Codes And Conventions Of A Thriller

Thriller are types of films that are known to promote intense excitement, great suspense and high levels of anticipation. A genuine Thriller is a film is a film that provides thrills and keeps the audience cliff-hanging at the 'edge of their seats'. The tensions often arise when the protagonists are placed in frightening situations, or an escape or dangerous mission from which seems impossible. Plots of thrillers involve characters which come into conflict with each other or outside forces.

Codes and Conventions

Here are a few things most Thriller films will include to give the extra effect ;mirrors, low key lighting, shadows, obtrusive editing, quick cuts, use of different camera angles, high tensions music, flashbacks, use of photographs, black and white, montage editing, disorientation.

• Mirrors are used to portray the reflection of one's soul and inner self it could also foreshadow the darkness within certain characters.
• Shadows add darkness within inner beings and can create tension and eeriness, this connotes the idea of unknown circumstances and unknown answers.
• Obtrusive editing are used frequently in thrillers to create the feeling of suspense and tension, they are often used in a particular 'thrilling scene' sometimes creating a disorientation of space and time.
• Flashbacks often display what has happened in the past to give the audience and insight into the protagonists lives.
• Black and white is often used to accentuate the use of shadows and often makes the thriller eerie and dark.
• Twist is a common factor of a thriller by adding the element of surprise the audience can recognise the film as thriller this connotes fear playing on uncommon fears for example 'being afraid of the unknown'

Mise-en-scene

Thrillers are normally located in dark and eerie places, mainly in dark alleys and dark, neglected buildings. This is done to create suspense and tensions so the audience does not know what could happen. The props within a thriller play into the scene very well as they can change the mood and story line, depending on what it is and how it is used. A good example of this would be 'Halloween 2' as the killer picks up various items to kill people with. Not only is it props that play a good role in a film but costumes too, they are normally dark this could be because the killer doesn't want to be seen so they hide in the dark shadows. Chases are good for a thriller as it creates tensions a good example of this would be the car chase in Bourne Supremacy.

Hopefully this has given my group and insight on what we should include in our thriller opening and that we will take even the tinniest details into considerations.