Conventions of a Thriller-Lucy Billinghurst

A thriller is a genre of film that plays on the emotions of the audience. There are several sub-genres of thrillers including detective and psychological thrillers. They can also be hybrids; a mixture of two or more different genres. For example, horror thrillers fall into this category.

A typical thriller makes full use of tension and musical stings. In addition to this, a typical thriller builds enigma, which creates questions and mystery.

Thrillers usually comprise of the following connotations:

• Police
• Murder and death
• A modern city setting
• Use of strong language
• Set in a modern society

Thrillers use double emotions to pull the viewer in opposite directions. These emotions consist of anxiety and pleasure, masochism and sadism, identification and detachment. Thrillers evoke feelings of fright and mystery, rather than more emotional heavy feelings.

Many films follow the narrative structure of equilibrium, followed by disequilibrium and finally new equilibrium. Thrillers can stretch these conventions and begin with disequilibrium, to create tension and enigma, pulling the audience in and keeping them interested.