Thriller Genre Codes and Conventions

Thriller films would most likely consists of low key lighting, shadows, editing, quick cuts, mirrors, changes in camera angle, tension music, stairs, flashbacks, use of photographs, black and white, disorientation of time. Thriller films also focus mainly on editing and sound. Editing in thrillers would tend to be fast paced jump cuts. This is to create a sense of tension and suspense. Tension and suspense is very significant in thriller films. They are often used during an important or particularly ‘thrilling’ scene mostly during an attack on the victim and is normally used with the opening credits.

Shadows and lighting are conventions they are exaggerated by the use of the colours black and white.  Shadows are closely related with low key lighting and are used as a convention of a thriller film. They are used to represent the inner darkness within characters and can also add to tension and eeriness that was created. The use of low key lighting creates a heavier tone and the dominant colour is usually black. Low Key images are also notable for a great deal of contrast that they display.

Flashbacks contribute to a sense of time bieng disrupted and this confuses the audience which would allow them toreel them in the story. It is also a convention of a thriller film because it can display what has happened in the past to give the audience an insight into characters’ pasts and allow the audience to understand more of the narrative.

In thrillers mirrors and stairs are used quite often mostly used in psychological thrillers this all relates to the iconography of thrillers. Mirrors are used as a convention of a thriller film through the use of reflection of the character's inner self this allows the audience to understand the character's indentity. Mirrors represent the darkness within some characters.

The codes and conventions within a thriller mainly allows a female protagonist to be a victim of a dominant male character, this enables the audiences to familiar themselves with the stereotypes as females are always vulnerable dependent victims, and the dominant male figures as being dominant. This is then highlighted by the use of camera angles. The dominant character which is the killer would be seen on a low angle shot to create an illusion of the character being bigger than his/her actual size and a high angle shot to the victim to create the opposite effect.

There are certain elements to a thriller that help distinguish them from other similar genres. There are mainly surprises and twist anything that is able to engage the audience and plays with their mind. Music is always essential it helps to build up tension and the use of lighting helps to create shadows which gives the thriller that mystery. We normally see a huge part of the thriller from the killer’s point of view which allows the thriller to be more menacing. There is also a lot of continuity editing and montage sequencing to help pass time and not extend the storyline. There are so a lot of flashbacks to help clarify and develop the story. These are all use to keep the audience interested and constantly make them think.