Further Research into Genre Thriller - Jasmine Stainton

Thriller

Storyline:

Thrillers usually include a protagonist trying to complete a task in a given time, and an antagonist trying to stop them. The storyline is tense, building up to a climax where the protagonist and antagonist face each other in a battle of some sort. The protagonist wants to restore peace and justice, whereas the antagonist wants to destroy it. An example of this type of thriller is The Dark Knight films.

Editing:

Mise-en-scene and the way the film is shot play a big part in the making of thrillers as these techniques help to build the tension that makes the film thrilling. Some characteristics of the shots and mise-en-scene used in thrillers are:

• Short, sharp shots
• Choppy cuts in editing
• Varying angles of shots/changes in angle/canted angle
• Low key lighting
• Sometimes under exposed
• Black and white shots
• Changes in timeline/flashbacks
• Tense music
• Match on action

These characteristics are not unique to thrillers, but they help in building a sense of tension and unease. The audience is aware that things such as quick cuts, low key lighting, and tense music mean that something significant is about to happen. Flashbacks allow the audience to see what has previously happened, which means they can build up a better understanding of the story. The storyline will have a realistic element to scare the audience as they know it could happen to them.

Shots:

Thrillers use a lot of close ups to show the emotion of characters, particularly the hero, and also to highlight the importance of an object or prop. Shots will often quickly cut away from the villain to hide their identity. Jump cutting and cross cutting are used a lot to build pace and tension.

Character conventions:

The protagonist is often a brave, handsome man that has some sort of skills that stand him apart from other people. This could be a superpower, like Peter Parker in Spiderman, a special set of skills, like Bryan Mills in Taken, or a billionaire, like Bruce Wayne in Batman. The protagonist usually has a moral battle with themselves during the film and often questions what they are doing. However that audience is aware that they are seeking peace and justice, which is what makes them the hero in the film. The antagonist has a secret identity, like the Joker, that the audience will discover more about throughout the film. They are often seeking revenge for past experiences or had a bad upbringing. Although the audience is allowed to discover their past, the antagonist is still portrayed as a villain as they are seeking to destroy peace and harmony. The director has as big part to play in the perception of characters as they can use different techniques to present the characters.