Research into the 'Thriller' genre.

Thriller Genre:

• Thrillers are characterised as being fast paced with a lot of action. Devices such as cliff-hangers, suspense and ‘red herrings’.
• Often take place in places away from the character’s home. Somewhere the character wouldn’t know and wouldn’t be able to escape from easily.
• Involve a “hero”, often displayed as a “hard” character such as a policeman, a soldier or a spy. Most thriller heroes are male because women characters are too easily portrayed as being vulnerable.
• Main themes for plot in a thriller are; murder/mass murder, terrorism or over throwing a government or sense of authority.
• Thrillers always include some kind of a twist in plot.
• In more recent times the thrillers have been increasingly influenced by psychological horror.
• Thrillers are not defined by their subject matter but how they approach it.
• Thrillers are primarily defined by the emotion that they evoke. “If they ‘thrill’ then it’s a thriller.
  

There are many sub genres of thrillers;
- Action thriller (James Bond)
- Conspiracy thriller (Three Days Of The Chancellor Manuscript)
- Crime thriller (The Godfather)
- Disaster thriller (Stormy Weather)
- Drama thriller (The Illusionist)
- Eco-thriller (Mars Trilogy)
- Erotic thriller (Basic Instinct)
- Horror thriller (Psycho)
- Legal thriller (The Innocent Man)
- Medical thriller (The Hot Zone)
- Political thriller (The Manchurian Candidate)
- Psychological thriller (The Sixth Sense)
- Spy thriller (Mission Impossible)
- Supernatural thriller (Carrie)
- Techno thriller (The Hunt For Red October)

Codes and Conventions

- Quick cuts
- Camera angle changes
- Music that gives tension
- Dark lighting; use of shadow
- Mirrors, stairs and corridors

Camera:

The camera within thriller films often take on human qualities, handy cams are often used to create a sense that the viewer is there with the characters, it enables the camera crew to interact with the characters without being in the way. Tracking is often used to create a sense of being followed. Panning and tracking used together can also be used to create a sense of disarrangement or mental disturbance. High angle shots are often used for victims to display a sense of vulnerability. They can also be used to show that there is going to be action within the scene. These two purposes can tie together to show the victim in the moment that they become the victim.
Low angle shots are most commonly used for the aggressor/villain. They make the character look powerful and/or intimidating. Both high angle and low angle shots were used within Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho”.

Editing:

Quick cuts are used to create a greater sense of action and suspense. While longer, panning shots are used to show a build up.
Fading can be used to enhance the storyline and merge two pictures together. For example; within Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” in the end scene “Bates’” face is merged with the image of a skeletal skull.

Sound:

Sound within thrillers use a lot of strings, their sharp high pitched sound makes them perfect for tense scenes and scenes where a build up is being created. Matched with a bass line from another stringed instrument, the tension is built up gradually to a climax. Non-diagetic sound is used within a lot of thrillers. However films such as “No Country For Old Men” also use silence to create a feeling of tension and being on edge. The audience react to the tension that comes with silence because, without the music, they are not sure what to expect. In many ways the silence in a thriller film makes the atmosphere even tenser than if there was music.

Narrative:

A good way of keeping the audience following the film is to use a narrative that shows the story from one of the character’s points of view. By following one individual character, the storyline is consistent and the audience is also able to relate to the character, meaning that it is easier to build up the tension within the film because the viewer is able to relate to the character with greater ease. Characters:

Main characters within a thriller are usually kept to a minimum. They usually consist of the villain, the victim and the victim’s friends/family. There is usually a ‘hero’ within the thriller to counter balance the villain. The hero is almost always at the forefront of the film and almost always on camera. They are represented by the typical “hard man” while the villain, even if they appear strong end up having great weaknesses. When it comes to characters there are also stereotypes. The main kind of character types that are included in a thriller film are convicts, criminals, stalkers, the psychologically disturbed and assassins. Victims often include babysitters, women, people on the run or normal everyday people.

Thriller Films:

Psycho – Alfred Hitchcock
The Godfather – Francis Ford Coppola
Silence of the Lambs – Jonathan Demme
Se7en – David Fincher
The Shining – Stanley Kubrick
No Country for Old Men – Ethan and Joel Coen
Jaws – Stephen Spielberg
Basic Instinct – Paul Verhoeven

Films I Watched:
Silence of the Lambs: Dramatic music and peaceful birds makes an eery opening music. Camera shots - Tracking - makes it look like someone is following her. Setting - Woods, typical setting for a thriller film. Music - strings - typical code and convention. Camera follows her - main character. Exposition while the credits come up at the beginning. Contrast between city and country. Young girl in a man's world. Photo's to tell as story. Shot reverse shot to gauge someone's reaction. House - "eery" setting. Vulnerable - young woman with older man. Warning of Hannibal. Stairs and corridors are a typical code and convention. Lighting with the background music build tension.
Scream: At the beginning - brought in by a heart beat - tension. Blond haired woman - shown as vulnerable makes it obvious that she's a victim. Doors and windows - disorientating. Outside and inside shots - edgy. Tracking. Close ups - show a sense of danger. Build up - typical thriller. Shot of outside through a window - Edgy. Jumpy shot cuts.