the codes & conventions of thriller films by kieran thompson-oliver & ciaran walsh
DESCRIPTION
LOCATIONS When looking at locations, you often find that they are set in bad weather, usually rain. They usually try and set the mood of the film straight away by showing the weather. (Usually thunder & rain) Examples: Derelict Buildings/Houses Alleyways The future Locations that are ill lit Offices Places with little or no chance of escape ( A remote island, at sea) Mental asylums Abandoned places Foreign Lands Labs Hospitals The countrysideTRANSCRIPT
THE CODES & CONVENTIONS OF THRILLER
FILMS
By Kieran Thompson-Oliver & Ciaran Walsh
CHARACTERS
In thrillers you will find a typical set of characters, not in all of them
of course. But you will find at least one in any
thriller.
For Example;
In ‘Se7en’ you will find that there is an Unknown Antagonist and the film shows how they have to work out where the killer is and why he
is killing these people.
Examples:
Detectives
Shady figure
Murderer
Serial Killer
Unknown antagonist
People with authority (Government figures, Federal officers)
Protagonist (Men/Women)
Spies
Civilians
LOCATIONSWhen looking at locations, you often find that they are set in bad weather, usually rain. They usually try and set the mood of the film
straight away by showing the weather. (Usually
thunder & rain)
Examples:
Derelict Buildings/Houses
Alleyways
The future
Locations that are ill lit
Offices
Places with little or no chance of escape ( A remote island, at sea)
Mental asylums
Abandoned places
Foreign Lands
Labs
Hospitals
The countryside
EXAMPLES:• Thunder/Lightning
• Rain
• Orchestral Music (Fast/Slow Tempo)
• Dark/Eerie Music
• Gun Shots
In thrillers they tend to try and set the tone/atmosphere surrounding the film from the outset. For example; They like to use thunder and/or rain in order to set a dark eerie tone. They did this in Shutter Island in the scene where they are on the boat.
MUSIC/SOUND
EFFECTS
EXAMPLES OF TYPES OF LIGHT
USED:• Dark
• Dingy
• Dull
• Blue Lighting
• Red Lighting
• Simple/Plain Lighting
• White lights
The vast majority of thrillers use a lot of dark/dingy lighting in which the surroundings are barely visible. For example in Se7en there is a scene in which they find one of the seven sins written behind a fridge.
LIGHTING
EXAMPLES;Props will range from things like:
• Guns
• Vehicles (Usually cars)
• Case Files
• Other forms of weaponry
• Phones
• Drugs
• Computers
• Evidence.
The typical set of props in Thriller films depends on the type of Thriller you are watching, i.e; Psychological Thriller, Crime Thriller etc.
PROPS