Codes and Conventions of the Thriller Genre

Thriller films are usually based on the story of the protagonist's struggle against the antagonist, there is a disruption in the equilibrium and this is where suspense is used. Suspense is a crucial element in this genre because it ensures the audience are fascinated by what they are watching, it provides excitement and tension for the viewers. This suspense then follows into the big climax in which the protagonist restores the equilibrium as the antagonist is defeated. 
Usual conventions within this genre include:

• low key lighting - this is used to create a sense of fear for the audience, they understand what the character is feeling and so become more intrigued. 
• quick shots and cuts between scenes or characters - again this is used to add to the suspense of the scene but also a disorientation of time. 
• shadows - shadows are used within low key lighting to provide a sense of eeriness in the scene, its often an indication of something bad going to happen. 
• mirrors - is used to enable the character to feel that its a refection of their soul, often used to represent darkness or again tension. 
• flashbacks - this can be used to reveal something that happened to the character in the past, something key to the story-line; Often flashbacks confuse the audience because they happen suddenly.
• Suspense music - normally created with an orchestra, this is an essential in thriller films because it means we can understand the mood of the characters within significant parts of the film. The music will start off slowly then progressively get faster and/or louder this is done to add suspense and tension.
• changes in angles of shots - When the camera follows the character around it makes the audience feel like they're in the movie, for example if it was to follow the character running the audience would be able to see what they see and so feel like they are in that situation. Also when tracking shots are used because of the fast pace it adds to the excitement scene for example in a fight scene. Similarly close ups are used to show the facial expressions of the characters so in a thriller film it would be used to show off how scared/ puzzled/ frustrated the character looks.
• diegetic sound i.e. heavy breathing - this makes you think you're in the film as its the only thing you can hear, its often the victims who you would hear breathing and so experience what they are experiencing. 
• black and white - this can be used to add to the eerie look/ atmosphere it means shadows can be used more effectively adding to the tension the audience feel.
• Isolation - often the victim is taken to an isolated spot where no one can find them, it adds fear because there is a sense of having no help.

Characters in thriller films consist of a wide range of characters mainly a hero and a villain, this can relate to Propps Theory because he says there a hero who seeks something, a villain who opposes actively blocks with the hero's quest, the princess who acts as the reward for the hero and is the object for the villain - this relates to thriller because they always contain a main protagonist who is brave and wants to save the victim. The protagonist seeks to restore the equilibrium whilst the antagonist will have a hidden identity that will unravel as the film goes on, often the antagonist goes to seek revenge from a past even that changed their lives; The victim is often kidnapped, raped or sometimes killed therefore needing the heroes help.  

In Propp's theory he came up with 8 characters that makes up the narrative within films:

1. The Hero - who seeks something usually to kill the villain or save the Princess
2. The Villain - blocks the heroes request
3. The Donor - provides an object with magical properties
4. The dispatcher - who sends the hero on the quest
5. The False Hero - disrupt the heroes success by making false claims
6. The Helper - who aids the hero
7. The Princess - acts as a reward for the hero and objects of the villains plots
8. The Princess' father - acts to reward he hero for his effort

However not all of the characters are included in all films as sometime they are not relevant however all films tend to have a Hero and Villain. Batman is the hero in in the dark knight rises (Thriller/Action), he is a brave individual who wants to restore equilibrium when Bane disrupts the city - he seeks to protect Gotham from the nuke that Bane planted and kill Bane. Bane plays the villain who wants to send Gotham into darkness therefore blocks the heroes request. However the Dark Knight rises doesn't tend to have a princess, the princess' father or false hero as they simply aren't needed. It does have a Donor in the form of Lucius Fox. The donor supplies an object with magical properties; in The Dark Knight Rises Fox provides Batman with everything he has i.e. the belt, the Batmobile, the armor and all the gadgets.