Thrillers

Thriller : A novel, play or film with an exciting plot, typically involving crime or espionage

Conventions of a thriller:

- Narratives will have similar themes
- Suspense ( murder/death/violence)
- heroes and villains
-dark lighting
- isolated/derelict locations
-Non diegetic sound to create tension and atmosphere
- Synchronous diegetic sound to match the action
- An enigma ( we want to find out who solved the mystery)

Different types of thrillers:

Action Thrillers;  An Action Thriller uses physical action to create suspense within the film. Like a traditional Action film, this sub-genre will often have continuous motion and action including physical stunts, chases, fights, battles, and races. Often, these scenes will contribute to the overall sense of danger that the protagonist is facing. (e.g. Taken)


Crime Thrillers: Crime Thriller film is a sub-genre that incorporates the suspenseful aspects of a thriller with a crime film plot. This sub-genre's plot usually centres on a serial killer, murderer, robbery, or manhunt. (e.g. the silence of the lambs) 

Horror Thrillers: This thriller focuses on suspense and tension while empathising fear, gore and crime ( e.g. Saw) 

Super Natural Thrillers: In this sub genre other worldly elements are introduced, usually as an antagonistic force, but just as in the romantic thriller, the plot line and feel or distinctly that of thrillers. Some characters may have psychic abilities and other supernatural novel elements may be present. (e.g. The Skeleton Key) 

Psychological Thrillers:  In this sub genre a lot of the conflict is mental, rather than physical. The protagonist has become involved in a dangerous situation which literally threatens their sanity. They must use mental prowess to overcome their opponent, whether the battle is inside their own head or it a battle of wits. (e.g Psycho)

Comedy Thrillers: Comedy thrillers are a hybrid genre that draw subject matter generally from comedy and thrillers. They include a disproportionate amount, relative to other genres, of humor (e.g scream)

Disaster Thrillers: a story in which Mother Nature herself is the antagonist, in the form of a hurricane, earthquake or some other natural menace. (e.g 2012) 

Conspiracy Thrillers:  a thriller in which the hero battles a large, powerful group whose true extent only he recognises.  (e.g absolute power) 

Medical Thrillers:  a thriller featuring medical personnel, whether battling a legitimate medical threat such as a world-wide virus, or the illegal or immoral use of medical technology (e.g Awake)   


Sci-Fi Thrillers: is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, fictional science-based depictions of phenomena that are not fully accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial lifeforms, alien forms , extrasensory perception and time travel along with futuristic elements such as spacecraft, robots, cyborgs, interstellar travel or other technologies. (e,g Inception)                                         

Gangsters Thrillers: Part of a crime film, dealing with organised crime often involving the Mafia. (e,g. Goodfellas)