my genre - thriller
I have decided I want to create the opening sequence from a thriller movie. A useful website I have found to give me an overview of the genre is filmsite.org which includes the main characteristics found in the genre, a list of different thriller sub-genres and a detailed history of the genre including a long list of thriller movies.
Below are some of the different conventions of thrillers, some of which I hope to incorporate into my opening sequence.
Narrative: A typical thriller narrative will see a state of calm interrupted, before ultimately being resolved through the dramatic climax. Along the way there will be red herrings, deadlines, chases, and plenty of twists and turns including cliff-hangers.
Lighting: Low key lighting only revealing portions of the surroundings, keep the audience on edge - such as shadows/silhouettes/mirrors.
Sound: Tense music (starting slow and building up) creates a sense of foreboding. Jaws is a classic example of this. Diegetic sound of breathing or doors creaking. Use of silence – calm before the storm.
Camera and editing: Black and white shots, close-ups of the hero – tracking his emotions/fears through the look in his eyes or the sweat on his brow. Disorientating angles and shots to create discomfort within the viewer. Cutaways to keep the audience in suspense. Cross-cutting to ramp up the pace. Changing of camera angles to disorientate the viewer and POV shots to put the audience in the shoes of the hero.
Casting: A typical ‘hero’ of a thriller may be an attractive, young(ish) male. Another clichéd role will be the femme fatale – a cold, independent, usually sexy, often brutal woman. A classic example would be Uma Thurman’s character in Pulp Fiction, who dresses in black, smokes and takes drugs.
Costume: The villain will typically be wearing black, but there is little focus on make-up and costume, relative to other types of films. Often the hero will be in everyday clothes, so that the audience can relate to him.
Below are some of the different conventions of thrillers, some of which I hope to incorporate into my opening sequence.
Narrative: A typical thriller narrative will see a state of calm interrupted, before ultimately being resolved through the dramatic climax. Along the way there will be red herrings, deadlines, chases, and plenty of twists and turns including cliff-hangers.
Lighting: Low key lighting only revealing portions of the surroundings, keep the audience on edge - such as shadows/silhouettes/mirrors.
Sound: Tense music (starting slow and building up) creates a sense of foreboding. Jaws is a classic example of this. Diegetic sound of breathing or doors creaking. Use of silence – calm before the storm.
Camera and editing: Black and white shots, close-ups of the hero – tracking his emotions/fears through the look in his eyes or the sweat on his brow. Disorientating angles and shots to create discomfort within the viewer. Cutaways to keep the audience in suspense. Cross-cutting to ramp up the pace. Changing of camera angles to disorientate the viewer and POV shots to put the audience in the shoes of the hero.
Casting: A typical ‘hero’ of a thriller may be an attractive, young(ish) male. Another clichéd role will be the femme fatale – a cold, independent, usually sexy, often brutal woman. A classic example would be Uma Thurman’s character in Pulp Fiction, who dresses in black, smokes and takes drugs.
Costume: The villain will typically be wearing black, but there is little focus on make-up and costume, relative to other types of films. Often the hero will be in everyday clothes, so that the audience can relate to him.
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