Genre Research: Thrilling Thrillers

     For my first genre to research, I will be looking into thrillers! Thrillers are categorized as a novel, play, or movie with an exciting plot, typically involving crime or espionage. They are defined by the moods the enact o the viewer, these being shock, suspense, fear, anxiety, and anticipation. What makes thrillers special and unique to other genres is that they often blend together elements from different genres, these being horror and action. Horror is used to build anxiety and fear, then the action comes into play to build suspense and excitement. Pretty cool! Now, let us look more specifically into what makes a thriller:

Camera Angles, Movements, and Shots

    The way a camera is used in a thriller is what really makes or breaks the quality of the media. Camera shots are vital in building that sense of anxiety. Extreme close-up shots are often used to hyper-enhance the subject and leave out whatever may be going on around them, making viewers' minds wander as to what could be truly happening. A shakier camera with a dutch tilted angle is often also used! This is to create more movement, which during a high-stakes scene can make the whole mood feel more chaotic and dire. In thrillers, the subject is often faced by an antagonist, so camera techniques like high and low angle can help distinguish when the subject is being dominated by something in their way. This creates more fear for the antagonist, which goes back to how we mentioned horror components are often used in thrillers!

Sound

    Sound is absolutely most crucial in a thriller. There have been bounds of research where people have analyzed the sound in thriller movies, and how important it is to set the right tone for the viewers. One sound technique thrillers use is having scenes go quiet with very little music, perhaps just some dialogue. This deadly silence keeps the viewer on edge, building anticipation. Then, as it all boils over, fast-paced non-diegetic music will start playing in the background. This technique is seen in the movie Hereditary, where the main character stands as his possed mother tries to ram through the door, it is nearly silent. But once she enters and the real threat has presented itself, the music starts up loudly. This scene has stuck with me as it nearly made me jump out of my seat!

Editing

    Quick-changing shots are what keep thrillers fast-paced and exciting. Therefore, many cutaways are used during shot changes. Additionally, shot-reverse-shots can be used when the viewer needs to be shown what is happening around a character, but editing is usually quite simple besides that. This is because thrillers are often so fast-paced more intricate slower transitions don't work for these films.

MISE-EN-SCENE

    Costumes and makeup in thrillers are usually quite simple compared to their sister genre, horror. This is because thrillers rely on creating fear through suspense, not through gory monsters or freaks. Your characters will usually just dress like everyday people!