Codes and Conventions of

Thriller films

What is a Thriller Film? A thriller film usually has a protagonist and the antagonist however

most films only present the protagonist. Additionally, thriller films often have a protagonist facing problems including an escape, a mission or a mystery. The problems that protagonists face emphasize their life difficulties and dangers. Thriller films usually presents what the protagonist faces. Thriller films tend creates anticipation, suspense and nerve-wracking tension. There are different types of thriller films such as action thriller, crime thriller, film-noir, psychological thriller and scientific fiction thriller.

Codes of Thriller films The protagonist is portrayed as the brave character who faces multiple problems. The

antagonist is sometimes portrayed as this evil and powerful character however, often in thriller films the antagonist either strongly opposes or is in competition with someone. Tension is built throughout the film through the chain of bad events. When watching a thriller film the audience feel the tension when they see the main character stuck in a scary situation or a dangerous mission that they can’t seem to get out of. The protagonist’s role is to be the hero at the end if the film or restore justice while the antagonist finds a way to destroy it. The plot also involves characters getting into a conflict.

In a thriller film the shots reveal who the characters are and what makes their character. For example close-ups and extreme close-ups are often used to show the character’s emotions and reactions. Tilt shot is also used to introduce the character and show the audience what the character is wearing which gives them a hint on whether the character is a protagonist or an antagonist. Birds eye view is used to show their actions and how quickly they react. This shot also reveals whether they are a strong character or if they are vulnerable. Low angle shots are used to show how powerful one character is and how weak another character may be.

Conventions of Thriller films In a Thriller film a lot is done to emphasise the genre: Lighting Quick cuts Shadows Tension in the music/soundtrack Camera angles/shots Acting Make-up/hairstyles Costumes eg protagonist-normal clothesThrillers are similar to horror films however, thriller is more exciting in an intense way and tension engages the audience.

The film Unknown is a thriller film, the genre is shown through the poster. The genre is shown in different ways. The title of the film is Unknown, as the audience we don’t know what is unknown which leaves us guessing. On the poster thriller is revealed as it shows a man looking backwards which may imply that he has finished a mission and is on his way to complete another one. This also reveals that he is the protagonist. The camera shot used is medium close-up and it shows the facial expression of the character which looks fearless but anxious. The colour used in the filter is blue which is a cold colour. The font is written in bold which catches the audience attention. The boldness creates excitement. The cliff hanger says “Take back your life” as the audience we don’t know what it means but it leaves us to question whether this is the plot or the ending of the film. The cliff hanger makes the audience desperate to watch the film as it builds tension because it indicates that something is over. It also tells us that that there is going to be a battle or conflict.