Thriller films follow conventions to build tension and engage audiences, including innocent protagonists in difficult situations, mysteries or false accusations, and an increasing pace leading to a climax. Common thriller themes involve crime, murder, revenge, romance triangles, mystery, isolation, voyeurism, and psychological elements. Settings are often isolated rural areas or urban environments enabling hiding. Protagonists are usually innocent heroes unaccustomed to danger, while antagonists include criminals, stalkers, assassins or psychotic individuals. Editing and sound techniques like montages, altered camera angles, and non-diegetic ambient sounds also build tension in thriller conventions.

1. Thriller Conventions
Georgia Ray

2. • The Thriller genre follows specific devices to build
tension and engage an audience. They tend to
increase in pace to keep them on edge towards
the climax of the film. Sub-genres of the Thriller
genre are:
• Crime
• Psychological
• Revenge
• Supernatural
• Political
Despite the different sub-genres, they still hold the
same stereotypical thriller conventions and
characteristics.

3. Plot Conventions
• Involves innocent character/s (protagonist/s)
being put in a difficult situations which involve
them escaping in some way.
• This plot line may be confused by false
accusation or mistaken identity (known as an
enigma)
• The film increases in pace, leading towards a
climax in order to keep an audience engaged.

4. Themes
• Crime
• Murder/Death
• Revenge
• Romance triangles (may lead to murder)
• Mystery
• Isolation
• Voyeurism
• Dangerous World
• Psychological

5. Setting
Usually in one type of setting or another:
•Either isolated settings, rural such as farm
houses/fields etc
•Urban environments such as cities or other
built up areas that enable easy hiding. This is
used mostly in Crime Thrillers.

6. Character/s
• Protagonist- innocent hero who is
unaccustomed to danger. This gives more
sympathy from the audience.
• Antagonist- May be criminals, stalkers,
assassins, psychotic individuals etc.
Other character's tend to be victims of the
antagonist.

7. Iconogrpahy
• Confined spaces
• CCTV cameras
• Mirrors
• Weapons, e.g. knives
• Photographers
• Finger Prints
• Running water
• Lamps
• Shadows

8. Editing
• Increasing shot pace, cutting them closer
together
• Static
• High contrast
• Montage editing
• Altering camera angle
• Blur

9. Sound
• Non-diegetic – ambience, synth sounds to
build tension and give an eerie atmosphere.
Sometimes orchestral. Slow to past paced.
• Diegetic- heartbeat, static, heavy breathing,
creaky door/floorboards, slamming doors etc.

10. Sound
• Non-diegetic – ambience, synth sounds to
build tension and give an eerie atmosphere.
Sometimes orchestral. Slow to past paced.
• Diegetic- heartbeat, static, heavy breathing,
creaky door/floorboards, slamming doors etc.