THRILLER STORY CHEAT SHEET

“The thriller is the story form of our time because it concerns the individual coping with omnipresent and often
difficult to even comprehend antagonism. The external becomes internal, forcing the protagonist to make
fundamental choices to unleash critical gifts..”​ —Shawn Coyne
The THRILLER is an arch-plot (Hero's Journey) external genre combining the primal genres (Action, Horror, and
Crime) into a disturbing, realistic ​catharsis ​that reaffirms the sanctity of the individual in mass society.
GLOBAL VALUE: Life and Death

A thriller story need not reach actual damnation, but the potential and the vehicle for damnation must be expressed. (E.g., the cop
who lets a victim die because he won’t act is damned. Redemption stories concern a protagonist who is living in damnation.)
CONTROLLING IDEA CORE EMOTION
Positive​: Life is preserved when the Protagonist Excitement
unleashes his or her special gift. People choose a Thriller story to experience thrills
Negative​: Death or damnation triumphs when the without risk, and to feel the catharsis that reaffirms the
Protagonist fails to unleash his or her special gift. sanctity of the individual in mass society.
OBLIGATORY SCENES CONVENTIONS
● An Inciting Crime indicative of a master Villain. There ● MacGuffin: This is the Villain’s Object of Desire, what
must be victims. he or she wants.
● Speech in Praise of the Villain: speech by a character, ● Investigative Red Herrings: seemingly revelatory false
or a revelation, that praises the cunning/brilliance of clues that mislead the Protagonist.
the villain. ● Making it Personal: The Villain takes the Hero's fight as
● The Hero/Protagonist becomes the Victim. A scene a personal affront and wants to not only beat the Hero
reveals that the Villain makes his crimes personal to but make it painful for the hero as well.
the Hero and the Hero becomes the primary Victim. ● Clock: there is a limited time for the Hero to act; failing
● The Hero at the Mercy of the Villain. The core event of to act burns precious time.
the Thriller, the All is Lost Moment when the Hero
unleashes his or her gift.
● False Ending (there must be two endings).

THRILLER​ ​SUBGENRES
The subgenre of the Thriller is often determined by the setting.
● Serial Killer​: ​Red Dragon ● Military​: ​Seven Days in May
● Medical: ​Coma ● Political​: ​Marathon Man
● Legal: ​And Justice for All ● Journalism​: ​The Scarecrow
● Psychological: ​Primal Fear ● Financial:​ ​Numbered Account
● Espionage:​ ​The Bourne Identity ● Woman in Jeopardy:​ ​Sleeping with the Enemy
● Child in Jeopardy:​ ​The Client ● Hitchcock:​ ​A Coffin for Dimitrios