An overview of thriller conventions to aid in your research

1. THE THRILLER GENRE
hat are the codes and conventions of Thrillers?
hy is genre so important?
hat films do I know about?
hat directors do I know about?
1
1

2. 2
GENERIC CONVENTIONSGENERIC CONVENTIONS
film genre is defined by its codes and
conventions and these must be present to
make a film a genre film but should involve
some aspect of innovation, subversion
and/or inflection (otherwise it becomes a
formula film)
• Mise-en-scene
• Setting
• Visual style
• Themes
• Ideology
• Stars
• Character-types
• Narratives
• Iconography
• Cinematography
• Special effects
• Sound/music

3. DEFINITION? JAMES PATTERSON, JUNE 2006,
"INTRODUCTION," THRILLER
.There are all kinds. The legal thriller, spy thriller, action-adventure thriller,
medical thriller, police thriller, romantic thriller, historical thriller, political thriller,
religious thriller, high-tech thriller, military thriller. The list goes on and on, with
new variations constantly being invented. In fact, this openness to expansion
is one of the genre's most enduring characteristics. But what gives the variety
of thrillers a common ground is the intensity of emotions they create,
particularly those of apprehension and exhilaration, of excitement and
breathlessness, all designed to generate that all-important thrill. By definition,
if a thriller doesn't thrill, it's not doing its job.
3
3

4. WHAT IS A THRILLER?
ses suspense, tension and excitement as the main elements
ncludes many sub genres: Mystery, Crime, Psychological, Political
and Paranoid.
tmosphere of menace, violence, crime and murder.
ociety is seen as dark corrupt and dangerous
iterary devices like plot twist, red herrings, and cliff hangers 4
4

5. WORDS
ook over the words you have
ome up with a definition (use the internet, other people to help if you
are not sure)
rite that definition on coloured paper
ive an example if you can
5

6. THRILLER METHODS AND IDEAS?
rime: ransoms, captivities, heists, revenge, kidnappings
ystery: investigations, ‘whodunit technique’
sychological: mind games, psychological themes,
stalking, confinement, deathtraps, horror of personality,
obsession
6
6

7. NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES
lot twists and turns
ultiple lines of action
lashbacks
arrative retardation
ed herrings
7
7
► Mis direction
► Deadlines
► Principle of concealment
► Chases/pursuits
► Making the audience
work

8. THRILLER CHARACTERS?
riminals, Stalkers, Assassins, Psychotic individuals, escaped cons
enaced women, innocent victims, private eyes, world weary people,
ops, people involved in twisted relationship
haracters are often not black or white (bad or good), grey is
dominant!
8
8

9. TECHNIQUES
se of tracking
OV
CUs/CUs
eveals (track in/ zoom in)
ramatic angles
erie, tense music
9
9
► Strong directional lighting
► Over exposed or colour manipulation
► Fast paced editing esp for chase scenes
► Jump Cuts
► Parallel editing
► Obtrusive Editing
► Silence
► Exaggerated sound
► Disorientation of time/space

10. THRILLER FILMS
nception
ight Club
sycho
ilence of the Lambs
emento 10
10
► The Departed
► The Prestige
► Bladerunner
► Se7en
► Reservoir Dogs
► Bourne Identity
► North by Northwest
► The Usual Suspects
► Shutter Island
► Taken

11. THRILLER DIRECTORS
lfred Hitchcock
rian de Palma
tanley Kubrick
avid Fincher
rson Welles
11
11
► Roman Polaski
► Ridley Scott
► M Night Shyamalan
► Steven Spielberg
► Quentin Tarantino
► Christopher Nolan
► Tony Scott
► John Carpenter
► David Cronenberg
► Jonathan Demme

12. THRILLER OPENINGS
nception
ight Club
sycho
hutter Island
12