1. CONVENTIONS OF
THE THRILLER
GENRE
THRILLER MOVIES AIM TO CREATE SUSPENSE, TENSION AND
EXCITEMENT FOR THE AUDIENCE.
THRILLERS HEAVILY STIMULATE THE VIEWER'S MOODS GIVING THEM A
HIGH LEVEL OF ANTICIPATION, HEIGHTENED EXPECTATION,
UNCERTAINTY, SURPRISE, ANXIETY AND TERROR. THRILLER FILMS TEND
TO BE ADRENALINE-RUSHING.
3. WHAT MAKES A
THRILLER GENRE?
• CONVENTIONAL CHARACTERS: THE PROTAGONIST(HERO), THE ANTAGONIST
(VILLAIN), THE INNOCENT VICTIMS, CHARACTERS WITH DARK PASTS, PSYCHOTIC
INDIVIDUALS, TERRORISTS AND SPIES.
• THE HERO IS OFTEN AN OUTSIDER, ISOLATED AND SECRETIVE.
• THE NARRATIVE USUALLY REVOLVES AROUND A PUZZLE OR THE INVESTIGATION
OF AN ENIGMA.
• IT KEEPS THE AUDIENCE CLIFF-HANGING AT THE "EDGE OF THEIR SEATS" AS THE
PLOT BUILDS TOWARDS A CLIMAX. PLOT TWISTS AND CLIFF-HANGERS ARE USED
EXTENSIVELY. A THRILLER IS USUALLY A VILLAIN-DRIVEN PLOT, WHEREBY HE OR
SHE PRESENTS OBSTACLES THAT THE PROTAGONIST MUST OVERCOME .
• THE ENIGMA OR PUZZLE IS USUALLY SOLVED BY THE END OF THE FILM BY THE
PROTAGONIST.
• VIOLENCE AND CRIME IS CENTRAL TO MOST THRILLERS.
• IT OFTEN REVEALS THE WORKINGS OF PARTICULAR INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE
POLICE, THE ARMY OR THE GOVERNMENT.
• SOMETIMES THE ANTAGONIST IDENTITY IS KEPT A SECRET UNTIL THE VERY END
OF THE MOVIE, LIKE IN THE MOVIE SE7EN.
• TENSION IS DEPENDENT ON A THRILLER MOVIE AS IT CREATES AN IMPACT ON THE
FILM, TENSION IS NEEDED IN A THRILLER MOVIE SO THAT THE AUDIENCE IS
FOCUSED ON THE MOVIE AND HAS A INTEREST IN IT.
4. MUSIC/SOUND
• THE SOUND/MUSIC IS A IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THRILLER FILM, THE TYP E OF
MUSIC OR SOUND USED GIVES THE THRILLER GENRE MORE MEANING.
• NON-DIEGETIC MUSIC/SOUNDS THAT PLAY IN THE BACKGROUND MAKES UP T HE
ATMOSPHERE OF THE SCENE.
• SOME THRILLER FILMS USE THE SILENCE TECHNIQUE WHICH BUILDS UP
TENSION.
• IN MOST THRILLER MOVIES THERE IS THE ‘CALM BEFORE THE STORM’, TH IS
BUILDS UP THE TENSION UP TO THE FOCAL EVENT WHICH MEANS THAT
SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
FOR EXAMPLE THE MUSIC STARTS OFF SLOW AND CALM AND THE MOVEMENT OF
THE CHARACTERS IS ALSO SLOW. BUT THEN AS THE MOVEMENTS GETS FAST ER
THE TEMPO BUILDS UP AND SPEEDS UP TO THE TENSION, MATCHING THE A CTION
IN THE SCENE. THUS MAKING IT DRAMATIC.
5. LIGHTING
• LIGHTING IS ANOTHER MAIN ELEMENT THAT IS IMPORTANT IN A THRILLER MOVIE.
• LOW-KEY LIGHTING IS MOST LIKELY TO BE USED IN A THRILLER MOVIE, THIS IS
BECAUSE IT CREATES THE MISE-EN-SCENE.
• THE USE OF SHADOWS THROUGH LIGHTING IS A CONVENTION OF THRILLER
MOVIES.
• SOMETIMES SHADOWS REPRESENT EVIL AND DARKNESS WITHIN PEOPLE IN A
THRILLER MOVIE.
• SHADOWS CREATE AN EERIE ATMOSPHERE
6. CAMERA
ANGLES/MOVEMENTS
• SOME CAMERA MOVEMENTS ALSO MAKE THE AUDIENCE FEEL TENSE AND ALSO
HELPS TO MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE THEY ARE ACTUALLY IN THE FILM. FOR
EXAMPLE WHEN THE CAMERA MOVES THE CAMERA ABOUT, THEY TRY TO MIMI C
THE CHARACTERS BREATHING. THIS CAN BE SHOWN IN THE OPENING SEQUE NCE
OF THE BOURNE SUPREMACY, WHEN JASON BOURNE WAKES UP IN HIS BED
AFTER A NIGHTMARE AND BEGINS TO HEAVILY BREATHE.
• ANOTHER CAMERA MOVEMENT IS TRACKING, THIS IS A FAST PACED CAMERA
MOVEMENT, ALSO KNOWN AS A DOLLY SHOT. THIS TYPE OF SHOT HAS BEEN
USED IN ACTION THRILLER FILMS WHEN THE CAMERA IS QUICKLY TRACKING
ALONG A FIGHT SCENE. CAMERA MOVEMENTS LIKE THIS EXHILARATES THE
AUDIENCE.
• CLOSE UPS AND EXTREME CLOSE UPS IS ANOTHER CONVECTION OF THRILLE R
GENRE FILMS. THESE SHOT SIZES SHOW THE CHARACTERS FACIAL EXPRESS ION
7. MIRRORS
• MIRRORS ARE CONVECTION OF THRILLER FILMS AS IT PORTRAYS THE
REFLECTION OF SOMEONE'S SOUL. THIS MAKES THE AUDIENCE FEEL UNEAS Y
AND CREATES A CLAUSTROPHOBIC FEELING.
• MIRRORS CAN ALSO REPRESENT TO SHOW DARKNESS AND EVIL IN A CHARACTER.
• THE FILM ‘MIRRORS’ IS A EXAMPLE OF THIS.
8. FLASHBACKS
• FLASHBACKS ARE USED IN THRILLER MOVIES TO CREATE A FEELING OF TIME
DISORIENTATION. WHICH CAN LEAVE THE AUDIENCE FEELING CONFUSED.
• FLASHBACK ARE SOMETIMES USED IN A IMPORTANT SCENE IN A THRILLER MOVIE
AS IT GIVE THE AUDIENCE INSIGHT ABOUT THE CHARACTERS PAST.
• AN EXAMPLE ON A MOVIE THAT RELIES ON THE FLASHBACKS IS MEMENTO
