1. Codes and Conventions
of a Thriller
By Daniella Benson

2. Two or more characters
preying upon one another’s
minds, deceptive mind games,
trying to demolish each other’s
mental state
Conventions of
a Thriller
Mirrors, low key lighting,
shadows, obtrusive editing,
quick cuts, changes in
camera angle, tension music,
stairs, flashbacks, use of
photographs, black and
white, disorientation of time
and space, montage editing
Specific to psychological
thrillers:

3. Mirrors
Mirrors are used as a convention of a thriller
film through the use of reflection of one’s soul
and inner self Mirrors represent the darkness
within some characters An example is ‘Mirrors’
directed by Alexandré Aja

4. Shadows
Shadows are closely related with low key
lighting and are used as a convention of a
thriller film They are used to represent the
inner darkness within beings, and can also add
to tension and eeriness that is created

5. Obtrusive Editing
Quick shots and obtrusive editing are used
frequently in thriller films to accentuate the
feelings of suspense and tension They are
often used during an important or particularly
‘thrilling’ scene – sometimes creating a
disorientation of time and space, by using
montage editing

6. Flashbacks
Flashbacks contribute to a sense of time and
space disorientation in a thriller and this
confuses the audience It is also a convention of
a thriller film because it can display what has
happened in the past to give the audience an
insight into characters’ pasts An example is in
‘Momento’ by Christopher Nolan

7. Black and White
Black and white is another of the
conventions of a thriller, because it
accentuates the use of shadows, and can
often appear quite eerie and ‘dark’. An
example is ‘Psycho’ by Alfred Hitchcock