Thrillers employ certain cinematic conventions to build tension and suspense. They typically use fast cuts and shots, tense music, dramatic camera angles and lighting, and flashbacks. The characters often have sinister sides and hit rock bottom, such as the male underdog protagonist. Femme fatale female characters are also common, depicted as strong and emotionless. Cinematography focuses on close-ups of faces and props for protagonists but quick cuts hide antagonist identities. Sound, both diegetic and non-diegetic, adds to the suspense through the music. Editing uses jump cuts and cross-cutting to maintain an atmosphere of mystery and keep audiences on the edge of their seats.

1. Codes & Conventions of a Thriller

2. The Conventions
• Fast shots and cuts
• Music that creates tension
• Canted angles and changes in angles
• Montage editing
• Low key lighting
• Shadows
• Flashbacks
• Prominent editing

3. Characters in a Thriller
In thrillers the characters are different when compared to how
characters are depicted in other genres. Usually in thrillers the
protagonist will have a darker or sinister side to them and this will be
conveyed through their motives. In thrillers the narrative usually shows
the protagonist hitting rock bottom or being stuck in a situation. These
characters with sinister motives are normally there to portray the
Underdog in the narrative, the underdog will usually be a male
character who isn’t the traditional protagonist or hero, however the
underdog will prove themselves throughout the narrative. Another
conventional character in thrillers is ‘Femme fatale’ this female
character will usually be a strong, independent woman that doesn’t
show much emotion and goes again the stereotypical woman in other
genres.

4. Cinematography
In a thriller usually there will be lots of extreme
close ups and close ups of the protagonist, this is
done to convey the characters facial expression,
and the significant props that are used that help in
emphasising the narrative.
However the shots of the antagonist will be quickly
cut in order to hide the character identity from the
audience which will create the sense of enigma.

5. Sound in Thrillers
Sound plays a very important role in thrillers both
diegetic and non-diegetic as they add suspense and
tension. For example in this clip from the film inception
the intensity of the music builds as more action happens
in the scene which adds tension to the scene and
suspense.

6. Editing
Editing also has huge significance in a thriller genre film. When
editing a thriller you want to create an atmosphere full of
suspense and tension, so that you are able to shock your target
audience. By having this consistent atmosphere of suspense and
enigma the tension will increase. Jump cuts and cross cutting
will allow you to create this suspense.