A thriller film uses suspense, tension, and excitement through its conventions to create an adrenaline-rushing and fast-paced narrative. Common elements include a crime-centered plot, a vulnerable protagonist exploited by the antagonist, and a complex web trapping the protagonist into helplessness. Through micro-elements like camerawork and sound, thrillers build suspense towards resolving important enigmas set up in the opening.

1. What is a genre?
A genre is a type of film that they are
categorised usually by distinct conventions
for that particular genre. There are many
different types of genres some of which
include: Action, Comedy, Horror, Thriller,
Sci-Fi and Romance. Sometimes these
genres combine to create Hybrids, some
classic Hybrids that have developed
include rom-com, dark fantasy and action
comedy.

2. Thriller
Thriller films use mainly suspense, tension and excitement as the main
elements to create the typical conventions of this genre of film.
Thriller films tend to be adrenaline-rushing, gritty, rousing and fast-
paced.
Devices such as red herrings, plot twists and cliff-hangers are used
extensively.
Common subgenres are psychological thrillers, crime thrillers and
mystery thrillers
The horror and action genres often overlap with the thriller genre.

3. Conventions of a thriller film
The narrative centres around a crime e.g.. a theft or a murder.
The protagonist is fallible and has an 'Achilles heel' that is exploited by the antagonist.
The title of the thriller may relate to this weakness e.g. Vertigo and Insomnia.
The protagonist will be seen 'in peril' in one or more scenes before the resolution.
The antagonist ensnares the protagonist in an increasingly complex web, until the protagonist
feels isolated and helpless.
The narrative presents ordinary situations in which extraordinary things happen.
Micro elements combine in a build up of suspense. ( Micro means film elements like
camerawork, sound, narrative, genre, mise-en-scene, lighting, costumes, actors and facial
expressions, etc.)
Themes of identity are common: mistaken identity, doubling/doppelgangers, amnesia.
• set up in the opening sequence

4. Themes of seeing, reflection and mirroring. Manipulation of perspectives, visual McGuffins, and optical
illusions are common.
The audience of a thriller is placed in the ambiguous position of voyeur. Voyeurism can also be a theme
and the objectification of female characters is common especially in earlier thrillers.
A series of important enigmas are set up in the opening sequence of the film, is further complicated
during the first part of the film and only resolved at the very end.
Micro elements combine in a build up of suspense. ( Micro means film elements like camerawork,
sound, narrative, genre, mise-en-scene, lighting, costumes, actors and facial expressions, etc.)
Themes of identity are common: mistaken identity, doubling/doppelgangers, amnesia.
Themes of seeing, reflection and mirroring. Manipulation of perspectives, visual McGuffins, and optical
illusions are common.
The audience of a thriller is placed in the ambiguous position of voyeur. Voyeurism can also be a theme
and the objectification of female characters is common especially in earlier thrillers.
A series of important enigmas are set up in the opening sequence of the film, is further complicated
during the first part of the film and only resolved at the very end.

5. Alfred Hitchcock
Typical styles:
Breaks cliché of characters
keeps the story simple
Humour to add tension
Camera is not a camera(moves freely)
Point of view editing
Surprise the audience

6. Analysis of a thriller poster
The masks stops us from
seeing their identity, giving
them anonymity This creates This make you feel like they were
fear, because its fear of the watching you. The font is bold and
unknown. stands out and grabs out attention.
Also the word “home” gives the
audience the idea that the film is
based at “home”, which scares
them more because people are
scared by things that go on in a
household.
The actor/actresses name are
above the title for the audiences
own benefit, this could draw them
in and make them want to see the
film because they like that The title “the strangers” is in a
actress/actor. The font is exactly lower case font, but the font has a
the same as the tag line but not as glow to it which makes it stand out
big ,however it still stands out on like the glow of a candle.
the black background.