Media Studies

Simran Kabotra

Genre Research (Thriller)

Thriller is a given genre title that consists of suspense, adrenaline and excitement creating surprise, unease and fear for the audience. Thriller was first brought to screens in 1926 with The Lodger by Alfred Hitchcock which was derived from the infamous Jack the Ripper. Many thriller films are adapted through poems and books which provide basic storylines to which apprehension and tension are further added through editing and sound post production. However, the suspense and tension will not be throughout the whole film; it will be placed at unexpectedly different times to catch the audience off guard, filling them with uneasiness and trepidation. All through the film, the audiences thoughts and feelings will be erratic and perched due to the change of atmosphere the film created, successfully making the film into, what we know as, a thriller. We have decided to use this genre as it includes action as well as suspense rather than relying on blood and gore to create fear in people. We also believed that thriller would be more entertaining without making the audience clench their stomachs with disgust as it only makes them think about the storyline and characters motives while still adding the sense of fear thrillers are f amous for. Throughout the years, there have been many films that come under the genre of Thriller (sub-genres) such as: comedy thriller, conspiracy thriller, crime thriller, erotic thriller, legal thriller, political thriller, psychological thriller, spy thriller, supernatural thriller, and techno thriller. Our opening sequence is crime thriller as it involves a stalker wanting to kill young girls. Codes and Conventions The narrative of thrillers usually consists of using dramatic irony where the protagonist doesnt know he/she is in danger. The dangers characters usually faces are kidnapping, stalking or terrorism in which chases and action are included. The audience will see the narrative from the protagonists point of view however there will b e some parts where the audience is given an insight to what the antagonist is doing/preparing. Another common narrative used in thrillers is when a character is placed in a dangerous, threatening situation to which the audience follows his/her journey to escape which deems impossible. All these narratives are filled with suspense, jump-scares and anticipation to hold the audiences attention. The majority part of where the daunting scenes are filmed is in a location that gives of a sinister, dark, derelict or dangerous atmosphere. This would mean that the audience will understand that something threatening could be lurking in the shadows emphasised through the power of uncertainty. The colours used are often dark colours as well as black (used to signify something as eerie), white, blue and red (to signify blood or danger). The lighting used is often dark and dull

Media Studies

Simran Kabotra

using low key lighting to illustrate the darkness in a character or to create suspense by not showing all there is. The sounds used in thriller films include a fast paced strings section where the filmmakers want the audience to feel fearful or anxious which is a key part in creating suspense and excitement. The music is quiet at first and then quickly builds up; matching the action of the film which is a connotation of danger and trouble where the character will have to act and think quickly. Slow scenes include diegetic sounds but when there is a suspenseful scene, non diegetic sounds are used to emphasise the feeling of the atmosphere. High pitched sounds or childish laughter is often used to portray a creepy, unnatural feel to raise the heart rates of spectators. Canted and shaky camera angles are used as a connotation to mean instability and imbalance. Tension is important within the film as it keeps the suspense at a steady rate and then when there is action, the will be an explosion of anxiousness and fear to which the audience will be unsuspecting towards. Shadows are used frequently used to add darkness and create an eerie tension which connotes the unknown and ambiguous circumstance and answers. Also, mirrors are used to illustrate what the character is perceived as and what hidden persona they have which also foreshadows the dark nature the character will have in the future. Editing conventions used include quick cuts and fluctuating camera angles to create an unexpected and uncomfortable movement to disorientate the audience and creates on screen tension. Flashbacks are used to piece together different parts of the film in order for it to make sense for the viewer and it is also used to give an insight to what a characters life was like in the past. Within thrillers, a plot twist is included to take the audience by surprise which can also connote to fear being unexpected and hidden in different ways. Top 10 Thriller Films 1) The Dark Knight (2008) 2) The Dark Knight Rises (2012) 3) The Hunger Games (2012) 4) Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) 5) Transformers (2007) 6) Skyfall (2012) 7) The Sixth Sense (1999) 8) Inception (2010) 9) Jaws (1975) 10) I Am Legend (2007) Results based on Top 10 US Box Office
http://www.imdb.com/search/title?at=0&genres=thriller&num_votes=1000,&sort=boxoffice_gross_ us&title_type=feature