The Thriller genre first became popular in the 1920’s-1930’s with films such as ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much’ by Alfred Hitchcock (1934) and ‘The Human.

The Thriller genre first became popular in the 1920’s-1930’s with films such as ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much’ by Alfred Hitchcock (1934) and ‘The Human Monster’ by Walter Summers (1939). From then on the genre has been one of the most successful and widely watched in the cinematic industry.Thrillers are designed to grip the audience with their fast paced plots and intricate storylines. The Thriller genre covers a huge range of films because of it’s ability to merge two or more genres into one film, this is called a hybrids. Thrillers offer the audience a restricted knowledge of what is coming next in the plot, leaving them just as bewildered as the characters in the film. This creates a connection between the audience and the characters as the emotions of the characters are projected onto the audience. Thrillers work on two levels; ‘thrills’ and the psychological experience- the audience feel constant anxiety from the twists and turns in the narrative which provoke an emotional response.

• Crime• Medical• Eco/Natural Disaster • Romance ‘gone bad/Stalker• Serial Killer• Psychological• Legal • Spy• Action• Horror• Adventure• Sci-fi • Mystery • War• Drama• Comedy• Fantasy

Drama, Horror, ThrillerAction, Crime, Thriller

Comedy, Horror, ThrillerAction, Adventure, Crime, ThrillerHorror, Mystery, Thriller

• Complex structure - Red herrings, dubbed McGuffins etc.• Keeps audience in suspense• Twists and turns in narrative• Plot builds towards plot climax-with smaller ones with in storylines.• Restricted narrative - questions left unanswered, audience only knows what characters know etc

Todorov’s Narrative

Mise en Scene (French for placing on stage) describes everything on set that has been deliberately included in the film to make it look authentic. Mise en Scene includes; set design, lighting, costume, hair and make-up, acting and filmstock, to name a few. •Set design is all of the props that make up the locations of a film, crucial for filming scenes that must be filmed in a studio as opposed to on set, e.g a si-fi would be filmed in a studio with the surrounding props making it look as though the characters are in space. •Lighting sets the mood of the scene or the whole film. A harsh white light could reflect danger in a thriller or horror where as a rom-com might use an orangey light to portray the romantic, positive mood, like in ‘P.S I Love You’.•Costume is key for establishing what kind of person a character is; their occupation, class, and values can all be reflected in the clothes they wear.•Hair and Make-up is just as important as the costumes as they have the same effect, but in a more subtle way adding to the authenticity of the film. •Acting is one of the main aspects of a film.•Filmstock is the terminology for a film which is in black and white, has a fine grain, or is in colour.

In Shutter Island the two detectives personalities are reflected in their costumes. On the left, the character is dressed very smartly and very traditionally compared to the man on the right who wears a slightly odd combination of clothes. The character’s tie suggests to his unconventional style of interrogation and to what we later find out to be his mental instability.

In the orphan the main character is portrayed wearing extremely dated clothing. This contrasts the date within the narrative as it is set in the current day which makes the girl seem very mysterious and draws your attention to her.

Gus are often featured in Thriller films as they often lead to violence or death which are two main themes in the Thriller genre.

Fast cars are commonly used as get-away vehicles in thrillers. The colour of the car often reflects the feel of the film. Expensive cars also have strong connotations with power and wealth, which are very influential factors in thrillers.

Knives are also strongly linked to violence and death, they present a more gory/horrific side to the thriller genre. Knives can be featured in many different types of thriller films with sub-genres as they are accessible to anyone, rather than a gun which is less accessible.

Secret notes are often used to pass on crucial information to individual characters. They often have key information or clues which change the way you see the plot.

The Dark Knight

Se7en

Black SwanThe Hurt Locker

Many Thrillers edit the colour of shots in the film to emphasise an ongoing element that gives the film its ‘personality’. For example in ‘The Dark Knight’ there is a greenish-blue tint to the picture, this has an almost subliminal affect on the audience, as they recognise these colours and the connotations they have. Blue is often associated with cold, green is quite sickly and linked to envy – all these are commonly seen as negative emotions. Thrillers use the colouring of the film to enhance the ambiance the director set out to achieve.

In ‘Black Swan’ the contrast between the colours has been intensified to project the crazed emotions felt by the main character. This gives the picture a harsh feel to it which reflects the raw intensity of the film. ‘The Hurt Locker’ has a very muted picture, giving it a very baron feel. The low saturation of the picture portrays the emotions of the characters well as it looks very bleak desolate. ‘Se7en’ has a very yellowish colouring, yellow often has positive connotations, but in this case the yellow is a very grotesque shade, giving the picture a very vulgar tone to it.

Sound is one of the most important elements in a Thriller is it is a key factor needed when building suspense in the audience. Both Diegetic (e.g. footsteps) and Non-Diegetic sounds (music made for film) are crucial when creating an atmosphere in a Thriller, from rattling chains to the sound of eerie violins within a huge orchestra, every sound has a critical role to play.

The music in a Thriller is a device used to guide the audiences emotions. It acts almost like a sign post which tells the audience how the director wants them to react at certain points in the film. The music in a films opening scene, if there is any, plays an important role as it can often become one of the most famous aspects of a film e.g.; the music for the shower scene in the film ‘Psycho’ has become one of the film’s most recognizable features as the screeching sound of the violins really emphasizes the suspense in that classic scene. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF_6gI0xHzw

Different music can drastically change how the audience perceive a specific scene; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NybIXnDKCp8&feature=relmfuHere we assume the two characters in this scene are lovers and are desperately trying to get on the same boat. The audience see the connection between the two characters and have empathy for the couple. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdhAJx_zgsAThis clip shows the same scene with different music, the atmosphere of the scene has changed completely, the sense of urgency is portrayed to the audience by the choice of music and makes the scene feel very fast paced and important like it is part of a crime/thriller/spy film.

Cinematography refers to the creative use of camera angles,

shots, filming techniqueslighting and many more when

making a movie.

From the film ‘Brick’, an example of the rule of thirds, leaving room for further action to ‘take stage’ in the empty space adding layers of interest to the shot.

In Donnie Darko, the camera pans towards the subject, this shot establishes the location of the scene and then the character. It adds an element of mystery and makes the audience want to know more about the character and why he is in that situation.

In the chase scene of Batman Begins , a dolly zoom is used to portray the shock of the character on screen.The ‘virago affect’ is created by slowly zooming in while moving the camera in the opposite direction.

Typically, the narrative of a thriller is centred around a crime that has taken place of that takes place throughout the duration of the film. In many cases this crime would be a murder.Thrillers use a complex narrative structure, using techniques such as false paths, clues, resolutions and miniature climaxes leading up the the final climax of the film.Thrillers often display extraordinary events happening in very ordinary places such as a quiet neighbourhood or in a noisy city. By doing this, the aspect of fear and danger are introduced to placed typically thought of as safe locations.In the thriller genre there is always a protagonist who becomes disempowered or put at a disadvantage by the antagonist, the plot often follows the protagonist’s struggle to regain their power or even just get back to their normal way of life. The protagonist often has some sort of flaw which is explored by the antagonist and the titles commonly reflect the pro/antagonist’s mind set.

Todorov’s narrative in relation to the film Harry Brown

Saddened by his wife’s death, Harry Brown confides in his best friend. They talk about life and his friend reveals he lives in fear of the violent youths that live in their area.

Harry Brown is informed by the police that his best friend has been murdered. After hearing this he goes to a crack den intending to buy a gun to protect himself. He is so angered my what he sees there he kills both the drug dealers and takes a girl to hospital who is overdosing on heroine.

As Harry Brown’s friend is out late one night, slightly drunk, he is stopped by the young offenders he’d mentioned to Harry and is told to give them his wallet. The drunk old man reacts to this by shouting at them and a conflict begins. In the end the man is stabbed and left to die. All of which one of the youths captured on a phone camera.Harry decides to seek

revenge on the youths he is certain murdered his friend. He had served for the Royal Marines in the past and knew how to kill people. He uses this to gather the information he needs to hunt down the people involved.

Once Harry succeeds in killing the antagonists everything seems to go back to normal, his local community actually appears better off. Even though we see his actions are still lodged in his memory.

Suitable for allIt is impossible to predict what might upset any particular child. But a ‘U’ film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over. ‘U’ films should be set within a positive moral framework and should offer reassuring counterbalances to any violence, threat or horror. If a work is particularly suitable for a pre-school child to view alone, this will be indicated in the Consumer Advice.Parental GuidanceGeneral viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. Unaccompanied children of any age may watch. A ‘PG’ film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. However, parents are advised to consider whether the content may upset younger or more sensitive children.Suitable for 12 years and overExactly the same criteria are used to classify works at ‘12A’ and ‘12’. These categories are awarded where the material is suitable, in general, only for those aged 12 and over. Works classified at these categories may upset children under 12 or contain material which many parents will find unsuitable for them. The ‘12A’ category exists only for cinema films. No one younger than 12 may see a ‘12A’ film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult, and films classified ‘12A’ are not recommended for a child below 12. An adult may take a younger child if, in their judgment, the film is suitable for that particular child. In such circumstances, responsibility for allowing a child under 12 to view lies with the accompanying adult. The ‘12’ category exists only for video works. No one younger than 12 may rent or buy a ‘12’ rated video work.

Suitable only for 15 years or overNo-one younger than 15 may see a ‘15’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 15 may rent or buy a ‘15’ rated video work.

Suitable only for adultsNo-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 18 may rent or buy an ‘18’ rated video work.

To be shown only in specially licensed cinemas, or supplied only in licensed sex shops, and to adults of not less than 18 years.The ‘R18’ category is a special and legally restricted classification primarily for explicit works of consenting sex or strong fetish material involving adults. Films may only be shown to adults in specially licensed cinemas, and video works may be supplied to adults only in licensed sex shops. ‘R18’ videos may not be supplied by mail order.

Rating definition on www.bbfc.co.uk

Thrillers are typically watched by a young (15-30) or middle aged (30-50) audience. The young audience is old enough to appreciate the detailed plots typical of thrillers, but also love the action in and intensity of the narrative. The middle aged audience would enjoy the intricate plots and story lines. The male audience would be attracted to the thriller genre because of the violent action scenes often featured in thrillers. The female audience would be attracted to the strong male role of the hero that most thrillers feature as well as the thought provoking plots and admirable character roles.

Thrillers are usually certificated 12, 15 or 18; this is because some scenes may not be deemed appropriate for young children as they often feature; violence, sex, drug and weapon abuse, and strong language.

• Sub-genre – Crime/Drama/Thriller• Certificate – 18• Drug abuse – graphic scenes of drug taking, film does not promote the taking of drugs but is

featured a lot in the film as a portrayal of the kind of community • Strong language – • Sex/Sexual assault – • Violence – • Crime –

Horror/Thriller which follows the life of a young girl who suffers form Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, the film would be split into three or four sections as plot jumps forward five or ten years to show how this girls condition gets progressively worse and how. This would be indicated to the audience with a title at the start of each age jump with the girls age, date and her current location, along with a mini ending to the previous scene and a prolonged pause of about two seconds to show clearly where a part of her life ends and begins. The girl is consistently bullied because of her need to clean objects around her. When she attended school, children would through her bag in the mud or draw on her books. As she became older her need to clean things got worse and she found herself obsessing over other things like aliening pens, shoes and anything else she could. She then found herself feeling as though she needed to alien things she couldn’t easily correct, such as fence posts and parked cars, the psychological agony she felt when she couldn’t correct objects slowly turned her insane. She then became fixated with the number three, and slowly her twisted mind decided that everything around her must be in groups of three, including the families living around her in their small village.

I got my inspiration for this idea from ‘Black swan’ as it features a woman driven insane by her own thoughts and obsession with becoming the perfect ballerina, and ‘Se7en’ as the opening title sequence shows the antagonist’s hands acting out different tasks in intricate detail and in a very unsettling manor.