Genre Research: Thriller

Thriller is a genre of fiction associated with high suspense, excitement, anxiety, and anticipation.  

 Common camera angles in your genre (CAMS)  

• -The camera angles commonly used to build tension are close up/extreme close up, high angle, low angle, canted/dutch angle, wide shot and pan. 

Common Mis-en-Scene in your genre (CLAMPS) 

• -For the costumes, although they can vary greatly, they often stick with dark colors such as black, brown, and navy, with no bright or vibrant pieces. A female character will often wear dark red. To create a sense of mystery in a character, they may also wear clothing such as long coats and hats to hide their faces.  

• -Lighting in the thriller genre is typically low-key and back lighting. These produce a contrast between the light and dark areas of the screen, with the lighter usually being the focus of the scene.  

• -The actors in these films mostly speak quietly, and in deep voices. The actors will give off a sense of ominiscity and mystery with their actions.  

• -For makeup, a protagonist will typically be wearing natural makeup with simple hair (hair down, ponytail, etc.) An antagonist or “villain” in these movies will have darker makeup and much more unique and complex hairstyles.  

• -Props are often more specific to a subcategory for certain movies, as thrillers are such a wide genre. The most common throughout, though, are weapons, most popularly guns and knees, as well as chains, blindfolds, rope, duct tape, handcuffs, and more. Masks are also used commonly, such as a masquerade mask (bauta) to hide a character's identity.  

• -A thriller movie will commonly take place in the suburbs or a simple town. A more specific location would be somewhere mysterious like a graveyard or abandoned area.  

Common Editing in your genre 

• -The editing in a thriller movie is typically faced and slow paced to create suspense as well as convey emotions and representing characters. 

Common sound in your genre 

• -Thrillers often have non diegetic music playing in the background of a scene creating a sound bridge to determine the atmosphere of the scene. Orchestral music is also common       

Example films of your genres 

• -The Curse of La Llorona 

• -Bird Box 

• -A Quiet Place 

• -Gone Girl 

What elements of the genre that you like, and would you use? 

• -Plot Twist 

• -Suspense 

• -Surprise 

• -Likeable Protagonist 

• -Clear Villain 

What elements of the genre do not appeal to you, and would you stay away from? 

• -Multiple POV’s 

• -Cliffhanger 

• -Ticking Clock 

• -High Stakes