Codes and Conventionsof a Thriller Film

Codes and Conventions of aThriller film usually include:

• Fast paced editing and quick cuts• The colours are usually black and

white• Normally include mirrors and

stairs• A protagonist and antagonist • False endings • Tilting camera shots

Why are these things used?A lot of the time the codes and conventions are used to add much effort to the film or to give the audience a false impression as to where the plot may actually be going (which is why false endings are quite popular), build up tension with the tilting camera shots and usually have plain colours such as black and white to keep a serious and tense tone.

Examples…SIXTH SENSEThe sixth sense film is a very popular thriller movie which follows a lot of codes and conventions, especially about the dull colours since much of the footage is a night with Cole trying to confront his fear of the dead. Quite dark and close up shot to capture emotion. This makes the audience feel the suspense of what will happen next and can draw them into the experience and story more.

Again with the dull colours to show a serious tone as well as the stairs in the background. This also captures a serious moment in the film because of the adult being a lower level than the child.

TAKENTaken is another popular thriller film which deals with a father having to go in search of his kidnapped daughter abroad and finds out who is her kidnapper. It follows many of the codes and conventions including:

Here you can see how dark the screenshot is as well as half of the fathers face shrouded in shadows which builds tension as one of his eyes are completely blacked out.

As you can see here the father is in light clothes indicating that he is good and urging to find his daughter where as the other man he is confronting is in black showing that he could be the bad guy as well as both of them being more towards the dark places in the room rather than the light coming from the roof.

In this shot it follows many codes and conventions such as the dark contrast of colours symbolising that something bad is going to happen as well as the feet appearing in the distance out side the bed generating suspense as to who this person could be and the fact that the girl could have gotten away.

SILENT HILLDespite being more towards a horror genre it still has many codes and conventions of a thriller film that make it a valued movie among the rest.

Here you can see that the mist has an effect on the shot showing that you can barely see Heather walking in the distance which could make the audience feel drawn into the experience because they can’t see where she is going.

Here you can see how the colour contrast differs with the people in the clip. For example everyone is in dull clothing where as the girl is in a bright colour showing that she is the centre of attention; this causes the audience to ponder what it is she is doing and why?

HANNAAnother recent popular suspense thriller film which follows a young girl called Hanna who was raised by her father to be the perfect assassin and to eliminate an agent from Europe who is pursuing her dad.

Here in this image you can see the total darkness surrounding Hannah with only her face showing. This could cause the audience to feel the same helplessness as she is and the same loss she is feeling as we are being placed in her exact position only being able to see what she does.

In this image you see Hanna running towards a closing door as this scene makes use of sound as well as lighting and quick editing it lets the audience know that this is an intense situation for Hanna to escape the prison as well as seeing if she will get through the closing door.