Codes and Conventions of a Thriller

By Daniella Benson

Two or more characters preying upon one another’s minds, deceptive mind games, trying to demolish each other’s mental state

Conventions of a Thriller

Mirrors, low key lighting, shadows, obtrusive editing, quick cuts, changes in camera angle, tension music, stairs, flashbacks, use of photographs, black and white, disorientation of time and space, montage editing Specific to psychological thrillers:

Mirrors Mirrors are used as a convention of a thriller film through the use of reflection of one’s soul and inner self Mirrors represent the darkness within some characters An example is ‘Mirrors’ directed by Alexandré Aja

Shadows Shadows are closely related with low key lighting and are used as a convention of a thriller film They are used to represent the inner darkness within beings, and can also add to tension and eeriness that is created

Obtrusive EditingQuick shots and obtrusive editing are used

frequently in thriller films to accentuate the feelings of suspense and tension They are often used during an important or particularly ‘thrilling’ scene – sometimes creating a disorientation of time and space, by using montage editing

Flashbacks Flashbacks contribute to a sense of time and space disorientation in a thriller and this confuses the audience It is also a convention of a thriller film because it can display what has happened in the past to give the audience an insight into characters’ pasts An example is in ‘Momento’ by Christopher Nolan

Black and White Black and white is another of the conventions of a thriller, because it accentuates the use of shadows, and can often appear quite eerie and ‘dark’. An example is ‘Psycho’ by Alfred Hitchcock