Thriller conventions

1. Narrative Conventions
Narrative form is the different structure ways a movie tells stories…
eg it starts with a flashback.
Film=Story
Narratives are everywhere! They are most common in fiction films
but are in all types of films.
Events occur in space and time:
 A narrative is a string of events occurring in space and time.
 Narratives do not unfold randomly, they are ordered and are
connected by the logic of cause and effect.
 This logic of cause and effect ties together character traits,
goals, obstacles and actions.
Taken
1. Dad is insecure about the safety of life
2. Daughter lies to go to France, Dad says be careful
3. Daughter is kidnapped…
4. Dad makes angry phonecall “I don’tknow who you are bla bla… I will
find you and kill you bla bla bla”
5. Dad beats up bad guy
6. Dad finds daughters coat
7. Dad beats up more bad guys
8. Dad electrocutes someone
9. Dad finds wheredaughter is and buys her from sex trade
10. Dad kills big bad guy and is accepted by daughter
Act 3
Act 2
Act 1

2. The Three Act Structure
Act 1-Introduction
Act 2- Rising action- stakes get higher
Act 3- crisis- falling action
The Narrative Structure
Set up/Exposition- meeting the characters, establishing the setting,
setting the tone- establishing the normal of the film world
Rising action- central conflict is introduced and the tension begins
Climax- the turning point making things better or worse
Falling action- the major has happened, this is the aftermath
Dénouement/Resolution- the creation of the new normal
Tzvetan Todorov
1. All is good
2. A disruption of order by an event
3. A recognition of that disruption
4. An attempt to repair the damage
5. A return to the restoration, the character is changed forever
Equilibrium
Disequilibrium
New
Equilibrium

3. Character Conventions
Character
- Narrative films often focus on the struggles of a human
character
- Characters are responsible for the cause and effect in narrative
A Flat character is when you know very little about them- Chewbacca
A Round character is when you know lots about them even if it’s at
the end when you find out- Jason Bourne
Flat is a minor character who does not go through a change and are
very stereotypical.
Round is a fully developed character who may undergo a change in
the film.
Developing Characters
How do writers develop round, dynamic characters?
- Through conversations with other characters
- Through group associations, example- police we know they will
be good
- Through direct description of the character
- How they react to situations

4. Character Traits
- Traits are attitudes, skills, habits, tastes, psychological drives
and any other qualities that distinguish a character
- Traits in an opening are relevant to late scenes- this is related
to cause and effect
Theme/ Methods/ Ideas
The following are very common themes used in thriller films:
 Crime- ransoms, captivities, heists, revenge, kidnappings
 Mystery- investigations, ‘whodunit technique’
 Psychological- mind games, psychological themes, stalking,
confinement, deathtraps, horror of personality, obsession
Technical conventions
The common techniques used in Thrillers come under the titles of
camerawork, mise en scene, editing and sound. Some of the
techniques are:
 Use of tracking
 POV
 ECUs/ CUs
 Reveals (track in/ zoom in)
 Dramatic angles
 Eerie, tense music
 Off screen sounds
 Low key lighting
 Chiaroscuro
 Strong directional lighting
 Over exposed or colour manipulation
 Fast paced editing
 Jump cuts
 Parallel editing
 Obtrusive Editing
 Silence
 Exaggerated sound
 Disorientation of time/ space