Harry Sandall Foundation Production: What Makes A Thriller A Thriller?

Thrillers

Sense of Mystery
Protagonists(s)
Antagonists(s)
Tension
Dramatic Sound Effects
Crime
Fast-paced
Cliffhangers
Plot-Twists

How Does It Make You Feel?

Frightened
Disturbed
Scared
Shocked
Edge of your seat
Heart-raising
Suspenseful
Psychological
Curios
Fearful
Jumpy
Nervous

Typical Narrative Of Thrillers

Beginning

Meet Characters
Often goes to films key locations/settings for the first time
Find out what the initial problem is

Middle

Betrayals
Meet villain-uncover their motive
Try to solve an issue or murder
Lots of action or suspense.

End

Solve issue
Cliffhangers
Another issue comes up
Stop or kill villain or he/she gets away

Example: The Woman In Black

Mise-En-Scene Of Thrillers

Lighting is often jumpy or dark- low visibility
lots of or a lack of weapons for the protagonists
Lots of bangs or sirens if the thriller is action based
Lots of scratchy and unnerving noises if thriller if horror or physiological based
Costumes are usually of uniforms or organisations such as police or a secret cult
Props are period specific, e.g a Bolt-Action Rifle for a 1920's set thriller, an Assault-Rifle for a modern day set thriller, and a Laser Gun for a sci-fi/futuristic thriller
Lots of silences followed by large noises to create tension
Wide-shots and extreme close-ups are common
Setting is either bright and affluent or dark and run-down
Emotion is often fearful or anxious

Example: Silent Hill

Characters

Protagonist- Skilful/clever/witty. This is emphasized upon by his facial expressions that somehow relay signs of intelligence and cunning, which further boosts the feeling of the character being a hero. This overall is imposed to the viewer due to their demeanour and actions alongside their facial expressions that are never usually of confusion or dumbfoundness, showing further conventions of the thriller genre

Antagonist-Skilled/Smart. Physiologically Disturbed. This is emphasized by their wild eyes and a sense of almost animal-like ambitions hidden beneath them. Also, they seam to have a slick or sometimes unkempt appearance to make them look slightly odd and disturbed to distinguish them from other character's and to make them even stranger. Also, underneath it all, they have a more intellectual side to them as well as the hidden rage within as they can often find ways to evade or escape the protagonist or ways to set up gruesome killing or rituals.