hitchcockian convention of a staircase is used at the beginning to create suspense as the character’s identity is not given away.  

Thriller devices:

Cliffhangers: increase audience's anticipation and are used throughout with Rupert’s visions. They are 

often cut short to retain information and to add to the disorientated feel to the opening that is used to 

reflect Rupert’s state of mind.

Red herrings: misleads or distracts the audience from the central issue. In one or two shots there will be more than one person in the shot, particularly in the early visions. This will be included to distract and confuse the audience from the central character.