The Ghost Writer

1. By Nicholas Phillips-Reece The Ghost Writer

2. Plot • The film The Ghost Writer is a film which is directed by Roman Polanski, it is a thriller focusing on a ghostwriter working with a former British Prime Minister • A young British writer (Ewan McGregor) , who has previous experience as a ghost writer, is hired to finish writing the almost completed memoirs of former British Prime Minister, Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan)Lang's former assistant, suddenly died after falling off the ferry between the US mainland and Old Haven, the northeast US island where he had been working and where Lang and his entourage have been staying at the Lang's recreational compound. It is unclear if assistant's death was suicide, an accident or murder. The mysterious death unnerves the Ghost, who believes the same fate may come also his way.

3. The Use Of Sound • Within the first 5mintues of The Ghost Writer the use of sound during the opening scene is very useful and effective throughout the first 5minutes, first of all the music chosen was able to draw me into what was going on within the scene. • Another effect that the use of sound has on the opening 5minutes of the ghost writer is that tone and tempo of the music was a chilling a sinister type music these two elements made it possible for me to identify that the film was in fact a thriller film. • During the opening five minutes their is a car left on a ship and then music played throughout this has a upbeat tempo but a rhythm that adds suspicion to the car. The use of the music in this scene goes well as the tone, tempo and rhythm creates the thoughts of why is the car their and who does it belong to

4. The Use Of Props, Setting, Costume • The opening scene is the audience seeing a ferry coming in from a sort of channel, we then see cars being off loaded by passengers but then an empty BMW is left in the middle of where all cars were originally parked. The car adds some suspicion as you start to think what is the purpose of the car in the scene and who does the car belong to. • Shortly after the abandoned BMW, we then see the scenery of the sea shore and on this sea is a dead body, the theme of suspicion is used through out The Ghost Writer and it is one of the key elements which make the film a thriller.

5. Introduction Of Storyline • The storyline is introduced with the main character (Ewan McGregor) talking with his friend who gets him the job and they are discussing the matter / the narrative of the story which is the murder of Adam Lang’s Assistant being murdered. • Within the first five minutes of the film quite a few bits of information begin to unravel about the plot; also key features that make up the storyline are also revealed such as the discovery of the dead body, what relation the dead body had to anyone within the film and also who and what Ewan McGregor is ghost writing for. • The information given out is key in how this identifies the film as a thriller, the revelation of a murder being committed who was related as the previous ghost writer, the element of anxiety is created for the audience to see if the main character will then follow in the footsteps of his predecessor or will his fate be decided differently ....