Thrillers aim to thrill audiences and keep them on the edge of their seats through suspense and tension. They often feature an ordinary protagonist that audiences can relate to and feel empathy for. Iconic thriller settings include ordinary yet eerie locations like abandoned buildings that allow audiences to connect with characters. Technical elements like unnatural camera angles, point-of-view shots, scary sounds, red lighting, and violent weapons create distress and danger to drive the thriller genre. An antagonist like a killer or monster threatens the protagonist and propels the plot.

2. • The main feature that sets apart a thriller film is that
it provides high suspense and tension element.
These types of film appeal to audiences that want to
be thrilled and left on the edge of their seats, which
is why often the best way to make this happen is by
having a main protagonist, in which the audience can
feel empathy towards.

3. • The iconic type of settings often feature a ordinary
location (to allow the audience to feel a link with
certain characters. Although ultimately it does
depend on sub-genres.
• A lot of the settings can be ones with eerie
pasts;…asylums, old schools, manors or churches.

4. These codes are extremely similar to the technical codes
that of a horror film. As the both follow the same ‘un-
natural’ theme.
• Camera shots will include severe high and low angle shots
• P.O.V shots, this adds to the empathetic approach (when
in the protagonists point of view) or can add distress
(when in ‘monster’s’ point of view).
• Scary diegetic sounds are very important, they combine to
create the right ambient.

5. • The motif used when showing a thriller style film are
often reds and back colours. Shown in props, costumes,
lighting and other areas of mise en scene, as these are
connotations of danger and blood.
• This is a violent theme, so therefore you can expect to
see weapons of this description; knifes, axes, ropes and
guns.
• Lighting should be expressive and un-natural, with low
key lighting, to focus attention to certain objects and
subjects.

6. • There should ideally always be a protagonist,
in which the audience can relate to (this can
be someone of ‘ordinary’ social background
• Often there is antagonist, often a killer,
monster, or sometimes even someone's
unconscious character e.g. Nina’s split
character in ‘The Black Swan’