Portfolio Project Genre #1

MYSTERY

    Throughout the week, we've been looking at and researching different types of film openings so that we can be more prepared coming into this project. My class and I have learnt that the first step of creating a film opening is deciding what your genre and storyline will be. One of the genres I'm considering doing for my film opening is mystery. In my previous blog post, "Transitioning into my Cambridge Portfolio Project," I briefly mentioned wanting to create suspense throughout my film opening and I believe that I could come up with multiple ideas for a film opening that includes this genre. Thus, I've decided to do further research about this genre, which will give me a better look at what I'm dealing with.

    By definition, mystery is something that is difficult to understand or explain, in media it usually embodied by a puzzling crime, which is typically a murder. Films will follow the main characters as they investigate and work to resolve the conflict using clues they find or that are given to them by another character. These types of films are usually made to target adults from the ages 25 to 55 who enjoy movies that encourage the audience to indulge themselves in the film by thinking about the mystery and working alongside the characters to solve it. To put it another way, people who enjoy analytical and intellectual stimulation in media, are more likely to favor and be the target audience for mystery films.

    Media industries will often use specific marketing tactics to reach their target audience. Some of which include, withholding information, even during the marketing campaign. There are films that will avoid spoilers and plot points in their advertisement which makes the plot twists and overall viewing much more thrilling and exciting for audiences. Furthermore, some films, such as The Blair Witch Project did real world stunts, stagings, and online puzzles that audiences could watch or complete while waiting for the movie to release. Other films such as The Matrix, will have a tagline throughout their marketing process, this creates more audience engagement by using word of mouth techniques. As an the article entitled "Mystery Marketing in Action: Lessons from Psycho, The Matrix & Inception" by Biztal examines, the question "What is The Matrix?" went viral on social media and allowed The Matrix to have a very successful marketing campaign.

CONTENT & TECHNIQUES

    Generally, films within this genre will tend to rely on something called the enigma code, which, according to a Media Studies article entitled "Action and Enigma Codes," is also known as the "revelation of truth." This tactic is used by writers when they wish to withhold information from the audience to keep them hooked and engaged. In film, you will often see this shown through a character who is interrogating people and talking to others for information. Then, the character, as well as the viewer, is expected to have a realization moment where all the pieces of information come together to reveal the truth, thus, the theory's name. 

    Films within this genre will also use red herrings throughout the film to keep the audience thinking about and engrossed within the mystery. This is mainly what draws in most audiences, as people enjoy getting shocked by plot twists (also common in mystery films), after being presented with a multitude of predictable movies. One film that successfully utilizes a red herring is Stephen Kings movie "The Mist." Here, the audience is led to believe that the characters are being faced with an unworldly six-legged monster, whereas the ending reveals that the monster was, in fact, the US Military.

    Mystery can also be developed through production techniques, one of which include low-key lighting. Low-key lighting is very common in these types of films as they help create that atmosphere and build up that tension. This type of lighting is not only used in mystery pieces but also in horror ones. As an article by El Raton Media Works entitled "30 Film Techniques for Horror and Halloween Movies" explains, directors will often use this type of lighting to create specific shadows and silhouettes that may appear distorted or menacing.

    Another common production technique that directors may use are dutch angles. These are commonly used to create a feeling of imbalance and can be found near the beginning of the film, when something initially goes wrong, or towards the end of the film, when the protagonist comes to a realization that helps them resolve the conflict. Though this type of angle isn't used often, when it is it creates a remarkable and particular moment of unease and tension in the movie. 

FILMS

    The Sixth Sense, a 1999 film created by M. Night Shyamalan, is a mix of a mystery and psychological thriller. It tells the story of a child psychologist, Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), who after being shot by an old patient, attempts to redeem himself by helping out a new young boy, Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), who hides a disturbing secret from the protagonist. This movie uses many of the mentioned techniques, including red herrings, enigma code, and low-key lighting. It also incorporates an unreliable narrator, foreshadowing, and major plot twists.

Rotten Tomatoes. (n.d.). The Sixth Sense. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 22, 2026, from https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sixth_sense

    Ghost, a film created in 1990 by Bruce Joel Rubin and Jerry Zucker, is a mystery piece mixed with romantic themes. The film is about a banker, Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze), and his lover, Molly Jensen (Demi Moore), who's also an artist. The movie entails the protagonist being murdered and then working together with a psychic to help save his lover from suffering the same, if not a worse, fate. Much like The Sixth Sense, this movie relies on the enigma code, foreshadowing, plot twists, and low-key lighting to create that tense and mysterious atmosphere.

Rotten Tomatoes. (n.d.). Ghost. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 22, 2026, from https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1031086-ghost