Thriller is a genre that uses suspense and excitement to drive the narrative. It has several conventions including exotic locations, a fast pace, heroes/villains, false endings, and leaving things to the imagination. There are several sub-genres of thriller like psychological thriller, spy thriller, political thriller, horror thriller, and supernatural thriller. The primary elements of a thriller include the protagonist facing death, an initially stronger antagonist, the protagonist on a quest that can't be stopped, a mystery that must be solved from the protagonist's point of view, and credible realistic representations of action and characters.

1. A2 MEDIA STUDIES
Genre Analysis
Ana, Raissa, Maheni.

2. CHOSEN GENRES
 THRILLER
A thriller provides the sudden rush of
emotions, excitement, sense of suspense
and exhilaration that drive the narrative,
sometimes subtly with peaks and lulls,
sometimes at a constant, breakneck pace
thrills.
 FANTASY

3. THRILLER CONVENTIONS
Thriller is a genre of literature, film and television that uses suspense, tension and excitement as the main elements
Characteristics:
- Exotic locations (e.g. foreign lands, hidden places, forests,
woods.
- Fast paced: constantly moving/running etc.
- Hero/Heroine & Villain/s: in this case Hansel and Gretel
- False ending: where the villain thinks they have won
- Theatre of the mind: Where the audience can decide what has
happened where something hasn’t been shown

4. THRILLER: SUB-GENRES
Psychological Thriller: Heavy focus on the unstable emotional states of characters, in
combination with mystery and thriller (e.g. Psycho and Funny Games)
Spy Thriller: the subject of fictional espionage, either in a realistic way or as a basis for fantasy
(such as James Bond). Spy films show the espionage activities of government agents and their risk
of being discovered by their enemies (e.g. Bourne Identity).
Political Thriller: In which the hero/heroine must ensure the stability of the government that
employs him. Political thrillers can be based on true facts such as the assassination of John F
Kennedy (e.g. JFK, directed by Oliver Stone)
Horror Thriller: Horror films are unsettling movies that strive to elicit the emotions of fear, disgust
and horror from viewers. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer, and the macabre and the
supernatural are frequent themes (e.g. Resident Evil, Dawn of the Dead)
Supernatural Thriller: In which the film brings in an otherworldly element (such as fantasy and/or
the supernatural) mixed with tension, suspense and plot twists. Sometimes the protagonist and/or
villain has some psychic ability and superpowers (e.g. Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai, The X-Files)

5. T H R I L L E R : P R I M A RY
E L E M E N T S ( F RO M W I K I P E D I A )
• The protagonist(s) faces death, either their own or somebody else's.
• The force(s) of antagonism must initially be cleverer and/or stronger than the protagonist's.
• The main storyline for the protagonist is either a quest or a character who cannot be put down.
• The main plotline focuses on a mystery that must be solved.
• The film's narrative construction is dominated by the protagonist's point of view.
• All action and characters must be credibly realistic/natural in their representation on screen.
• The two major themes that underpin the thriller genre are the desire for justice and the morality
of individuals.
• One small, but significant, aspect of a thriller is the presence of innocence in what is seen as an
essentially corrupt world.
• The protagonist(s) and antagonist(s) may battle, themselves and each other, not just on a
physical level, but on a mental one as well.
• Either by accident or their own curiousness, characters are dragged into a dangerous conflict or
situation that they are not prepared to resolve.