Conventions of the Thriller genre Based upon my Research

A thriller usually consists of a battle between the protagonist character and the antagonist, when there is a disruption of the norm or a disturbance from the characters everyday life. Then the story shows a chain of bad events building tension and suspense for the climax. The protagonist aims to restore the peace, whilst the antagonist seeks to change or destroy it.

Conventions used in a Thriller:

Low key lighting, quick cuts, exaggerated shadows, tension building music, dramatic changes in the angle of shots, diegetic sound of heavy breathing, black and white shots, montages, protagonist is often found within the mercy of the antagonist.

Characters:

The protagonist is often a brave male who seeks to restore the ‘equilibrium’. The antagonist will have a hidden identity that the audience will uncover as the film progresses. Often the antagonist goes out for revenge from a past event, which has a direct correlation to the use of the ‘hidden identities’.

Themes of Thriller:

The storyline will be designed so the audience feel a sense of reality within the events that take place, which should cause them to consider the possibilities of the events happening to them, thus scaring them, partly through paranoia, and partly through the visual experiences taking place on screen.

Cinematography of a thriller:

There will be a lot of close ups and extreme close ups of the protagonist character, this is often to show their emotions; also it can be used to focus on props to aid the narrative. The shots of the antagonistic character will be cut quickly and will aim to hide their identity, e.g. A shot of the back of them, a low key shot, the silhouette, or shadow of the character.

Editing of a Thriller:

The director will include lots of jump cuts because there will be things happening that the audience is unaware of but is essential for the film to make sense. Cross cutting is a key point in editing as it is used to build suspense, which is essential for a thriller.

Sound in a Thriller:

Music is essential in any film to understand the mood of the characters and hint at a significant part in the film. Although in a thriller it is vital as it adds suspense and tension. It will often start at a slow pace and the then build up to make the shots more dramatic for the audience.

Mise en scene:

The location is important for the film because it help the audience establish the theme. Lighting is often low key. Antagonist will be in dark clothes if they are seen at all, however protagonist will be in ordinary everyday clothes. Filmstoke (Black & White, or colour, Fine-grain or grainy) is also used extensively.