Thriller Sub-genre

Sub-genres: Thrillers

Narrative:

In a thriller, there tends to be a secret that needs to be revealed, or a mystery that needs to be solved (e.g. a murder); an enigma of some sort. Another generic thriller convention would be how it builds up suspense, in which peaks (climaxes) towards the end of the movie, and is then solved/sorted by the end of the film, in most cases.

Technical Aspects:

The use of sounds in Thrillers can create different atmospheres throughout the movie and is usually used to create tension. The combination of diegetic and non-diegetic sound can create a strong sense of tension. For example music getting louder and footsteps getting louder. Jumpscares are also used to create Thrillers by creating physical response from the viewers and to make a sudden change in images.

Audience Response:

All of the above is then combined to give an effective audience response such as the audience feeling fear, anger, confusion, absence of knowledge, hesitation and uncertainty, typical responses towards a thriller.

Differences:

The difference between these and action films and supernatural and horror films are that, action films have very little story and there are excuses to use Action set pieces. Horror usually uses Gore,blood and jump-scares without exposing much information to the viewers, and supernaturals lack mystery and manipulation of information.

Conventions:

• Jump Cuts
• Protagonists and Antagonists share the same features (e.g. Mills/Doe/Somerset)
• Mysterious secret Antagonist
• Sound building up tension and releasing tension (Non-diegetic)
• Location with bad living standards
• Many many enigmas
• Dark, damp, places
• Unpredictable
• Intricate detailed Plot/ story-line