1. Research PowerPoint:
Thriller genre.
Chynna Matthews

2. Thriller sub-genre’s / hybrids
Conspiracy Thriller
Conspiracy Thrillers often show secrecy of governments and organisations. Usually the protagonists are some kind of journalist and uncovers the secrets which gets them involved in a crime and are chased by the major companies that they find secrets out about.
Crime Thriller
Crime Thrillers focus on criminals and their crimes they have committed. Aspects of this sub-genre is shootouts, kidnappings, killers, murders, chases and robberies. Usually at the end of the film it leads back to how the crime started.
Chynna Matthews

3. Thriller sub-genre’s cont.
Disaster thriller
This kind of Thriller usually follows the story of survivors from either a natural disaster to the end of the world. This type of genre usually shows what could happen in the future or even can be set in the future. An example of this genre is the film ‘2012’
Psychological Thriller
This type of Thriller plays with the mind of the audience and creates a lot of suspense. Usually the main character/villain is a psychopath. It usually shows the mind of the villain and this is why it is suspenseful to watch.
Chynna Matthews

4. An overview of the Thriller genre.
Genre is a French word meaning type of kind. In film, it “refers to the method based on similarities in the narrative elements from which films are constructed” (Wikipedia,
Thriller is a film genre. This genre is (obviously) made to thrill the audience. It relates to anything that creates suspense and excitement in the viewer. This can be created by tension, death or even a kidnapping.
Chynna Matthews

5. Narrative themes & Codes and conventions
Todorov believes in 5 stages in a film.
First, there is an equilibrium (a peaceful state).
Then there is a disruption and the equilibrium is lost.
Then there is a recognition of this loss of equilibrium
There is then an attempt to recreate the peace (equilibrium state).
Then at the end it has usually returned to it’s normal state although things are slightly off kilter as usually there are some deaths involved.
Relating this to a specific Thriller film like ‘Collateral’ we can see these 5 stages. Firstly, with the equilibrium we see Max in his day-to-day life. This is the first stage. The second stage is when Max meets Vincent and whilst waiting for him, someone falls onto Max’s cab. Then Max realises that Vincent is an assassin and realises that he’s not in his peaceful state anymore. The next state is when Max tries to stop Vincent from doing his job (an attempt to repair the peaceful state). The fifth and final state is when Vincent is killed and Max gets the girl.
Chynna Matthews

6. Firstly, we see the protagonist in their day to day life. 1. 2.
Firstly, we see the protagonist in their day to day life.
Every now and then the scene might cut to the antagonist. 3.
This will keep cutting to the antagonist usually until they commit their crime. 7.
Features of a film in the Thriller genre.
This could be because the protagonist is often helped in some way. 4.
This continues to happen until the protagonist and the antagonist meet in some way. 6. 5.
For the peaceful state to return however, commonly one of these characters has to die and it is quite often the antagonist.
After they have met it will just follow their journey together until the equilibrium state has returned this could be for example the crime being solved or someone being saved.
Chynna Matthews

7. Low key lighting which create shadows
There are many different codes and conventions of a thriller film, some of these include:
Low key lighting which create shadows
Tension music
Quick cuts
Crime at the core of the narrative
Plot twists
Climatic moments
Ordinary people + places
This scene in ‘Se7en’ has tension music from 9 seconds in.
In this scene you can see lots of quick editing
53 seconds in to 1 minute 12
There is a good plot twist in this film ‘The Village’
In this scene from ‘Gone in Sixty seconds’ it’s very climatic (53 seconds in until 4 minutes and 49 seconds)
Chynna Matthews

8. Propps decided that there were 8 character roles in any folk tale and these were:
The villain (struggles against hero)
The hero (goes through everything)
The dispatcher (gives the hero their quest)
The helper (helps the hero)
The prize (is usually the bride for the hero)
The donor (prepares the hero)
The false hero (tries to take credit)
The father (identifies the false hero)
There are two distinct character types in the Thriller genre.
Firstly, you have the protagonist (hero). This is usually an ordinary person with a normal life however they are also usually flawed. The protagonist can also be a law enforced person.
Then we have the antagonist (villain) who is usually intelligent but psychotic and quite often has a hidden identity.
In thrillers you find the hero and the villain but are more commonly known as the protagonist and the antagonist.
You also usually have the cop duo / law enforcer in thriller films.
Characters
The Silence of the lambs scene.
Chynna Matthews

9. Mise-en-scène examples
Lighting
Usually in Thriller films there is a lot of low key lighting which creates a suspenseful atmosphere.
Also, the colouring in a thriller film is usually taken out (desaturated) which can link to the emotions that are created by a thriller film (darkness can create quite a mysterious atmosphere) and they reflect the negative setting of Thriller films.
In this film (‘se7en’) you can see in a lot of scenes how most of the colours are yellows. This is to make the whole scene look more depressing/sad.
Chynna Matthews

10. Mise-en-scène examples (cont.)
Costume & Make-up
Usually, in thriller films, as the hero is quite often a normal person, there is a lack of make-up that is actually used. Also, the costume is usually normal. For example they could be wearing jeans or a jacket.
Also, the villains identity is usually hidden so they usually wear something that makes them different from other people.
Props
In a crime thriller, guns are usually key and are used often. Also, briefcases are usually used and associated with the villain and trying to hide identity.
Another thing associated with the villain are cigarettes as they are seen as quite a bad thing.
This is the film ‘Lucy’
Some props can even indicate status.
In this scene of ‘Collateral’ you can see Vincent is wearing sunglasses which makes him look different and you can see he is trying to hide his identity.
Costume: Also in Thrillers you see a lot of cops which means a lot of trench coats. Trench coats are really easily identifiable as a Thriller film. They can also be wearing any other type of police uniform.
Chynna Matthews

11. Mise-en-scène examples (cont.)
Setting
Usually in Thriller films they are in places that most people can easily identify or somewhere they could see themselves in like a motel or a city. They are also usually in urban spaces but in dark lonely areas of them (alleyways or abandoned buildings). They can also be set at a time when not many people are about.
I also know that in Thrillers they use a lack of space to make the viewer uncomfortable.
This is from ‘Collateral’
This is the ‘Chernobyl Diaries’ and this scene is in a small claustrophobic area.
This is the film ‘Identity’ which is set in a motel (very popular thriller setting)
Chynna Matthews

12. Cinematography
Cinematography is the art of photography and camera work in film-making. Many different shots and angles can be used in all different genres. In the Thriller genre these shots are used with fast pace edits and have quick transitions from one to the other.
Here in ‘Psycho’ you can see that we get a low camera shot of the killer. This is to show what power he has over everyone in scene.
A lot of wide shots are also used in Thriller films to show that the victim is usually alone or that the protagonist really has no-one to help them from the antagonist. These often show the environment around them which is often remote in the Thriller genre.
This shot is also used in the film ‘Brick’ to show how the protagonist is crouched and how he has no power and it is obvious he isn't the antagonist. In Thrillers these shots aren’t always used as an establishing shot. This adds mystery. This shot here in ‘Brick’ is not used at the start of the film.
Chynna Matthews

13. Sound
Sound
Usually in thriller films there is a lot of suspenseful non diegetic music to keep the viewer on edge.
Silence can also be used to make the audience panic about what is going to happen.
Music can also describe a lot of what is seen on the screen. For example fast pace music might be used in a chase scene and calm relaxing music when something peaceful is happening on screen.
Here’s an example (‘Collateral’)
You can see how at the end of this scene the suspenseful music becomes quieter until it actually stops completely. This makes it so the viewer is excited throughout the scene and are on the edge of their seat on what is going to happen next as it cuts right at the end.
Chynna Matthews

14. Editing
Editing in Thriller films are usually focused around making the viewer feel uncomfortable.
Quick cuts are often used to make the scene more suspenseful. This is because usually when the camera jumps around a lot it makes it quite difficult for the viewer to see what is happening (it makes them disorientated).
Tension is often kept up until the end of the Thriller film as then at the end there could be a plot twist that the viewer was not expecting.
Continuity editing is also used so that the audience can become absorbed in the action that is unfolding around them.
Also in Thriller films they quite often match the editing to the sound. This is also known as pleonastic sound.
Here in ‘Psycho’ the shower scene (starts at 0:49) the music matches what is happening on screen (sharp sound when the murderer stabs her).
Here at 1:38 you can see how Max closes the taxi door and all sound cuts from the scene.
Chynna Matthews