Conventions of a Thriller:

Characters

Introduction• The thriller genre holds many different character types, as there

are various sub genres within it. There are the crime thrillers such as ‘the godfather’ which hold typical gangster characters– long jackets, blower hats, and smoking cigars to give them a sense of power. There is also the action thrillers such as ‘James Bond’ which embrace the stereotypical dominant male characters – physically trained, charming, and always with a pretty girl. However the particular sub genre we wish to explore is the psychological thriller. This is because we believe our short film will embody many of the characteristics involved in its stereotype. The film ‘fight club’ is of this genre, and therefore embraces the character stereotypes of – a disturbed and mentally unstable main character, wearing suits with a serious manner, and the journey to find the truth for the main character.

Crime Thriller CharactersThe hard man gangster boss (as shown on the right). This character is stereotypically an elder, who has gained power all his life, until the point were most people owe him a favour, or are too afraid to reject him. He controls a vast number of criminals, who are called upon to help him with a job. This character never gets his hands dirty directly, so he reduces his chances of taking the fall. The males of his family work for him, and are really the only trusted members of any operation. He is usually very protective of any women in his family, however will not flinch to torture or kill someone else's wife or children. He stereotypically would wear a powerful dark suit and tie, black leather shoes, smoke cigars, and sit behind a large desk while anyone who entered stood.

The main gangsters working for the boss (as shown on the right). These characters are deemed very disposable by the main boss. They are the characters who get their hands dirty, and are likely to take the fall if something goes wrong. They are usually depicted as macho fools, as they seem to believe they have a lot more power then they do – which is normally their downfall. They would stereotypically wear dark suits, long jackets, and bowler hats. There manner of speaking is usually very inferior to the style of the main gangster boss.

The right hand man (as shown on the right). This character can be the number two of the main gangster boss, or to the gangsters who do the jobs. Usually the aspiring family member looking to take the place of power – so an imitation of their father. However, the right hand man of the gangsters can be a very naïve character who has bought into their charade of false power. Usually wearing the clothing of the person he aspires to be.

Action Thriller CharactersThe hero (as shown on the right). Even though the hero of action thriller genres is attempting to become a much more complex character, the fundamental still remain the same. For example, the hero usually has some sort of mission given to him. He is a muscular and charming character who can pull off a tux. He always in some for has a love interest which either spans over the film series or just the film. His love interest in the film usually forces his to make some sort of choice between saving her with little time to complete the mission, or complete the mission but risk losing her. The hero doesn’t really have stereotypical clothing as he seems to adapt to the location or situation he finds himself in. However this character at some point in the film appears in a tuxedo or suit where he charms his love interest.

The advisor or mentor to the hero (as shown below). This person is stereotypically a very clever and morally righteous person who advises the hero against certain situations, or helps in the process of the mission. It usually is evident that this character does not obtain the physical prowess to undergo the trails of the hero. This character doesn’t normally get emotionally involved with the missions, and can therefore advise the hero from moral ground.

The beautiful woman (as shown on the right). This character is extremely attractive. Often continental to add an extra stroke of mystery into their life. Their character draws in the charms of the hero, and become romantically linked with them for the film. In some cases the ‘beautiful woman’ is a character who exploits her own beauty against the hero as a trick. However in most cases this character is more of a one-dimensional object for audience appraisal. She often wears a red dress of desire, or a green dress of envy. These dresses are worn with the compliment of striking red lipstick to heighten her sex appeal, and make her character more obvious in objection.

The Villain (as shown below). This character is in binary opposition to the hero. Their goal is destruction and power in comparison to moral justice. They are often very unique characters who prize themselves on being different to everybody else. In this way they may dress or style themselves in a less than ordinary fashion. The downfall of the villain character is that in the end the hero will always overcome them no matter how hard the challenges they put forth are. They are generally greedy and unemotional characters who seem to have followers who care.

Psychological Thriller CharactersThe mentally disturbed main character (as shown below). He is a man with many flaws which he and the audience do not fully understand. He spends the duration of the film searching for something or even himself. Usually wears quite normal clothing, but with the hint of a carless attitude for his appearance. This may be reflected through his unshaven facial hair, messy head hair, and general manner towards other people.

The penny-dropper/ man with power of knowledge (as shown on the right). He is the man who reveals the secrets of the plot. Sometimes the penny-dropper can be portrayed as a villain, however sometimes they seem to be the genius bearer of the resolution. They do not particularly have and sort of stereotypical clothing, as they can come in many different forms. The penny-dropper is normally the person who has reacted and adapted to a situation to find themselves at a point of clarity. In many ways the penny-dropper is a tension tool on the film, as they have pieces of information the audience do not.

The helper (as shown on the right). They are the characters who stick by the mentally unstable character as they look for the answers to the plot. Having put up with much abuse from the main character, they can sometimes have ulterior motives. This means that in many respects the audience and the main character shouldn’t really trust this character even if they are showing a positive exterior. The helper themselves are either in very average attire, or presented with their own sense of insanity.