The document discusses techniques used in thriller films to create and build tension. It analyzes how various films like Fatal Attraction, Panic Room, The Shining, and Cape Fear employ techniques like cross-cutting between scenes, close-ups of characters, lighting, music, and camera work to suggest discomfort, amplify anticipation, contrast characters, and make the protagonist seem helpless against the antagonist in order to generate and maintain tension throughout the film.

1. Investigating Thrillers
John Roberts

2. Thrillers
■ Protagonist vs Antagonist.
■ Protagonist usually fighting to restore equilibrium, narrative rarely under their
control.
■ Focus on tension throughout the film.
■ Low lighting, emphasis on shadows and darkness
■ Tense, usually classical, soundtrack. Focus on diegetic sound.
■ Fast cuts, lots of camera changes. Frequent use of cross-cutting.
■ Protagonist has lots of close-ups and extreme close-ups, to display emotion.
■ Antagonist usually shown in shadow from distant shots.

3. Fatal Attraction
■ Extended close-ups build tension, suggest they are hiding something
■ Static shots imply discomfort
■ Camera jumps inward as tension increases.
■ No non-diegetic sound used, makes it as if the audience were in the scene.
■ Low angle shows power of both characters, tension in the ‘clash’ of two powers.
■ Dutch tilt shows something is psychologically wrong with Alex.

4. Panic Room
■ Slow motion, increases tension through audience anticipation.
■ Monosyllabic dialogue punctuates following lack of sound.
■ Cross cutting creates a sort of dramatic irony.
■ Drone is added as tension increases.
■ Low key lighting. Creates a ‘dark’ effect.

5. The Shining
■ Heavy focus on repeated cross cutting to contrast the two characters.
■ Handheld camera suggests how ‘shaky’ Jack’s current psychological position.
■ Piercing non diegetic soundtrack to increase tension.
■ Contrast between ‘white’ bathroom and snow, and the more yellow area surrounding
Jack – perhaps a contrast in ‘purity’.
■ High-mast lighting emphasises shadows on Jack’s face. Heavily suggesting hs
antagonistic nature.

6. Cape Fear
■ Normality of shot reverse shot, overall misc en scene, and soundtrack creates
tension through how freely threatening the antagonist is.
■ Antagonist is in both shots, instead of an over the shoulder sot he is shown in soft
focus; this implies he has the dominating presence in the conversation.
■ Cape Fear creates tension through the overall comfort the antagonist is in despite
being so obviously against the protagonist, thereby making the protagonist seem
helpless in comparison.

7. Cape Fear
■ Normality of shot reverse shot, overall misc en scene, and soundtrack creates
tension through how freely threatening the antagonist is.
■ Antagonist is in both shots, instead of an over the shoulder sot he is shown in soft
focus; this implies he has the dominating presence in the conversation.
■ Cape Fear creates tension through the overall comfort the antagonist is in despite
being so obviously against the protagonist, thereby making the protagonist seem
helpless in comparison.