Conventions of Thrillers

A thriller will have Many Conventions about it which will make it thrilling. Generally Many thrillers all have elements of some of the following as they give tension to the audience and make them on the edge of their seat

• There is usually a crime in the narrative or storyline of a thriller. -This is often a Murder and it keeps the viewer hooked.
• A complex narrative structure, with false paths, clues and resolutions. - Thrillers are usually made up of these. Mainly to keep the audience questioning, and to make them work out what’s going on, leaving strong enigma’s
• Themes of voyeurism - When someone is being e.g. spied upon and doesn't know. Usually shown through point of view shot of the person doing the spying.
• Protagonist with ‘flaw’ which is exploited by the antagonist - The antagonist takes advantage of the protagonists flaws. The flaws are usually obvious to the audience but not to the antagonist until they are revealed to him. When the flaws are visible to the antagonist, it put him/her in the dominant position.
• Titles often reflect an aspect of the pro/antagonist’s psychological state - The titles usually mirror the type of film, and give the audience a chance to see what might be coming up in the film.
• There is often a scene near the end of the film in which the protagonist is in peril. - This is used so that there is action building up to a certain point to keep the audience hooked, and the peril is usually solved by the end of the film which leaves the audience in good spirit.