1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms of thriller and conventions of real media products?
A thriller contains a few needed aspects, most importantly is suspense building up tension pushing the plot along, another important factor is to create an enigma that our protagonist has to solve and finally finishing with a big climax at the end when the situation is over. There are two forms of thriller, historical and contemporary thrillers. Historical thrillers cause suspense and tension produced in the past. An example of a historical thriller can be ‘psycho’, made by the grandfather of the thriller genre Alfred Hitchcock. Contemporary thrillers are modern, and have you sitting at the edge of your seat with suspense filled, sophisticated narratives, however often may contain typical or even stereotypical themes. Examples of contemporary thriller themes can be espionage or political terrorism such as ‘James bond’
In our group we decided to make a contemporary/modern thriller on urban street life, our media product uses, develops and challenges forms and conventions of real media products.
Our modern thriller is about the drug and knife/violence crime in the UK, a thriller theme that we chose to use, often used in contemporary thrillers. For example, we tried to create a similar outcome to ‘kidulthood’ in the terms of the style of its theme because of it great popularity of its target audience. We also tried to incorporate more conventions of the thriller genre such as suspense to keep the audience involved in the narrative and keep them attracted, Quentin Tarentino done this very efficiently in ‘reservoir’ dogs with its twisting plot and sophisticated narrative. Our product is similar to this aspect and forms of thriller in the terms that the narrative is being pushed along by suspense. We used more conventions of the thriller genre, such as using DV cameras to have the grainy video with edgy movements to add the realism of London exfoliating its dispositions. The result of this was a more unfriendly picture, many thriller films use techniques such as obscure angled close ups for a dramatic, uneasy effect during the climax or after to slow its pace .Unlike many media products, Hollywood uses celluloid, the best quality video creating a perfect environment, and this is the opposite of what we wanted. Certain thriller techniques such as point of view shots and over the shoulder shots were used along with dramatic irony to increase suspense to create the tense atmosphere needed with the mise-en-scene and the characters. This is using the conventions of the thriller genre as suspense is a very common technique to increase tension. We used typical conventions of a thriller such as quick cuts with obscure camera angles, uneasy sound, and unfriendly sets to create an edgy feeling.
Our media product challenges Hitchcock’s historical thriller form and some aspects of the conventional form. Firstly it does not follow Hitchcock’s conventions of the historical thriller with his famous “psycho” were the pace is slow until it is increased slowly with a high climax. And it also differs from the contemporary thrillers such as the ‘James bond’ series, were the protagonist just about solves the enigma in a climax. Our media product is almost the opposite were the pace is set fast from the start, ending with a cliff-hanger were the audience can think what they want. We done this to not provoke the audience, and like ‘kidulthood’ and ‘adulthood’ the audience can believe the best outcome.
However our media product does not directly challenge forms of representations such as having a female protagonist but rather develops them. The characters who acted in our film were chosen accordingly making sure they were dressed and spoke appropriately to fit in with the narrative. We chose to use a typical stereotype for the characters to provoke and also to add realism to the fact that any ‘hoodlum’ could be a suspect of this behaviour. These white hooded males fitted in perfectly in the gritty suburbs of London, not challenging conventions, but developing them, creating a stereotype such as hooded males are more likely to commit crime.
We also introduced a score that at the same time as creating tension in the audience would be the kind of music teenagers would listen to, allowing the audience to relate more. The score would be increased and decreased depending on the tension; however this challenges forms of score in thrillers. Hitchcock for example in ‘psycho’ used a slow, uneasy orchestra to build up the tension and for a climax he used loud violin stabs. However in our media product we have an upbeat urban score pushing our plot along with little time to pause, suggesting a state of flux were everything is in motion like the city. The result of this, like ‘kidulthood’ is that the target youth are very engaged with the score and relate to it.
2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
Films that are similar and influenced our outcome were films such as ‘kidult hood’ and ‘adulthood’ that used similar techniques including a score that the target audience would relate to. Our theme relates to two types of crime that are most likely crimes to be committed by the teenage population, our target audience. Our media product represents hooded teenage males directly. We used male ‘hoodies’ as characters showing the stereotypical crime offenders, however most people would argue that young black males are more likely to be represented as breaking the law. We done this to imply that ethnic differences don’t make a difference, however I believe there is a lack of diversity in race in our product. Our media product represents the youth in a negative way; however it is important to remember that the majority of social groups are not represented. The message in our media product can actually educate the youth, and breaking the law will lead to prison. The actors in our product were also teenagers to exaggerate the stereotype of young offenders, if youth is represented; it is much more likely that our target audience would be able to relate to our product and be influenced.
3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
4. Who would be the audience for your media product?
If produced in Britain it could be a large success to show in large chains of cinemas such as Vue for our under 18 audience, this is the mass market,. We have checked and used regulatory concerns of the BBFC and have made sure our audience is targeted for 15+. It is clear now that the target audiences are teenagers.
If a media institution was to distribute our media product it would have to be mainstream, however it had a low budget and gritty style our target audience is the youth and this is the majority of the market, to distribute it mainstream is most efficient for the largest audience. Our media institution could distribute our product to all cinemas and with recent technology there could be trailers and advertisements on the internet via video sharing sites or even film festivals. Usually mainstream productions have high budgets and are usually involved in high quality blockbuster Hollywood movies such as ‘X-men’; these films are the distributed to all the major cinema chains for the mass market usually heavily influenced by money.
Art house institutions are more concerned in an individuals directing, interpretations and implications of the film, often with a hidden meaning in the media product. Many films like these are distributed to independent cinemas and rarely to mainstream cinemas, this is for the minority of the audience more as art.
5. How did you attract/address your audience?
I addressed my audience by making our media product represents teenagers directly, we strived for accuracy in these representations so they can be clearly identified. One large factor in attracting our audience that we used was suspense; this pushed our plot along and kept the audience engaged. The increase of the score as tension rose ensured this suspense and apprehension. A second way of keeping the target audience engaged was the use of its original score, mentioned before ‘kidulthood’ was very popular with its scores on the target market. We took this idea and used an urban beat as a score, making our product appeal and address our audience of the youth.
6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
During the production we all have learnt about different technologies such as types of camera, types of recording techniques and even distributions of products. For example in our production we used digital video cameras, this is because we wanted a gritty, dull picture creating realism as oppose to the celluloid ‘Hollywood’ films that are much brighter showing a perfect environment, creating unrealism .e.g. ‘matrix’. One problem we encountered with our D.V cameras is that there was a lack of microphone therefore making it difficult to include lengthy dialogue in our sequence. However to overcome this problem, we used the editing software ‘i-movieHD’ to lower our realistic grainy sounds of the scene, increase our dialogue and insert our score. This non linear editing program allowed us to make big alterations and additions easily during the editing We also took advantage of today’s internet, the final cut of our thriller opening sequence are published on the video sharing site ‘YouTube’. The advantage of this is that we can continually receive audience feedback building up our research, on positives, negatives and overall what peoples opinion
7. Looking back at your preliminary task what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Compared to our approach to our preliminary task we were very efficient and productive. From our encounter with the preliminary we had many difficulties; we experienced trouble both in filming and editing. Firstly we did not check our set properly, the result of this was lighting had taken away visibility from our video, this problem was learnt and when recording our main product we extensively checked our setting and lighting. Another complication we had was with the technology; we had filmed our preliminary and then could not transfer the data from the video to the editing program. This was very frustrating, so to avoid it happening again we tested our equipment by filming a few seconds and transferred it into the editing sequence, we made sure it worked and we were ready to film. Overall I have learnt a considerable amount since the preliminary task and I believe this is visible in our final media product.
Tuesday 15 December 2009
Tuesday 31 March 2009
Characters and Locations
Now that my script and storyboard are ready I am ready to cast my characters and choose my locations for my set, I believe that it does not matter what nationality my characters are, but I do believe that it is important for them to be young characters. If the characters are young, my target audience would be able to relate these characters much more. These characters would be wearing typical urban fashion, such as caps, ‘hoodies’ and tracksuits to add the effect of realism. The way these characters are represented would work perfectly with the unpleasing mis-en-scene to produce a social realist thriller production. These are a few pictures I have taken for possible scenes but I have chosen to use the dark grimy alleyway for the most effect.
Script
SCRIPT
INT. LONDON UNDERGROUND. DAY
Opening sequence montage shots - Establishing shots. Different recognisable shots of Camden Town.
EXT. CAMDEN TOWN. Alley way, DAY
MANZA (drug dealer), goes into an alleyway where his customer, JONNY, is waiting
MANZA
"Cool!"
JONNY
"Safe!"
MANZA
"Sorry im late, I had to take care of some business"
Both characters walk off in separate directions.
EXT. IN JONNY'S FRIENDS GARDEN. NIGHT
JONNY's friend is smoking a cigarette
INT. INSIDE JONNY'S FRIENDS HOUSE. NIGHT
JONNY's friend is preparing to kill MANZA. He see's the message on his Phone, gets a knife, puts on his jacket and leaves his house.
INT. LONDON UNDERGROUND. DAY
Opening sequence montage shots - Establishing shots. Different recognisable shots of Camden Town.
EXT. CAMDEN TOWN. Alley way, DAY
MANZA (drug dealer), goes into an alleyway where his customer, JONNY, is waiting
MANZA
"Cool!"
JONNY
"Safe!"
MANZA
"Sorry im late, I had to take care of some business"
Both characters walk off in separate directions.
EXT. IN JONNY'S FRIENDS GARDEN. NIGHT
JONNY's friend is smoking a cigarette
INT. INSIDE JONNY'S FRIENDS HOUSE. NIGHT
JONNY's friend is preparing to kill MANZA. He see's the message on his Phone, gets a knife, puts on his jacket and leaves his house.
Initial ideas for my production
From my research analysis I understand the concept and conventions of the thriller genre and my analysis into relevant existing thriller films has given me examples that I can develop into my own ideas, I believe I am now ready to start planning my production with initial ideas. My research synopsis for ‘London to Brighton’ has given me the option of using a social realist thriller theme for my own production. I will try to incorporate its realism with its pricing diagetic noise and gritty visual picture by using digital video cameras with lots of hand held movement; this would interest the audience with its urban setting and realism. I believe these conventions mainly meet the typical conventions of the thriller genre because these are techniques that enhance anxiety and anticipation. However it could be argued that these conventions challenge the thriller genre due to the lack of progressive score climaxing eventually. Also like ‘From London to Brighton’ my film will have a social realism element to it in terms of the theme being about drug and street crime which I believe would be a development of the thriller genre into a hybrid genre.
The opening sequence would start with a montage of scenes or shots of the set location which will be Camden, know for its drug capital. At first the intro would be set in the underground so the audience will know the sequence is set in London but not know exactly caused apprehension.
The sequence is set in an alley way on a rainy day suggesting negativity to the audience. It begins with a crane shot of what seems to be a meeting point for two characters to set the scene for the audience. Whilst the camera pans, tilting downwards, we reach a hooded character who, it seems, is waiting for someone or something to arrive. The audience is shown another character and with a panning shot we follow him down the stairs into the same alley way. As they meet we see a close up handshake which is used to disguise an exchange of what the audience would perceive to be drugs. As we see both of them walk away after the drug deal, the camera follows both characters leave. We are then introduced to another character who is smoking outside in his back garden the camera is tilted slightly upward, this is because he is a main character and suggests he is important. The audience then see the person who we saw earlier under the bridge of a tunnel, an ideal location to represent in this social realist urban thriller because there is lots of graffiti and it is dark, a perfect place for crime. The audience is then apprehensive of the communication occurring between these two characters and we soon realist the plot when we see what might happen later and that one character has left his house with a knife. I have chosen to end my opening sequence here as a cliff-hanger to create suspense and apprehension and this is typically used in the thriller genre for the audience to make their own minds up about what happens next.
Apart from the diagetic sound to create anxiety, I will challenge thriller conventions by using popular urban music to allow the audience to relate to the realism more, this would limit my ability to control the pace of the sequence with sound but I believe the repetitive beat adds unending motion like a city to keep its pace going.
The first purpose of this opening sequence is to introduce a narrative slowly with suspension first, continuing into a fast paced thrilling film such as kidulthood, therefore I have used little dialogue to keep a fast pace and due to insufficient equipment reducing the quality of the diagetic sound.
The opening sequence would start with a montage of scenes or shots of the set location which will be Camden, know for its drug capital. At first the intro would be set in the underground so the audience will know the sequence is set in London but not know exactly caused apprehension.
The sequence is set in an alley way on a rainy day suggesting negativity to the audience. It begins with a crane shot of what seems to be a meeting point for two characters to set the scene for the audience. Whilst the camera pans, tilting downwards, we reach a hooded character who, it seems, is waiting for someone or something to arrive. The audience is shown another character and with a panning shot we follow him down the stairs into the same alley way. As they meet we see a close up handshake which is used to disguise an exchange of what the audience would perceive to be drugs. As we see both of them walk away after the drug deal, the camera follows both characters leave. We are then introduced to another character who is smoking outside in his back garden the camera is tilted slightly upward, this is because he is a main character and suggests he is important. The audience then see the person who we saw earlier under the bridge of a tunnel, an ideal location to represent in this social realist urban thriller because there is lots of graffiti and it is dark, a perfect place for crime. The audience is then apprehensive of the communication occurring between these two characters and we soon realist the plot when we see what might happen later and that one character has left his house with a knife. I have chosen to end my opening sequence here as a cliff-hanger to create suspense and apprehension and this is typically used in the thriller genre for the audience to make their own minds up about what happens next.
Apart from the diagetic sound to create anxiety, I will challenge thriller conventions by using popular urban music to allow the audience to relate to the realism more, this would limit my ability to control the pace of the sequence with sound but I believe the repetitive beat adds unending motion like a city to keep its pace going.
The first purpose of this opening sequence is to introduce a narrative slowly with suspension first, continuing into a fast paced thrilling film such as kidulthood, therefore I have used little dialogue to keep a fast pace and due to insufficient equipment reducing the quality of the diagetic sound.
Monday 26 January 2009
Audience Research
A teenage/young adult audience is most commonly drawn to the thriller genre, as most thrillers contain many elements of action, suspense and a climax that are always popular in films. There are many different types of thriller films that would appeal to different audiences, for example 'Gladiator' would appeal to a more mature audience as is filled with many aspects of historical content and films such as the 'Bourne" trilogy and "Mission Impossible" would have the younger generation holding onto their seats due to the suspense and thrills the film has to offer. Also I believe thrillers such as urban/crime thrillers, or urban drama thriller would be popular in the younger audiences as it would be something they could relate to, even just living in a city where a film is set would let the audience relate to the film.
The BBFC guidelines state that:
18+ Certification
LANGUAGE: There may be frequent use of strong language (eg 'fuck'). But the strongest terms (e.g. 'cunt') will be acceptable only where justified by the context. Continued aggressive use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable.
IMITABLE TECHNIQUES: Dangerous techniques (eg combat, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on imitable detail. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.
DRUGS: Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse
12+ Certification
Films certified 12 often have mild restrictions to strong language (eg 'fuck') therefore such words have a tendency to be used infrequently and racist remarks are a great cause for concern. These films are very strict on the violence presented in them. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood, and any misuse of drugs must be limited and should not be promoted or instructional.
15+ Certification
In such films any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, use of illegal drugs or any other activity likely to encourage bad behaviour are permitted however they have to be exceptionally justified by the content of the film.
I am aiming to target an audience of young adults at the ages of 15+. In such films we often see an interpretation of youth today, therefore allowing the aimed audience to relate to the film. These films represent teenage life and therefore attracting them to be interested in the film.
My production will instigate briefly issues of language, drugs and street life and in urban London. I did not want to class my production as neither a 12 or 18, as some issues are too harsh for a certified 12 film and I did not class it as an 18 because I believe that a 15 audience will be able to respond with issues raised in a positive manner in an attempt to raise awareness. Also the fact that the opening sequence would be based in London would give the youth something to relate to creating appeal. The theme and content will be urban; youth crime related that some of the audience would be able to directly relate to in their behaviour and its urban theme. I believe my production will be classified suitable for audiences above the age of 15 as there will be no explicit detail of the theme and the content will be appropriate for the thriller genre.
The BBFC guidelines state that:
18+ Certification
LANGUAGE: There may be frequent use of strong language (eg 'fuck'). But the strongest terms (e.g. 'cunt') will be acceptable only where justified by the context. Continued aggressive use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable.
IMITABLE TECHNIQUES: Dangerous techniques (eg combat, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on imitable detail. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.
DRUGS: Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse
12+ Certification
Films certified 12 often have mild restrictions to strong language (eg 'fuck') therefore such words have a tendency to be used infrequently and racist remarks are a great cause for concern. These films are very strict on the violence presented in them. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood, and any misuse of drugs must be limited and should not be promoted or instructional.
15+ Certification
In such films any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, use of illegal drugs or any other activity likely to encourage bad behaviour are permitted however they have to be exceptionally justified by the content of the film.
I am aiming to target an audience of young adults at the ages of 15+. In such films we often see an interpretation of youth today, therefore allowing the aimed audience to relate to the film. These films represent teenage life and therefore attracting them to be interested in the film.
My production will instigate briefly issues of language, drugs and street life and in urban London. I did not want to class my production as neither a 12 or 18, as some issues are too harsh for a certified 12 film and I did not class it as an 18 because I believe that a 15 audience will be able to respond with issues raised in a positive manner in an attempt to raise awareness. Also the fact that the opening sequence would be based in London would give the youth something to relate to creating appeal. The theme and content will be urban; youth crime related that some of the audience would be able to directly relate to in their behaviour and its urban theme. I believe my production will be classified suitable for audiences above the age of 15 as there will be no explicit detail of the theme and the content will be appropriate for the thriller genre.
Wednesday 14 January 2009
Research of the Thriller Genre
Analyses of relevant opening sequences
Key Texts: I have studied a number of openings to films of the thriller genre, these include; "Psycho" (Shower scene), "From Russia with Love", "28 days later" in the form of a textual analysis. The majority of thrillers that we have analysed consist of an enigma being formed soon after the start of the film. This enigma is rarely a good guy verses bad guy dilemma, the more the plot twists and creates suspense in this genre the better. This means an opening sequence has to propose lots of information about its mis-en-scene, and create an enigma or problem to be solved, commonly introduced by the protagonist or the antagonist. The directors also use cinematic techniques and sound conventions to introduce pace and tension and control it when it is needed.
This is the opening sequence to 'James Bond From Russia with love'
One characteristic that i will try to incorporate in my production is the suspense fullness of this opening sequence, after all the famous James Bond starting credits and theme tune we see what looks like James Bond sneaking around a garden, we soon find out that this is not the case and the audience have been deceived which is common in espionage thrillers. I will try to recreate this by keeping the theme unidentifiable in an attempt to create suspense and anticipation by introducing the mis-en-scene first and then the plot slowly. Another technique i will incorporate into my opening sequence is the purposeful lack of score until it is introduced quietly and slowly for the build up of the climax towards the plot being reveled.
This second opening sequence is the hybrid genre, social realist thriller 'From London to Brighton'
In this opening sequence i believe its thriller genre is clearly identifiable by the kinetic camera movements, grainy picture and realistic look. This film will influence my final product due to its original use of sound, the opening sequence starts with quick cutting of a graffiti filled toilet, the thriller element in this scene is that all the diagetic sound is unnaturally loud and shrill creating uneasiness. This is supported by the unappealing image we see of a beaten woman with a crying child. Another method used by the director is the immediate introduction of a situation, in this case a beaten woman with a child hiding from someone, this makes the audience automatically interested by making them think what is going on, or how did events lead up to that scene creating anticipation.
These two opening sequences are examples of thrillers that i have studied and that will influence my production, both of these opening sequences have a different approach to their opening sequences and have different effects. The 'James Bond' opening sequence has its slow building score and introductory narrative ending in a mini-climax when the audience find out that 'James Bond' is someone else wearing a mask, this results in firstly lots of suspense and tension and secondly anticipation to build up the plots puzzle in the audiences mind. On the other hand in 'From London to Brighton' there is no score, only high pitched diagetic sound and its grainy image and realistic kinetic camera movements combined with its abstract use of shot types make the audience feel uneasy. But similarly to the first opening sequence the film makes the audience want to know more about the story with anticipation.
Key Texts: I have studied a number of openings to films of the thriller genre, these include; "Psycho" (Shower scene), "From Russia with Love", "28 days later" in the form of a textual analysis. The majority of thrillers that we have analysed consist of an enigma being formed soon after the start of the film. This enigma is rarely a good guy verses bad guy dilemma, the more the plot twists and creates suspense in this genre the better. This means an opening sequence has to propose lots of information about its mis-en-scene, and create an enigma or problem to be solved, commonly introduced by the protagonist or the antagonist. The directors also use cinematic techniques and sound conventions to introduce pace and tension and control it when it is needed.
This is the opening sequence to 'James Bond From Russia with love'
One characteristic that i will try to incorporate in my production is the suspense fullness of this opening sequence, after all the famous James Bond starting credits and theme tune we see what looks like James Bond sneaking around a garden, we soon find out that this is not the case and the audience have been deceived which is common in espionage thrillers. I will try to recreate this by keeping the theme unidentifiable in an attempt to create suspense and anticipation by introducing the mis-en-scene first and then the plot slowly. Another technique i will incorporate into my opening sequence is the purposeful lack of score until it is introduced quietly and slowly for the build up of the climax towards the plot being reveled.
This second opening sequence is the hybrid genre, social realist thriller 'From London to Brighton'
In this opening sequence i believe its thriller genre is clearly identifiable by the kinetic camera movements, grainy picture and realistic look. This film will influence my final product due to its original use of sound, the opening sequence starts with quick cutting of a graffiti filled toilet, the thriller element in this scene is that all the diagetic sound is unnaturally loud and shrill creating uneasiness. This is supported by the unappealing image we see of a beaten woman with a crying child. Another method used by the director is the immediate introduction of a situation, in this case a beaten woman with a child hiding from someone, this makes the audience automatically interested by making them think what is going on, or how did events lead up to that scene creating anticipation.
These two opening sequences are examples of thrillers that i have studied and that will influence my production, both of these opening sequences have a different approach to their opening sequences and have different effects. The 'James Bond' opening sequence has its slow building score and introductory narrative ending in a mini-climax when the audience find out that 'James Bond' is someone else wearing a mask, this results in firstly lots of suspense and tension and secondly anticipation to build up the plots puzzle in the audiences mind. On the other hand in 'From London to Brighton' there is no score, only high pitched diagetic sound and its grainy image and realistic kinetic camera movements combined with its abstract use of shot types make the audience feel uneasy. But similarly to the first opening sequence the film makes the audience want to know more about the story with anticipation.
Monday 10 November 2008
Research of the Thriller Genre
Research into the Thriller Genre Conventions
Characters: The characters in thrillers are often placed in menacing situations from which escape for the protagonist seems almost impossible. The menace is often abstract, uncertain or hidden until the end, in which the antagonist’s identity is revealed. History suggests to us that women are weaker and more vulnerable and in historical thriller films it is stereotypically a man that is the antagonist and the woman who is the victim. However recently in contemporary thrillers these stereotypes are being challenged with ideas such as women protagonists and antagonists with the modern idea of a ‘femme fettle’ rising above men.
Themes: The main themes of thrillers throughout history are stalking, murder, political conspiracy, espionage, dangerous and romantic liaisons. The more contemporary modern thrillers contain themes such as terrorism, war, crime/urban themes and even extraordinary unnatural suppressing forces that would come under extraterrestrial themes.
Common cinematic techniques in thrillers: Extreme close ups, quick cut montage and the use of profiles or silhouettes of characters are used extensively to create unnatural images that create tension or uneasiness that can be witnessed in Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ shower scene. Other use of cinematic techniques to create a thriller effect can be kinetic camera movements that create realism to make the audience feel anxious. Other thriller techniques can be zoom shots, prolonged cross cutting, and quick cutting.
Common sound techniques in thrillers: Sound is very important in the thriller genre, as Hitchcock demonstrated with his violin stabs in the shower scene in ‘psycho’, just using the right sound at the right time with the right pace can create suspense and tension. This can be efficiently done by introducing a slow placed, quiet and relaxing score, eventually increasing in pace and volume to a large climax that is synchronised to the climax of the actions in the film.
Characters: The characters in thrillers are often placed in menacing situations from which escape for the protagonist seems almost impossible. The menace is often abstract, uncertain or hidden until the end, in which the antagonist’s identity is revealed. History suggests to us that women are weaker and more vulnerable and in historical thriller films it is stereotypically a man that is the antagonist and the woman who is the victim. However recently in contemporary thrillers these stereotypes are being challenged with ideas such as women protagonists and antagonists with the modern idea of a ‘femme fettle’ rising above men.
Themes: The main themes of thrillers throughout history are stalking, murder, political conspiracy, espionage, dangerous and romantic liaisons. The more contemporary modern thrillers contain themes such as terrorism, war, crime/urban themes and even extraordinary unnatural suppressing forces that would come under extraterrestrial themes.
Common cinematic techniques in thrillers: Extreme close ups, quick cut montage and the use of profiles or silhouettes of characters are used extensively to create unnatural images that create tension or uneasiness that can be witnessed in Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ shower scene. Other use of cinematic techniques to create a thriller effect can be kinetic camera movements that create realism to make the audience feel anxious. Other thriller techniques can be zoom shots, prolonged cross cutting, and quick cutting.
Common sound techniques in thrillers: Sound is very important in the thriller genre, as Hitchcock demonstrated with his violin stabs in the shower scene in ‘psycho’, just using the right sound at the right time with the right pace can create suspense and tension. This can be efficiently done by introducing a slow placed, quiet and relaxing score, eventually increasing in pace and volume to a large climax that is synchronised to the climax of the actions in the film.
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