Conventions Of A Thriller

Conventions Of A Thriller

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  Conventions of athriller / horror film By Ellie Addison
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  Audience • From lookingat some research it seems many horror / thriller films appeal mainly to men aged between 16-25 and also some women in this age group. This is also reflected by some film’s viewing ratings being 15 and 21.
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  Typical Settings • Frommy research I found that many horror films were set in isolated and secluded areas such as forests. • Typically within the horror films I researched, the director used dark alleyways and streets to set an eerie atmosphere. • In some films there was use of settings which connote a dark atmosphere such as graveyards and derelict buildings.
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  Characters • From watchinghorror films it seems there is always a victim that turns into a hero by the end of the film. (The protagonist.) • A villain that is usually presented as a total psychopath. E.g. a serial killer. • Innocent children and members of the public which usually are abused by the villain. • Police officers which usually try to solve the crimes. However in some films are corrupt.
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  Typical Narrative • Manyhorror films such as Halloween are left without closure so a sequel can be made. • Normally the main protagonist goes on a quest or journey to kill or solve the problems that the villain has caused. • Many thriller / horror films included lots of dynamic action to interest the audience.
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  Themes The horror /thriller genre is incredibly broad and therefore has lots of themes all appealing to different audiences. Some of these themes are: • Good versus evil (binary opposites) • Nightmares • Insanity • After life
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  Shot types, lightingetc. • Dark and shadowy lighting otherwise known as low-key lighting which creates a dark and eerie atmosphere which relates to the genre. • POV shots gives the audience a sense of realism. • Low-angle shots can be used to make the villain look imposing and superior. • Hand-held camera shots give a sense of realism and also the shakiness can give a sense of something being wrong and can show a state of panic.
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  Editing • Sometimes certainshots are put into slow-motion to build tension and to make the action seem even more significant. • Editing the shots so they cover a long period of time helps the audience establish what exactly is happening. • However fast-paced shots which are edited in a way that makes them flow quickly gives a real sense of drama and action. The fast-paced shots can also connote urgency and panic.
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  Diegetic Sound • Theseare sounds coming from within the shot which could have been purposely filmed to create a particular atmosphere. These could be: • Dialogue between characters • Screaming / shouting from characters • Doors slamming • Leaves rustling • Traffic
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  Non-Diegetic Sound • Theseare sounds that have been edited onto certain shots to create a particular atmosphere. These could be: • Music soundtrack overlaid onto shots (usually dark and dramatic) • A Foley or sound effect. E.g. screaming, keyboard tapping, birds screeching, phone ringing. • Voice overs which is dialogue recorded and laid over certain clips. These are sometimes done to make the dialogue clearer.
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  Examples of thrillerfilms: