Thriller conventions

General conventions for thriller films

. Protagonist

. Antagonist

. Low key lighting

. Quick cuts

. Shadows/dark locations

. Tension building music

. Montage of shots

. Mystery

. Victim would usually be female

. Props (weapon E.G knife, gun)

. Fast paced

Character conventions

. The protagonist would usually a brave male that the audience would find relatable (victim would usually be female)

. The antagonist would usually carry a secret motivation for seeking the protagonist for example a back story that leaves them wanting revenge

Editing conventions

.Editing plays a key part in building tension in thriller films, the director would usually use cross cutting and fast paced editing in climatic scenes to build tension and create a sense of fear in the audience. .Another editing technique often used in thriller films is jump cuts, this also helps to build tension and to keep building the story

Sound conventionsMusic is often used in thriller films to set a tone for a scene or to show the mood of the characters, for example if a character was scared this would be reflected in a jumpy intense soundtrack. Typically in a thriller film the music would start out a slow pace that would gradually build up as the story builds to create tension.

Mise en scene conventionsLocation is a key in thriller films as it helps the audience establish the theme, for example if it was in an urban setting this would contribute to the context and the target audience.Another mise en scene convention is costume, the antagonist would typically be dressed in dark clothes and the protagonist in ordinary everyday clothes.