2. General Narrative Features
Often within a thriller, the general narrative features
allow the audience to follow one certain character
throughout and the concept of the storyline is usually
seen through the eyes of them. The audience can
relate to the protagonist, as they too have little
knowledge on the events unfolding within the film and
as these particular events begin to unfold, they also do
with the audience as well. However, an enigma
narrative may be used in order to present the audience
with many different fragments in which there are to
piece together to follow the protagonist as they
uncover further steps within the narrative.
3. Enigma Narrative
An enigma narrative involves fragments of the
narrative are eventually presented to the
audience, they are then left, usually, to piece
together the actions of the protagonist,
connecting as the protagonist also uncovers
further steps within the narrative.
4. Openings
The role of the main character, often the villain, is established within
the opening of a thriller. Different roles may be uncovered, for
instance a murderer was established in the opening scene of Lucky
Number Slevin or within the thriller Leon, a criminal.
Often, the opening helps institute any key facets within the main
characters own personal traits, which only later on in the thriller
become important. There are many personal traits which are
frequently used to convey the conventions of a thriller within a film,
take for example the use of child like features contained in a
character in the thriller Leon, or psychological issues expressed in
Seven. Drug abusers is another trait which can once again be found
in Leon and LA Confidential expresses a dire attitude towards
woman, leading to domestic abuse.
These facets may seem irrelevant to the audience during the opening,
however later on they become seemingly important to building the
audiences own understanding of a character.
5. Trigger Events within an Opening
An opening of a thriller focuses on one key event which then
triggers a series of events which are later shown, an air of
intrigue or mystery is usually sensed surrounding this
particular event. The audience are often left in the dark as
to knowing any details of the said event, for instance, they
may know someone has been murdered, however they
don’t yet know who was the murderer, why they murdered
someone or how they may of done it.
Never within a opening of a film is the opening the main event
of the entire thriller, often it is seen as a build up to the rest
of the film and a warm up to the events to yet occur, this is
seen in films such as Hunted and Lucky Number Slevin. In
some ways it acts as a inducement to entice the audience
to follow the film throughout.
6. Importance of Enigma Codes
One of the most commonly used narrative
structures in the thriller genre is an enigma
code, it acts as a intriguing way of enticing the
audience to follow the narrative, as slowly as
they progress through the film they are left to
feel as if they are discovering things as the
thriller progresses, as well as also building a
sense of suspense and drama for the duration
of the rest of the film.
7. Technical Features of a Thriller
(openings)
Long or wide shots help to depict a normal situation or
location in a opening of a thriller, seemingly unusual
events within a normal environment are shown to the
audience to help develop a sense of mystery almost as
soon as the thriller begins, this can be seen throughout
the thriller Leon, as the main character is established
within a some what ‘normalised’ setting of a hotel
suite. An opening of a thriller doesn’t just have to
include a mysterious situation or location, as a
character can be placed within the ‘real world’, take the
thriller Seven for example, the main characters, in this
case detectives, can be seen at a crime scene.
8. Lighting
The entire lighting is highly dependant on the nature of
the film, as thrillers often tend to follow a set structure
of conventions. The point of view of the protagonist,
usually the villain, follows a dark, confined and close
lighting which track the sight of the individual, if not
follow their actions, seen in Blair Witch.
To launch a series events within a thriller opening, a main
use of lighting highlights the actions of the protagonist.
Therefore the key component is to establish a chain of
or key events without revealing too many details to the
audience, this is used often in this particular type of
genre as something always needs to be hidden to the
audience.
9. Shots
Often within a thriller, the shots depend highly on the narrative or
nature of the plot line of the film, an example of this being long,
establishing shots of a particular location, it may seem a harmless
location as it may be a house for example however the use of the
camera shots on this location for instance an extremely slow
tracking shot instantly informs the audience that something bad is
going to happen in what seems to be a an ordinary situation, this
builds the audiences pre-supposition of the thriller genre.
Key facial features, in particular the eyes of a character, are seen to the
audience through either a close up or medium close up shots. If the
character notices the trigger, and slowly reacts to the events
occurring, this is the reason as to why the eyes are crucial in
emphasising the expression of the character as they may be left
with very little or no clue as to what is happening or what is about
to happen.
10. Editing
Editing is a combination or separation of either very long or
very short edits.
Directors tend to hold long edits as this creates a sense of
tension, therefore panning and tracking shots are used on
the locations and this helps builds the audiences
knowledge that something is going to happen however
they are unsure what it is.
The audience are often left confused by short, violent cuts as
key details are always hidden which would reveal the entire
plot to the narrative however glimpses of events which may
spark the story are left untold, for instance the audience
may be left unsure as to who it was holding the knife.
