Thriller title sequence pitch.

Thriller Conventions

There are many genres of film nowadays, but one of the most well known and wide spread is thriller. Within thrillers there are certain conventions that can be found that help identify the film as a thriller, this includes the narrative which is usually based around some sort of crime of which needs to be solved such as a murder a serial killer that is on the loose. This type of storyline usually keeps the audience hooked on the film.

The narrative structure of a thriller usually revolves around different clues being left for the main protagonist, and these usually lead to a false path. These add to the enigma as the audience have to keep questioning what is going to happen and this will keep the audience watching as they want to see the resolutions.

Within every thriller there is always a protagonist and an antagonist, the protagonist of a thriller usually has a certain weakness that is revealed and this is usually taken advantage of by the antagonist; who can also known as the rival or villain. In at least one or more scenes the protagonist will be seen in danger before the resolution of the film, this danger will usually be caused by the antagonist and causing the protagonist to feel a certain amount of isolation towards the rest of the world.

So that the audience are able to relate to the film, there are usually ordinary events that end up containing unexpected events and this will have a stronger effect on the audience. Within a thriller there are usually a few different elements that help to make a build up of suspense within the film these can include; the narrative, sound that is used such as orchestral music to create tension, camera work such as a Dutch angle to create a sense of unease, lighting and mise-en-scene.

The mise-en-scene within a thriller is also very important as it is usually reflected around the main protagonist; if they are feeling especially happy then they would be in a happy place with bright lighting, whereas if the character was feeling upset then they would be in a depressing place with not much lighting and a lot of shadowing.

Also in thrillers a large part of the opening sequence is to create enigma’s which will also carry on throughout the film, by creating these enigmas the audience will find that they want to watch more to see what is going to happen within the film, these enigmas are usually answered near to the end of the film.

Although it is not a large part of thrillers, within many thrillers there can be theme to do with identity such as a case of amnesia that the protagonist is suffering from or some sort of mistaken identity. Also with identity, in the film there are usually certain points that are placed so that the audience are able to identify who the protagonist is and who the antagonist is.

 It can also been seen that the main protagonist has a ‘moment of reflection’ on their certain weakness and this usually results in the protagonist becoming a stronger character. This is usually situated towards the end of the film which shows the protagonist in a state of threat and peril, throughout the film there is a build up to this moment which keeps the audience hooked to the rest of the film. Usually the protagonist manages to escape the peril which means that the audience are left with high hopes for the rest of the film.