An Introduction To Thrillers (Past Student Examples)

We discussed the thriller genre, and talked through the codes and conventions of thrillers. We established that the thriller is a broad genre of literature,film,and television. They can also involve sub-genres and become hybrids, for example and action-thriller. If a film thrills the audience, then it is classed as a thriller.

Some other conventions include:

-Unusual angles

-Flashbacks

-Tense atmosphere

-Ambiguous endings/ Cliffhangers

-Plot twists

-Realistic situations - can relate to the film

-P.O.V. of villain

-Fast camera work

-Villain character

-Dark lighting

-Climax

-Mystery/ Slow revealing plot

-Jumpy music

-Supernatural

-Puzzles

We then look at some examples of past student thriller films and discussed what we liked and what we thought could of been improved.

Passion Productions:

Passion Productions from BDC on Vimeo.

I liked this film a lot. It told enough of the plot line to make the audience interested when the aspect of mystery was added into the film. There were three characters in the film, but not a lot is given away about any of them. You don't know what happened to the father, you get the sense that something has happened to the girl but not what, and the voice-over obviously has something to do with the girl, but you don't know the connection. I thought that the use of black and white was effective.

Taken:

Taken from BDC on Vimeo.

I thought that the choice and the use of music in this piece was really effective, as it set the audience in the appropriate frame of mind for a tense atmosphere, however, it stops and starts quite abruptly in certain parts of the film, which spoils the atmosphere slightly. Although, the fact that the music stops very suddenly when the girl finds the photographs is very effective. I thought that the film ended in awkward place, but it does leave the audience feeling curious.