Film Theory: The Glamorisation of Serial Killers in Contemporary Film Kerrie Rose Beavis

Contemporary Films/TV Contemporary Films/TV are modern productions that relate to the present time. Film Theory or Film Studies is an academic discipline that aims to explore the essence of cinema and provides theoretical structures for understanding the film's relationship to reality, other arts, individual viewers, and society as a whole.

Main Themes What is Film Theory? The glamorisation of serial killers, how are they glamorised? The public’s/audience’s obsession with serial killers Over-exaggeration of serial killers compared to reality The Media’s fascination with profiting from serial killers Relating to my own film production

The Portrayal of Serial Killers Sensationalised Glamorised Crime attracts vast attention and arguably captivates the interest of many people (Roberts, 1992). In modern society, crime is represented by many forms of media. Books of fiction and real crime, board games and virtual reality, movies, newspapers and documentaries are just a few examples of mass-media that represent crime.

Theory and my Film I am creating a Documentary based on the true story of a serial killer in Blackpool. I will be using my theory research to help reflect onto my film production, and visa-versa. Using what I learn from my research for my film production, I will then apply this to my academic writing and how my own film may or may not follow the film theory of serial killers. A question I will ask myself for my own reflection is: Am I glamorising Serial Killers, too? How? Why? Was it purposeful?

Literature to Film: Examples Comparing Academic Literature to my findings in films, I will then reflect this in my own writings. Following are some examples of Literature I have read, and how I’ve applied it to film theory and serial killers in contemporary film/tv. Crime is considered a problem of “evil and pathological individuals" (Doyle 1998: 97) with a shortfall of human contact. The media and society easily assign criminals to a group of people far from the family and peer group; therefore, a categorization of "them" and "us" can be indicated as a common practice. Film and TV represent Serial Killers to be loners, anti-social, and that they remain outside of social situations, they are reclusive. However, in reality, this is mostly a far cry from the truth. Serial Killers can often be anti-social, but carry on with everyday life just like the rest of us.

Academic Literature I will be looking particularly at the glamorisation of serial killers in contemporary film. For this, I will be looking at two main pieces of Academic Literature: Serial Murder: An Exploration and Evaluation of Theories and Perspectives – By the American International Journal of Contemporary Research. Serial Killers and the Ethics of Representation – By Maggie O’Neil, and Lizzie Seal.

Why? Serial killers have become major players on the public scene and in the media since the 1970s. The high prevalence of serial killers in popular culture indicates that I am not alone in my fascination with them. But why are we fascinated with them? Serial killers are transformed into celebrities of larger-than-life folk through the combined efforts of law enforcement, news and entertainment media and the public's appetite for the macabre.

Conclusion Overall I will be looking at the main discussions on Serial Killers and apply them to Contemporary Film Theory I will then evaluate whether or not this theory has been reflected in the making of my film, how, where, and why?