A thriller is a type of genre that is designed to create suspense within the viewers using suspenseful and sensational action. In my opinion Thrillers strive to startle, shock and scare, but that doesn’t need disgust like the conventions of a typical horror movie.They stimulate the viewers mood by giving them high level of surprise, anxiety and anticipation.
The plot is concentrated on quickly moving action, danger, and high stakes. The main characters always have something threatening their lives and it is very much a rush against time. The characters do not lead a normal everyday life, or at least if they started out leading one of normality something comes along and changes it. Conventionally, the narrative in a thriller is usually in non chronological order to confuse and build tension for the audience.
What does a thriller film need to achieve?
A thriller film hooks the audience and keep them on edge, building tension and suspense and t does this by hiding information or identities from the audience to heighten the interest of audience. For example it will include misleading information to take the audience off track and confused.
Conventional Themes and Characters of a Thriller include:
- Ransom
- Kidnapping
- Mind-games
- Death-traps
- Paranoia
- Protagonist, Antagonists, Authority (eg. Police), figure of innocence
- Death, conflict
- Quests, mysteries
Technical Elements:
- Mise-en-Scene – Settings- Forest, Houses, Abandoned places
- Weapons and Blood: Danger
- Costume: (e.g. antagonist- dark clothing to connote danger and death)
- Low key lighting (Shadows: mystery, tension. Flashing lights: tension, unknown)
- Sound – Slow/fast music: tension building
- Cinematography – Camera shots (Hand held camera, Point of View, Close-ups)
- Canted angle – shows things are abnormal, distorted
- Timings of shots (Fast: short takes)
- Editing – Fast paced, lots of cuts: tension
Crime Thriller
The thriller genre may include sub-genres and hybrids. This is defined as the merger of one genre with other genres such as mystery horror and more.
Ok, so taking all of the above into account, a crime thriller is basically a thriller that concentrates on the impact of a crime on the protagonist. It is not always necessary that the perpetrator of the crime be kept secret, though this can also be a staple ingredient. This is inclusive of the mystery genre as well!
My opening sequence uses this sub genre as the antagonist is not shown through out. I had hidden his identity through out to give an adrenaline rush in the audience, thi i believe would make them interested and interred toknow what happens next.
Alizay Imam Rizvi 