THRILLER
PRESENTATION
By Carina Schou
Thriller Genre – An Overview
•
Thriller is an broad genre of literature, film, and television, that branches into many different
sub genres – e.g.:
CRIME – ‘Usual Suspects’
MEDICAL- ‘Awake’
SCI FI – ’28 Days Later’
ACTION – ‘The Dark Knight’
PSYCHOLOGICAL – ‘American Psycho’
•
Suspense, tension and excitement are the main elements. Thrillers are intended to give the
viewers a high level of anticipation, heightened expectation, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety
and/or terror.
•
Thriller films are usually adrenaline-inducing, dark and fast paced. Literary devices such as red
herrings, plot twists and cliffhangers are largely used. Alfred Hitchcock used red herrings in his
films to confuse the viewers and therefore create suspense.
•
Often the heroes are ordinary people, who are drawn into danger unwillingly/unknowingly. The
protagonists are usually men, but women can also take a lead role.
Narrative Conventions
TODOROV’S THEORY OF NARRATIVE
Todorov’s theory of narrative suggested that narratives were structured in 5 stages –
1.
A state of equilibrium at the beginning
2.
A disruption of the equilibrium by some action
3.
A recognition that there has been a disruption
4.
An attempt to repair the disruption
5.
A reinstatement of the equilibrium
Todorov’s theory is very familiar to us as an audience and can be used in many different types of
film narratives.
For example Collateral is a clear example of Todorov’s theoryStage 1: Max (Jamie Foxx) the protagonist is in his taxi with a customer. The customer
leaves.
Stage 2: Vincent (Tom Cruise) gets in Max’s taxi and offers him money to drive him to 5
different places.
Stage 3: Vincent reveals himself as a hitman.
Stage 4: Max attempts to undermine Vincent, but his plan fails.
Stage 5: Vincent dies, leaving Max to return to his daily life.
WATCH THE TRAILER –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzgjeBB6WG4
CHARACTERISATION
•
For the narrative to develop, the villain causes a narrative that must be resolved by the
protagonist/hero.
•
Some characters are only associated with certain (sub) genres such as superheroes in actionthriller films.
•
In many action/crime thrillers, the protagonist will have a partner/or the other half to a duo.
•
‘THE FINAL GIRL’ - (term coined by Carole Clover in her 1992 book ‘Men, Women and
Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror film’)
The final girl is a character in thriller and horror films (particularly slasher films) that refers to
the last female alive to confront the killer and stop him killing, she is usually the one left to
tell the story. The final girl is typically a virgin who is sweet/innocent, which contrasts against
the victims who are usually hedonistic (i.e. drug use, promiscuity) – E.G. Lila Crane from
‘Psycho’ (1960): whilst investigating the disappearance of her sister, she covers Norman's
secret and saves Sam Loomis (Lila’s sister’s boyfriend) from the killer.
WATCH MRS BATES SCENE-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUn7cnlgjWI
CHARACTERISATION –
PROPS/COSTUME/BODY LANGUAGE
Thriller characters (especially the antagonists) usually use props that indicate
the genre, and contribute to the narrative. It can also offer information
about the character that may not be presented in the film itself.
C
COSTUME & MAKE UP
• Offers historical context –
‘Arthur Kipps’ in ‘The Woman In
Black’ – his Edwardian outfit
gives us context for the film.
• Social status –
• Emphasizes a particular
character within a certain scene
– COLLATERAL – Vincent’s grey
suit emphasizes his ability to
blend in, therefore showing no
one really knows him:
COLLATERAL AIRPORT SCENE http://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=-6ij2S3Oz4A
FIGURE EXPRESSION/BODY
LANGUAGE
• Proxemics – the distance between
each character indicates what type of
relationship they have
• Body posture – indicates the mood,
status, age, gender
• Eye contact – symbolizes
relationships and power
• Facial expressions – emotions/state
of mind – E.G Jack Torrance in ‘The
Shining’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
D7JB68sLGY8&feature=related
THRILLER CHARACTERS
•
•
Antagonist – VILLAIN. Evil characters whose identity is often hidden for a large part of the film.
Protagonist – Innocent/Hidden dark past which is exploited by antagonist.
Phone Booth is a good example of this: the protagonist Stu is cheating on his wife, which the antagonist
holds against him, telling him he will kill him if Stu doesn’t tell her.
VLAMIDIR PROPP’S THEORY OF CHARACTER
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Vladimir Propp developed a character theory by analyzing the basic elements of Russian folktales which
can be applied when studying media. In the 100 tales he analysed, he came to the conclusion that there
are 7 broad character types:
THESE
The villain (struggles against the hero)
CHARACTERS CAN
The donor (prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object)
BE APPLIED TO
The (magical) helper (helps the hero in the quest)
ANY MAINSTREAM
The princess (person the hero marries, often sought for during the narrative)
FILM, ESPECIALLY
Her father (usually dies during or before the film/book)
IN THE THRILLER
The dispatcher (character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off)
GENRE.
The hero or victim/seeker hero, reacts to the donor, weds the princess.
Thriller Characters
• The main plotline focuses on a mystery that must be solved.
• The protagonist(s) faces death, either their own or somebody else's.
• The antagonist/forces of antagonism are initially stronger than the protagonist's.
• The main storyline for the protagonist is either a mission or a character who threatens their
life/family, for example when the villain has the protagonist’s family hostage,
such as in Taken – Taken Speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgmO32IdwuE&feature=related
• The film's narrative is seen/narrated in the the protagonist's point of view.
• The two major themes that are most prominent in the thriller genre are the desire for justice and human
morality. E.G ‘Taxi Driver’ (Martin Scorsese, 1976), where the main character is disgusted by the immorality of the
outside world (Prostitution, drug use etc) and becomes a vigilante to make the world a better place.
•One aspect of a thriller is the presence of innocence in what is seen as a
corrupt world. (Themes of innocence are also important in slasherthriller/horror films- i.e. ‘the final girl’.)
• The protagonist and antagonist not only fight in a physical way, but in a
mental one as well. I.e. the antagonist might hold a dark secret from the
protagonist’s past against him/her.
• Characters are usually dragged into a dangerous conflict or situation that
they are not prepared to resolve by accident. – (the idea of ‘extraordinary’
things happening in ‘ordinary’ situations)
Mise-en-scene
‘Mise-en-scène’ is a French phrase and originates from the theatre. It literally means "put in the scene.” - in other
words, mise-en-scène describes the stuff in the frame and the way it is shown and arranged. It encompasses the
most recognisable elements of a film – the setting and the actors; including costumes and make-up, props, and all
the other natural and artificial details that characterise the spaces filmed.
Typical thriller settings:
Props and Decor:
The location for thrillers can be set anywhere, but can vary
slightly depending on the genre or subgenre (for example, a Props and décor in mise-en-scene are very
important as one look at the setting can
crime thriller wouldn’t be set in space).
tell the viewer about the location, narrative
The location is usually urban but in the ‘darker’ areas E.G:
and characters/character’s role in film. It
• Cities – usually back alleys and tunnels
can even give more information on the
• Forests/wooded areas – ‘cabin in the woods’/deserted
character such as social class, status and
woodlands make a good isolated setting, which is perfect
what job it has within that scene. Props are
for a psychological kidnapping/horror thriller.
particularly important as they can be
• Hospitals and schools – Regarded as safe places which
weapons used by the antagonists I.E
makes the spectator uncomfortable and makes their fear
Freddy Krueger’s hand – which is an iconic
more realistic as it is a setting that they are familiar with.
thriller weapon.
• Houses – often thrillers are set entirely in one location
e.g. “Cherry Tree
Lane”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq9O7sIUfYQ setting a thriller in such an ordinary location makes the
viewer even more unnerved/scared as they can relate to Figure Expression:
the homely environment.
Lighting: Lighting is important because it
can create different types of moods.
Desaturated light (blue/low-key tones)
gives a cold/unwelcoming sensation which
is perfect for night time/dark settings in
thrillers. Saturated (the opposite of
desaturated) is warm and bright but can
give an intense feeling to the scene which
could be used in a very gory/bloody scene.
Costume: Costume is similar
to props and décor in the
way it can give a lot of
information about a
character, like their social
class and status. Costumes
help the viewer to associate
the characters with certain
stereotypes, E.G in Shutter
Island at first Leonardo
DiCaprio’s character is not
named as a detective but his
clothes suggest that he is.
Mise-en-scene
SETTING:
Setting creates both a
sense of place and a
mood and it may also
reflect a character’s
emotional state of
mind. It can be entirely
fabricated within a studio,
but it may also be found
and filmed on-location.
The location (a
tunnel) also
suggests a remote
setting and that the
FIGURE EXPRESSION:
body has been
In the image above of the film
placed there on
‘Brick’ (Rian Johnson, 2005),
purpose.
we see Brendan, the
protagonist crouching in an
upright foetal position. This
suggests he is in shock over
seeing the dead body, implying
he is not the killer.
LIGHTING:
The lighting is desaturated
to give a cold effect, and it is
low-key with shadows which
alludes to the murder that
took place there. The
dinginess of this picture
connotes danger and
negativity which are
associated with
drugs/death.
COSTUME:
Although we don’t see his face in this picture, in the
same scene there is a close up of his face, where we
see he is wearing glasses and has dark unkempt hair
which suggests he is intelligent but also a loner. His
outfit is jeans, smart shoes and a coat which shows
he is just a normal young man who has been
unknowingly dragged into a dangerous situation.
OPENING TITLE SEQUENCE
The aim of an opening title sequence is to show the title of the film. It also shows the main members
of the cast and crew for copyright purposes. Over time, this has changed from being purely about
the legalities to being a way of introducing the narrative to the audience.
NARRATIVE: The title introduces the key themes
of the film, such as in Se7en, where the seven
sins are presented in the OTS, showing the main
theme of the film.
TITLES/TYPEFACE: The titles are usually
placed in a place where they are the most
visible, but don’t detract from the opening
scene. Sans Serif is usually used as it is
simple and much easier to read, it is also
used more commonly in Thriller OTS.
SHOOTING TECHNIQUES: shot sizes, handheld,
steady, etc – presents the character's) in different
ways, E.G an establishing shot introduces the
location and sets the scene for the characters to
be introduced.
AUDIO: Usually at the beginning of the OTS there will be
an opening song or score which introduces the film and
can sometimes represent the genre of the film. Other
times an OTS will have diegetic sounds (i.e. natural, every
day sounds like birds singing and cars driving past), which
isn’t used so commonly in thrillers.
Another type of audio used in an OTS could be a
voiceover, most likely of the protagonist telling the story.
SAUL BASS
Saul Bass (May 8, 1920 – April 25, 1996) was a graphic
designer and filmmaker, perhaps best known for his
design of film posters and motion picture title sequences.
He became the king of title sequences, revolutionising the
way they worked in films, and the way people look at
them now.
FILM TITLE SEQUENCES:
• Goodfellas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=s8pQJOeTkFs
•Vertigo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=pz46qS38OgM
• Cape Fear http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=xoO0ZsQ7tBg
Bass worked for some of Hollywood's greatest
filmmakers, including Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley
Kubrick and Martin Scorsese. Amongst his most
famous title sequences is the disjointed text that
races together and apart in Psycho.
Psycho OTShttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tek8QmKRODw
“Design is thinking made
visual.” – Saul Bass
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Establishing shot:
Cinematography is the creation of motion picture images.
First shot of a new scene,
Associated Point Of View: The
usually designed to introduce
camera is positioned behind the
a location and to show the
subject, so the spectator can see it
audience where the action is
from the subjects perspective or
taking place. Usually a wide or
their own. – This shot helps the
extreme wide shot. Although
audience to follow the dialogue and
not uncommon, establishing
see both characters’ figure/facial
shots aren’t often used as
expressions.
many thrillers used Restrictive
Narrative to keep the
CAMERA ANGLES:
audience watching and
Camera angles can change the mood of a scene, a low angle can
guessing right until the end.
heighten the importance of the object or person which gives
WATCH AN ESTABLISHING
them power and respect, and the opposite applies to high
SHOT angles, they can make the character look weak and small. Low
http://www.youtube.com/wat
angles are good for villains/murder scenes which make the
ch?v=wyDifF2_Csk
antagonist look powerful and terrifying. High angles are often
used when there is a victim/protagonist in trouble to make
them appear vulnerable.
Wide Angle Shot:
The subject or object takes up a
Mid-shot/Medium closefull frame with ‘safety room’
up/close-up:
above and below it. It is usually
MS: Subject and surrounding
Long shot:
used as an establisher.
fill roughly equal parts of
Often used to show
frame, shot finishes above the surroundings and the
waist.
subject/object is at a distance
MCU: Just head and shoulders. from the camera.
CU: Shows small part of the
Can be used in thrillers to
scene, usually a character’s
present a setting (mise-enface.
scene but is not always
commonly used.
Point Of View (POV):
Shows the shot from the
actor’s point of view. The
audience feel like part of the
action and it creates
tension/anxiety which makes
a good thriller.
WATCH POV SHOT http://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=hp5mLbSpKT8&featur
e=related
Extreme Close-up:
ECU: often used with eyes,
shows extreme details. ECU’s
are good to use in thrillers, as
eyes are ‘the window to the
soul’, which highlights the
emotions and the viewer
sees what the character is
truly feeling.
WATCH AN ECU:
http://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=Y7q2pFDpfMw
CAMERA ANGLES
High Angle: Shows view from
above subject, which means the
camera looks DOWN on the
subject. In thrillers it is commonly
used to make the character appear
weak and vulnerable.
Handheld: Creates a shaky
Tracking shot: A movement parallel to
effect, as if the character is
filming it, or a more personal
version of POV. Gives a realistic
feel of tension and anxiety that
the viewers can see through the
character’s ‘eyes’.
the action- the camera follows/tracks
next to the action. Most thrillers contain
a lot of action, so it is a good angle to use
to follow the action in certain scenes.
WATCH GOODFELLAS TRACKING SHOT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1m
HtkpkxiA
WATCH HANDHELD EXAMPLE
‘Amores Perros’ http://www.youtube.com/wat
Reverse tracking/Dolly zoom:
ch?v=A5HTBYR7m0o
This is also known as a ‘Hitchcock
Low Angle: Shows view from
Pan: Horizontal camera
below the subject so the camera
looks up at the subject. Used to
make subject appear powerful. It
conveys the weakness of the
victim and the power of the
antagonist which is an important
key in thrillers.
movement where camera
moves left to right on a
tripod.
WATCH CITIZEN KANE LOW
ANGLE http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=ReHAg29c-64
Tilt: Moves up and down.
WATCH CAMERA TILT (0:00 –
0:05 SECONDS)
http://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=R9JWgU9YVcU
zoom’, the camera moves in or out on
a dolly or track, at the same time as
the lens is adjusted to stay the same
size in the frame which creates an
unnatural effect. The unnatural effect
creates a feel of discomfort which is
typical of thrillers.
WATCH VERTIGO HITCHCOCK ZOOM
SCENE (0:45-1:10 seconds)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N
7sznnL0NZ0&feature=related
SOUND
DIEGETIC SOUND
• Diegesis – internal world
• Diegetic sound –naturally
occurring sound i.e. birds,
children playing, cars driving. THE
DARK KNIGHT DIEGETIC SOUND
EXAMPLE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O
BROSkcatJs
• Non-diegetic – the sound has
been purposely placed
there/been added in postproduction during the editing
process.
E.G:
-Voiceover
-SFX
-Film score/soundtrack
-Theme music specifically
written for the film and played in
OTS and credits.
Goldfinger film score (1:17-1:32)
-
Pleonastic sound (often
non-diegetic) that imitates
the screen action. PSYCHO
SHOWER SCENE http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=0WtDmbr9xyY - The
music reflects the motion of
the knife stabbing the girl.
Contrapuntal sound –
opposition to what is seen
on the screen/contradicts
the action to create
disharmony. A Clockwork
Orange – 9th Symphony http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=MqpaxL2G2Zw
DESCRIBING SOUND
• Volume – Describes level of
sound.
• Pace – Speed of music.
• Pitch – Describes range of
sound.
• Timbre/tone – Describes
texture of
sound.
• Silence – Can be a powerful
tool to create a
mood than sound
itself.
EDITING
To create tension, thrillers use pace. Fast
paced cutting helps create suspense, but at
the same time long slow shots can make the
spectator unsettled with anticipation. The
pace of the shots normally go in unison with
the music. Cross cutting is commonly used in
thrillers. There is normally some kind of end
to this sequence, when the two individuals or
groups meet, in a final climax.
Editing – the stage in the filmmaking process in which sound and
images are organized into an overall
narrative.
Continuity Editing – the most
common type of editing, which
aims to create a sense of reality
and time moving forward.
Jump Cut – An abrupt,
disorientating device in the middle
of a continuous shot in which the
action is noticeably advanced in
time and/or cut between two
similar shots, usually done to
create discontinuity for artistic
effect.
Credits – the information at the
beginning and end of a film, which
gives details of cast and crew etc.
Cross Cutting – the editing
technique of alternating one
narrative action (scene, sequence
or event) with another – usually in
different locations or places,
combining the two. Often used to
dramatically build tension and/or
suspense in chase scenes or to
compare two different scenes.
Flashback – a scene or
moment in a film in which the
audience is shown an event
that happened earlier in the
film’s narrative.
Linear Narrative – a style
of storytelling in which
events happen
chronologically.
Match on Action - A
shot that emphasises
continuity of space and
time by matching the
action of the preceding
shot with the
continuation of the
action. (For example a
shot of a door opening
after a shot of a close up
of a character’s hand
turning a door handle)
Freeze Frame – the effect of
seemingly stopping a film in order to
focus in on one event or element.
Typical Thriller Target Audience
Typical thriller target audiences don’t have one specific audience as there are
many aspects that appeal to people of both genders and of various ages.
AGE CERTIFICATE:
AGE:
GENDER:
12/15 are the most
common age
certificates for
thriller films, 18
being slightly rarer
as not all thrillers
contain elements of
an 18.
The most general ages for watching
thrillers are 15-30 (the ‘young’ age group)
and 30-50 (‘middle aged’ group).
This is because thrillers don’t typically
interest younger (12 and below)/older (50
and above) age groups due to scenes of
violence/complicated
narrative/drugs/death.
Thrillers can appeal to both
genders, for example males
may be more attracted to
the action and violence
aspects of a thriller, whereas
females might prefer a
strong male
protagonist/hero
throughout the narrative.
EXPECTATION OF THRILLERS:
When watching a thriller film, audiences expect certain things that make it engaging
and enjoyable to watch. Thrills and excitement are a prerequisites of a good thriller,
twists and ‘cliff-hangers’ in the narrative create an emotional rollercoaster for the
viewer immersing them in the film and leaving them confused right until the end.
Without these suspense can’t build up and the spectator cannot experience the
tension.
American Psycho Certification
• Sub-genre: Psychological thriller
• BBFC rating of 18
— where the material is in breach of the criminal law
— where material or treatment appears to the BBFC to risk harm to
individuals or to society – for example, any detailed portrayal of
violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use, which may cause harm
to public health or morals. This may include portrayals of sexual or
sexualised violence which might, for example, eroticise or endorse
sexual assault.
— where there are more explicit images of sexual activity which cannot
be justified by context.
• American Psycho – strong and detailed violence, graphic sexual/sexual
violence scenes, sexual assault, drug use and profanity
Sunshine Certification
• Sub-genre: Science Fiction/adventure thriller
• Cert. 15
• Violence & Gore
– Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the
infliction of pain or injury.
• Sunshine: Lots of blood and strong elements of violence
but not graphic scenes or imagery.
• Language
― There may be frequent use of strong language.
• Sunshine - 11 uses of ‘fuck’ and milder language.
INITIAL IDEAS
In order to form ideas for my own research, I took inspiration from various thriller films. They were all
psychological thrillers as I particularly enjoy them and I like the elements of darkness they use. I chose
Memento, Hide and Seek, Fight Club, Black Swan and American Psycho as my main influences for my initial
ideas.
Plot devices:
Narrative:
Like any thriller, I wanted my narrative to have
Beginning of film starts with ending of film, protagonist
shocking twists and so I decided to make the
is covered in blood. The rest of the film then shows the
protagonist the antagonist as well. I would do this by
scenes taking place chronologically. The protagonist
giving the main character a split personality, and
finds a dead body and becomes confused as to why the
because of the Restrictive Narrative throughout the
bodies keep appearing. He realises he can never
film, the audience would not be aware of this until
exactly remember the moments before he finds them
the end, just like in Fight Club when the Narrator
but always catches himself standing over them. He
realises Tyler Durden is a figment of his imagination.
then goes on a violent mission to catch the killer, which
Character:
takes us back to the beginning when he kills the
I wanted the main character to narrate the voiceover
‘murderer’ who is himself, meaning he commits suicide
as a sort of internal monologue. I thought this would
by stabbing himself.
link in well with his struggle with good and evil which
Mise-en-scene:
I wanted to incorporate into the mind of the
I wanted it to be set in a house for the day scenes, and for character. I also wanted him to be mentally unstable,
the dead body/violent scenes it would be set in the city in with deep flaws. As the character would actually be
alleys, parks, deserted streets to represent the character’s two ‘people’ in one body, I wanted to give them
darker, evil side. His ‘evil’ personality would have bags
different characteristics and mannerisms, as if they
under his eyes, and sallow skin with yellow teeth to
were two people. The ‘protagonist’ side would have
represent a perversion of himself, which would contrast
deep seated insecurities that would be used against
with his normal self.
him by his other personality which would be bitter
Obviously the knife he uses to kill people, and eventually
and loud.
uses to kill himself is a primary prop throughout the film.
INITIAL IDEAS
OPENING TITLE SEQUENCE IDEA:
I wanted to used the OTS as a tool to
introduce the protagonist to the
audience without revealing too much
information and keeping it tense.
The narrative will be shown as the ending at the
beginning, with the character’s voiceover and flashbacks
to his past. This way I can use Restrictive Narrative to
show only the scenes that are crucial for the audience to
see so that they get some idea of what is happening in
the character’s life.
I think that this genre of thriller and the
character and location choices are very
practical, as there are no special effects
required and the locations are
accessible. The characters don’t require
special costumes, and the recurring
theme throughout the film is
‘extraordinary things happening in
ordinary places’ which will make it
easier to shoot and base the narrative
happening in the city.