The document discusses conventions of the thriller genre and how they were applied to a student film trailer project. Key conventions used in the trailer include isolated woodland locations to suggest characters have nowhere to hide, an investigation narrative with characters being followed by an antagonist, themes of violence and action, darkened lighting, a costume for the antagonist meant to appear ghost-like, handheld camerawork to add uncertainty, and quick editing to build tension. The trailer aims to provoke questions in viewers and leave them wanting more through conventional thriller techniques.

1. THRILLER GENRE
CONVENTIONS

2. ABOUT THE THRILLER GENRE
• Thriller films are meant to create suspense and make audiences jump. People like
watching thriller films because of the experience they gain. Viewers like to experience
different feelings that they’re not used to in day to day life. A thriller film is a way of being
scared but not being physically in danger.
• Thriller films aren't normally suitable for younger audiences because of content included
in the film. This could be a reason why a film has a certain age certificate for only older
people to watch it.

3. CONVENTIONS:
• Locations- Abandoned houses, woods, cities, fields. Isolated locations suggest that the
characters being targeted have no where to run and hide
• The Narrative- Involves an investigation, characters being followed, situation normally
solved at the end
• Key Themes- Murder, deaths, antagonist, getting lost, action, violence
• Lighting- Dark and gloomy to make everything not appear as clear and to create suspicion
and confusion
• Props- Weapons (sometimes) representing violence
• Costume- The antagonist can look out of place/ different to everyone else
• Camera- Hand held camera to feel like your in the scene and to show uncertainty
• Editing- Quick edited shots put together to create confusion and tension

4. HOW WE APPLIED THRILLER CONVENTIONS IN
OUR TRAILER
• Location- Looking at our audience research, the second most popular location for a thriller film trailer is the woods.
We shot the majority of the trailer in the woods because this location can connote confusion, lost and scared
feelings.
• The Narrative- The characters are being followed by the antagonist. The characters have to carry out an
investigation as to how to stop this ghost like character from following them. The trailer doesn’t show how the film
ends to encourage them to come and see it. However, the film would show how the situation is resolved towards the
end.
• Key Themes- The antagonist is a male as our audience questionnaire said they prefer it when the antagonist is a
male. They find a male character a lot more scary. There is a scene in the trailer showing the characters are lost
suggesting they wouldn’t have a safe place to go if anything is out there to get them. We decided to include the sub-
genre action as this is one genre that was most popular in our audience questionnaire. Action is included towards
the end of the trailer when the characters are shown running through the woods away from something. There is a
suggestion of violence or possible death when the camera will be shown falling to the floor. This suggests that the
person holding the camera was attacked.
• Lighting- When we filmed it was a fairly sunny day which doesn’t suit thriller conventions. When it comes to the
editing stage we will darken the footage slightly to give it a scary feel.
• Costume- The antagonist is going to wear eye contact lenses blacking out the colour in his eyes. This makes him
look almost ghost like and different from everyone else.
• Camera- As the film will be shot like a documentary, the camera will be hand held throughout. This will connote
uncertainty for the characters future and what’s happening to them.
• Editing- Some of the shots in the trailer will be quite shot to bring up the pace of the trailer creating tension.

5. ROLAND BARTHES CODE WE APPLIED
• Hermeneutic and Proairetic Codes- These codes create suspension in a narrative. The
Hermeneutic code does this by creating unanswered questions. We will do this in our
trailer as the antagonist won’t be seen. This makes viewers wonder who is following the
other characters. We show footage of the characters being lost in a woods and then later
running through woods. You wonder how they became lost and what they’re running away
from. The antagonists face can only slightly be seen on the poster but not too clearly. He
has blacked out eyes making viewers wonder if this character is human or supernatural.
We have used the Proairetic code a little bit in our trailer. The action of dropping the
camera at the end makes viewers wonder what will happen and come into view next. This
action creates suspense.
• The hermeneutic and proairetic code is conventional to apply for thriller films as directors
want their audiences to be on the edge of their seats because of high suspension in the
film.

6. OTHER CODES BY ROLAND BARTHES
• Semantic Code- This code is normally used through the connotations things have and can
suggest further meanings.
• Symbolic Code- Where meaning can be created through conflicting ideas and opposiing
situations.
• Cultural Code- This links what can be seen in a media text to what is happening currently
in the world to do with culture. Using this creates additional meaning to what can be seen
as viewers can relate to it.

7. CONVENTIONAL OR UNCONVENTIONAL?
• Our thriller film trailer will be following conventions for thriller film trailers.
• We decided to follow conventions as this would be make our media production look more
effective and realistic.
• All the conventions we’re applying we’re doing for a reason. We want our audience to gain
feelings that they would when viewing other thriller film trailer. Creating suspicion and
unanswered questions will make them wonder what will happen next encouraging them to
see the film.
• Our narrative structure is also conventional following Todorovs’ narrative theory.
• Conventional thriller elements can also be spotted in the trailer.