3. ANGLES
-Low angles are often used in thrillers to convey the superiority of certain characters. This
can help the audience determine where characters function within the overall narrative. For
example, a criminal about to kill someone would be shot from below them to show their
power.
-High angles are used to convey the opposite of a low angle; they often show vulnerability
and lack of knowledge or power. For example, the victim of a crime could be shot from a
high angle
-Eye level shots can be used to portray some form of stand off or tension between characters,
a convention derived from westerns. However, in a thriller they can also be used to convey
friendship or the equality of characters.
4. MOVEMENT
-In a thriller film, it is often important that we know as little as the character does so that we
can understand and empathise with their fear. Tracking is used to follow the character on
screen and reveal only as much as they see, not ruining the surprise for the audience.
-Panning and zooming out can be used in the same way to create tension, slowly revealing
the danger to increase the suspense. For example, slowly panning toward a monster from the
camera would leave the audience in suspense for the duration of the shot.
-Zooming in can be used to focus on a specific detail that a character has missed to make the
audience aware of the danger.
5. SHOTS
-Thriller films most often use close up shots to convey emotion from the character in
moments of fear, anger and suspense. Close up shots allow more emotion to be
conveyed because people can recognise the small movements on the face of the actor,
as well as the larger facial gestures.
-in thriller films, small details in the foreground of a shot can make a large impact (e.g.
a dead body). Therefore, deep focus is often used to emphasise foreground items and
blur the background.
-Thrillers avoid wide and long shots in times of tension as it has more impact up close,
however they are regularly used to set the scene or show intense conversation
7. EDITING
Editing conventions within the thriller genre are often focussed around
creating an uncomfortable or suspenseful atmosphere as quick cuts and
changing camera angles are often used which disorientates the spectator and
creates an on screen tension. Tension is vital in the thriller genre as it is that
which keeps the vast suspense at a steady pace throughout the film and then
it is able to explode with a conclusion of action or an overwhelming
resolution which spectators might not have expected.
8. LOWKEY LIGHTENING
Low Key Lighting Low key lighting is used in thriller films to create harsh shadows
on the antagonist’s face and also to set the scene in the film.The use of low key
lighting allows the scene to be represented as more sinister, dark and mysterious,
which can bring about the common conventions of thriller films, suspense and
tension.The low key lighting can also hinder the sight of detail in the scene, which
can bring about the sense and feeling of uneasiness to the audience as the details
are kept a mystery till the very end of the film.The colours that are typically used
in thriller films can also link together with the antagonist’s actions and
personality as the colours are typical dark, for example black, grey and red.
10. SOUND
Music is essential in any film to understand the mood of the characters and hint at
a significant part of the film. In A thriller 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.intense music will be played as either diegetic or non diegetic High
pitched sound is often used as it makes the spectator uncomfortable and shows
how the scene might not be pleasant or something unexpected happen Many
thrillers use sound within the dialogue this creates a more direct tension making it
as if they are experiencing the film from the characters point of view For example
Steven Spielberg's ‘Jaws’ uses sound to create a suspenseful atmosphere.
12. MISE EN SCENE
Mise-en-scene conventions are also very important to the thriller genre as many props, sets or
locations can have sinister or tense connotations. A technique often used within mise-en-scene is
the use of mirrors which might connotate how the characters have to reflect on what they've done
or might do and also show how they look at themselves and the many different ‘faces’ they
have..Another technique is the use of stairs which might show how characters might have higher
or lower ground showing the use of power some characters have over others and also the use of
climbing up/ falling down stairs which might connotate how a character is rising to a challenge or
falling from their powerful state. All of these techniques relate to the iconography of the thriller
genre such as confined spaces, bars on windows or street lamps.Blacks and whites are also used as
a convention of thriller as it shows the sinister side of the film and the cold harshness which many
thrillers portray For example Frank Miller's ‘Sin City’ shows extensive use of black and white to
portray the harsh narrative.
