Sunday 31 October 2010

Codes and Conventions of Thrillers

There are many aspects that create recognised effects and atmosphere the thriller genre. The aspects of the thriller genre are what create the atmosphere and tension of the the film and keep the audience interested. When used correctly these aspects create suspense and anticpations and also make hints on the plot and what is actually happening in the scene.

Light and Shadow
Shadows and low light create tension and eeriness, sometimes showing the darkness within a character
Darkness is used to give a sense of claustrophobia.

Mise-en-scene
The setting and the objects/props in it are used to help give insight into the film’s plot
As a convention of the thriller genre, mirrors are used as a reflection of the soul and inner self, sometimes representing the darkness within a character, in 'Psycho' by Alfred Hitchcock a character changes her clothes from lighter colours to darker colours while standing in front of the mirrors showing her change from pure to corrupt (another example would be ‘Mirrors’ by Alexandré Aja)
Stairways and narrow corridors create a claustrophobic atmosphere and a sense of entrapment.

Sound
Sound and music is used to create an atmosphere of tension and suspense

Costume
Colours play an important role in the thriller genre. The contrast between black and white is often used to represent good and evil, white represents innocence and purity and black represents corruption and evil (an example would be ‘Psycho’ by Alfred Hitchcock)

Camera Shots and Angles
Quick camera shots gives the effect of tension and suspense

Editing
Montages creates a disorienting effect, often used in exciting scenes.
Flashbacks are a convention of the thriller genre, they give insight into the past and create a sense of distorted time (‘Memento’ by Christopher Nolan is an example)

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