Thriller Genre

I have created a Prezi on the thriller sub-genres to show the different types of genres that come under the whole thriller genre all together. In this Prezi I showed the different types of sub-genres and how the examples I had given fit the sub-genre. This allowed me to have a little idea of what type of thriller sub-genre I would like to focus on when making my thriller opening later on with my group. It also gave me a clearer understanding of what elements make that thriller sub-genre.

 

Using the skills I developed I created another Emaze presentation on one of the thriller films that I have watched, which is called Leon, in the thriller film Leon; the little girl seeks revenge for the murder of her family, however when the situation gets out of hand, Leon is the only one who is capable of handling the situation. This Emaze was created to show the thriller forms and conventions that are included this film and how the developed initially to make the film and fit the elements needs to make a thriller film. This falls under the sub-genre of an action thriller as it involves chase scenes, weapons used for murder and it is all based on action.

 

One other film that I have seen myself at home is the film called 'Dead Silence' which is about a man called James who returns to his home town, in hopes to find information about the murder of his wife. His wife was killed in their apartment as he went out to get Chinese food for them both and left her alone. That night the received a doll in a box and she was left alone with it. That is when everything started going wrong and she eventually was killed. The Prezi I have made again, is used to show the forms and  conventions that made up the film and the effect of them that has mainly attracted the audience and it's meanings. This film fit under the sub-genre of a horror thriller as it is sinister type of film that was meant to scare people.

 

The types of themes in a thriller film include:

                             - Captivity

                             - Revenge

                             - Heists

                             - Stalking

                             - Death                             

                             - Spies

                             - Serial killers

                             - Mystery

                             - Terrorism

                             - Supernatural

                             - Good VS Bad

             

In the thriller genre we have different types of characters that make it fit the thriller genre. The characters we always see in thriller films are:

                                                                       - Protagonist

                                                                       - Antagonist

                                                                       - Damsel in Distress

                                                                       - Criminals

                                                                       -  Psychotic individual                       

                                                                       - Serial killer

Another software I used was PowToon- this presentation shows the different types of thriller films I have personally watched myself and in this presentation I explain why I generally liked the thriller films I watched and m favourite one out of all them and why.

         

After watching all the thriller films I decided I wanted to make a Psychological thriller. The themes involved in psychological thriller are:

                                                                      - Reality

                                                                      - Mind

                                                                      - Existence

                                                                      - Purpose

                                                                      - Identity

                                                                      - Death

                                                                      - Perception

Examples of some Psychological Thrillers:

The reason why I have decided to choose the sub-genre of psychological thriller is because I believe that it is different and more appealing to an audience. Horror thrillers are more basic and as I had already produced a horror film during my GCSE when I had done media studies, I want to challenge myself further which is why I have chosen this sub-genre

Textual Analysis

Copycat (1995, psychological thriller)

Directed by John Ameil

The first film opening I have chosen to analyse is the film called ‘Copycat’ which was directed by John Ameil in the year 1995. In this film opening analysis I will be analysing the first 7 minutes of the opening which will include the shot types, character traits and many more. I have chosen to analyse this film opening because I firstly enjoyed the film as it really had a mystery towards why the person even decided to copy the several murders and attempted murders that had happened in the exact same way, for me this was one of the enjoyable parts of the film as most of the suspense was created during these scenes. Copycat was made for young adults aged from 16 to 24 year old people who are interested in psychological thrillers.

Firstly, the film ‘copycat’ is about a woman called Dr Helen Hudson who works at university giving lectures about criminal psychology, she is a respected field expert on serial killers and she was one of the victims who was brutally attacked by Daryll Lee Cullum and left with trauma as a result of the attack months later to the point that she never went outside. Suddenly a new series of murders are being spread across her home city in the exact same way everyone else had been murdered before and the murder must end with her in the exact same way.
As you can see from the film poster; the title 'Copycat' is written in red- this already creates the sense of danger within the film. Red usually gives the connotation of danger and blood and this reveals the danger that is to come later on in the film. The font also looks sinister and very intense adding to the horror and the scary type of atmosphere and tension.

From watching the first couple of seconds of the film opening, it begins with a fade in of an unusual high angle shot of three girls lying across the grass. These three girls seem significant as it reveals the idea of them being vulnerable and young. The fact that they have their books out also suggests that their still in education and they are doing some sort of study outside. The camera then tracks (tracking shot) across the grass going from each person to another everyone that seems to being studying. This creates the sense of vulnerability as they are all young and all are in education. The character key traits that I have learned from this is that they all are vulnerable in some way and they all are trying to work hard by studying. Just by this opening sequence it has left me questioning why does the director only focus on the young people at the beginning of the sequence however it does tell me that the film is going to be set in a school. This is significant in the chain of sequence as the last murder was meant to happen in the university, in the bathroom.

As the camera continues to track across the grass, that sort of looks like the outside of a campus, there is a voice over a woman talking that comes on that then eventually dissolves into an extreme close up of the  woman's red lips talking. this is diegetic sound as it belongs with the film, it is natural sound. The colour red usually associates with love or danger however as it is a thriller film it is more likely to signify danger. This may suggest that she could be the one in danger as she is the one who has got the colour on her or she could also be the cause of it. This left me questioning whether or not she could be in danger.

The use of the diegetic sound implies that she is giving some sort of lecture or speech to an audience, this is significant because the opening sequence begins with young people studying outside, therefore she must be some sort of teacher. The low key lighting also creates a sinister and suspenseful type of feeling towards the audience that is usually aged between 16-24 as most young people tend to watch thriller films as they are into the thrill and most of the time the conventional characters are quite young too.

The camera then eventually zooms out, so that we can see her face and eventually you see that her hair and her blazer jacket is also red suggesting the danger that will come across later on. This is shown in the scene when she asks her students ‘let me ask you guys something, what turns you on?’, he effect of this was to show that shes not alone in the room. The fact that shes speaking through  a microphone may suggest that her audience is quite big and usually universities tend to have a big audience so she must be a lecturer. The camera tracks through the audience to show the mass of the audience and to show that shes not alone at that point.

Some of the key character traits I have already learned from the lecturer is that shes confident because shes talking to a big audience alone on the stage and is also using a microphone to deliver her points. she is also a stereotypical woman as she has that red lipstick, red is a significant colour that represents beauty. She also knows whats shes doing, she never looks down at a piece of paper or power point, she's delivering her points with memory and knowledge suggesting that she is also very intelligent.

A close up is then used on her face when she continues to say ‘well what turns on a serial killer is the suffering and death of another human being’. This is significant because the chain of sequence of this film revolves around a serial killer and she believes that death and suffering is what makes a serial killer happy because they are the ones that are in control. The words ‘death’ and ‘suffering’ are significant in the chain of sequence because so many deaths occur firstly and, the serial killer took pleasure in watching the woman suffer because right then he knew that she was scared of him and that’s all he wants, is to feel threatening towards you.

 

The continuous use of low key lighting in the film creates a sinister and suspenseful type of feeling and it foreshadows the awakening danger later on. An extreme long shot is then used at the back of the room to emphasise the crowd and how vulnerable the woman really is up their, compared to the big crowd, she is very small.

A medium shot  is then used on the lecturer as she begins to say ‘9 out of 10 serial killer are white males’. The clown at the back mostly uses the colour red, this further implies the danger that is going to happen soon. Another character trait I have also noticed from the woman is that she could be a romantic as she has dressed herself in the colour red. However the question this scene has left me with is why has she got the same colours as the clown, the clown is the dangerous one and as a stereotypical woman you would not expect the antagonist to be a woman surely.

Furthermore, the continuous use of low key lighting adds to the effect of the film being very sinister and quite dark in the sense of danger. After telling the white males to sit down in the lecture room, a medium shot of the crowd is used as the camera begins to zoom into one of the men in the audience as he gives the sign of death and whispers 'your going to die'. This shot was used to add tension and suspense which was further emphasised as soon as the incidental music begins to come in adding that sinister effect towards the atmosphere. The use of the shot-reverse-shot when she notices him is used to convey their reactions towards one another and also to show that she is scared and is threatened by the man now.


Moreover, an eye-line match is then  used when she turns to look at one of the officers who has a gun in his pocket, however only an extreme close up was used on the gun and the hand to show that she is relying on the officer to protect her which is stereotypical for a woman, she is relying on someone else to help her. This music then begins to get louder at this stage to give atmosphere more tension and suspense, this was also used to scare the audience and make us question what is going to happen later on.

A close up of the woman is used to emphasise how scared and worried she is now and also to show that she is also paranoid because she does not quite know what is going on or why he had done it. The way the tone of her voice as she speaks changes also implies fear and paranoia.

From this scene you learn that her character traits are also paranoia as well as vulnerable as she is afraid of what the boy in the crowd has done to her, because it was so random it made her feel weird about it and a little scared. The fact that a tracking shot has been used as she is escorted to the bathroom by the police officer suggests her status firstly but all her vulnerability, it makes it seem like she needs to be protected and needs to be taken care of especially because the police officer first checks the toilet to see if anyone is there and once he sees that there is only one woman in the toilet he tells her its okay to go in.

A tracking shot of the professor is used and she goes into the toilet, then a pan of her feet is used, the colour of her shoes is red, which suggests danger. the fact that the whole of the bathroom is white also suggests purity and innocence maybe within her. As it pans, the close up of another woman's shoes is shown, the colour of her shoes is black and black usually associates with darkness and evil.

The camera zooms in as the person takes of the shoes and this is when the incidental music slowly begins, in a low level. This is used to connote danger and suspicion as we as an audience do not know why this person is taking off their shoes. A high angle of the professor is then used to convey vulnerability and isolation within her character trait; the incidental music here creates tension and suspense within the atmosphere. The fact that the woman lays out the tissue around the toilet seat implies that another key trait she has is that she is very hygienic.

We slowly begin to see close ups of someone else hanging a rope up- this gives us the feeling that the rope is meant for her and that the person is going to do something to try and hurt her. The constant use of shot-reverse-shot is used to show the two peoples whereabouts and what they are doing; this slowly builds up tension, especially because of the slow-paced editing.

As shes just about to sit down on the toilet seat, the man from the audience quickly jumps out of nowhere, trying to strangle her. A close up of her trying to pull the rope from her neck is used to convey struggle and pain but also fear because she doesn’t know what he plans to do next. This then cuts to a shot where the man is pulling the rope from the other side of the toilet trying to basically hang her. One of the character key traits we see in this man is that he is very powerful firstly and very aggressive and violent as he immediately tries to hurt the innocent lady.

The fast-paced editing between each shot creates the sense of fear for us as an audience- this is also followed by the incidental music that gets quicker and louder to create suspense and tension. An extreme close up of the professors heels is then used as her feet barely touch the toilet anymore suggesting shes lost all her control. One of her shoes then slowly fall to the ground- the effect of this shot was to further emphasise the loss of control.

This the cuts to a shot where the police officer is outside and he slowly opens the door to come in, a point of view shot is used as he walks in from a different point of view. the incidental music is very sinister as he comes in he sees the woman hanged up on the wall and just as he gets his gun out ready to shoot, the man come sup behind him and takes the gun from him whilst he holds a knife to his neck. The effect of this close up was to show fear and vulnerability within the police officer, the fact that he needed the gun suggests that without the gun he is nothing  but scared.

A medium shot is then used as he sliced the police officers neck- the incidental music gets loud; this was used to create suspense and also to threaten the professor. By using this shot we were able to see how much danger she was really in. An extreme close up of her is then used to show how scared and petrified she is then. This then cuts back to shot of the antagonist shooting the police officer.

A dissolve is then used between the police officer falling and the professor, the close up further emphasises how petrified she is. The fact that he slowly walks towards her and then a close of him licking the knife is used, implies power and that he is not letting her off as easy as she thinks. 


This then cross-cuts to an extreme long of a man running down the hall way and the screen then begins to fade, the effect of this was either to suggest that the person is running out of fear away from the problem or running to help. This then lastly ends with a black screen.

  

Arlington Road (1999, mystery thriller)
Directed by Mark Pellington

The second opening I have chosen to analyse is the film called 'Arlington Road.' This was directed by Mark Pellington and released in 1999. In this Arlington opening extract  I will analyse the first 4 minutes of the opening sequence which will include the shot type, character traits, the sound and many more. The reason why I
chose to analyse this opening film is because firstly it was an unusual opening which made it really enjoyable to watch and because the plot seemed interesting. The intended target audience for this thriller film was young people mainly aged from 16 to 24 year old people.

The film 'Arlington Road' is about a professor who suspects that his new neighbors  are involved in terrorism and he eventually becomes obsessed with trying to find out what their terrorist plot is. on a field trip

Michael's wife (who was an FBI agent) was killed in the line of duty, Michael describes this as a needless tragedy to his students. Michael then finds out that his neighbor Oliver, who is actually called William Fenimore tried to blow up a post office in Kansas when he was 16, although he dismisses it Michael is still not convinced and whilst Fenimore continued his terrorist plot he eventually made it look like Michael is the one who committed the terrorist attack for the revenge of his wife that was killed.

The title of the film 'Arlington Road' indicates that this is the road where the film will be set, the fact that it is written in write suggest purity and innocence implying that someone innocent is going to be victimized. The font is very sinister as it is shown to be unclear which may be adding to the twisting plot of the thriller film itself.

The first shot begins a blur of a person walking, this blur creates confusion but also a sense of loss of control which could be what is happening to the boy. The fact that the colors that are used are white implies purity and the innocence of the little boy which also adds to his vulnerability. This is a character key trait as he is not able to help himself as a little boy, he needs help from other people.

The use of the long takes suggest that the little boy plays an important role in the film but it also adds suspense and tension because we as an audience wonder why it is all a blur and why he seems to be walking weird. We subconsciously question what has happened because the boy himself he seems to be acting weird. The so
ft mysterious music conveys danger and also adds to the effect of the little boy not being in control and us as an audience not knowing what has happened to him. An establishing shot of the boy walking down the street is then used to show where the scene is taking place, this is done with the blur adding to the little boys character trait of him being vulnerable as he is isolated, he is walking alone in the street and the blur gives the atmosphere a feeling of danger and confusion. The light colours used in the scenery adds to the character trait of the boy being innocent and pure.

Furthermore, the use of the dissolve of the boy walking then to an extreme close up of his blue eyes conveys his innocence too. The fact that he is looking pale also shows that he does not feel okay which adds to the confusion, this is shown through
the unsteady shots that make the character look like he is unstable which is also the little boys character trait. The use of the music after that light flash shows that he is in danger.

As the boy continues walking, a long take of the boy trying to walk in a straight line is used to also show that he is unstable and unable to help himself- this adds to his vulnerability and also his need of help as a little boy because we know that as an audience children cannot help themselves, they need to be looked after. The constant use of the non-diagetic sound in the background of the whispering creates a delusional  atmosphere as it seems to show that the boy is not aware of his surroundings.


The extreme close up of the little boys lips and nose reveals the idea of him looking pale and not being okay but also adds to his innocence as a child which is his character trait.The extreme close up of his eyes looking up at the sky (this is done through a birds eye view) shows that he is not in control of himself and he is confused- this sense of atmosphere is given to the audience as the camera shots continue to be unsteady and the scene sort of blurs which connotes his confusion. A medium shot of the boy with something red on his hand is used- the colour red indicates danger and also may imply the idea of him being in danger and bleeding.

The fast paced editing between him walking and his face reveals the lack of control which is followed by the incidental music to add more tension and suspense in the atmosphere. A slow motion of the boy walking is then used with something red dripping on to his shoe- this may indicate that he is bleeding which implies that he is hurt. This adds to his character trait of him being vulnerable; even the way he is walking shows that he lacks control and is unstable.

A cut is the used on a man driving, an over shoulder shot is used to show him driving- the effect of this shot was to firstly put us in his position as a character and it also reveals his character trait as a man being responsible and tough. As he continues to
drive the incidental music used is quite up-beat and fast which suggests that there may be action that might be taking place. A clear long shot of the boy walking is then used to show his vulnerability.

Moreover, a point of view shot of the man driving behind the boy is used to re
veal that they are in the same location. Then a medium shot of the man quickly stopping his car as he sees the little boy is used to show that he is there to help but also adds to the character trait of the man being responsible but also someone to turn to for help. A low angle of the man walking towards the little boy is used to make his character look more intimidating but also to make him look tough- which makes him look like he is there to take control of the situation and help. The constant use of shot-reverse-shot is used to show one another's reactions and this man seems to be worried which implies that he is also a caring character- this is also part of his character trait.

The fast paced editing of him running over to stop the little boy indicates that he is panicking and as he finally sees the boy we the little boys hand covered in blood which indicates that he is hurt and cannot cope on his own. The fact that the incidental music seems more sinister and shocking as a close of his hand is used shows that the man is scared but also shows that the boy has been severely hurt.

The tracking shot of the boy and the man asking the boy what happened creates a tense and suspenseful atmosphere as we know tha

t the boy is hurt and the man does not even know what happened. The close up of the man screaming for help reveals that one of his other character trait is that he is a worried and a scared person. The constant use of the shot-reverse-shot as the man drives the car is used to show each other's reactions- the man is worried and the little boy is in pain. The fast-paced editing of the man driving the car fast shows that he is panicking and this is further emphasised through the incidental music.

Also, a medium shot of the man talking to the emergency services is used to show that he needs help and also to show that the little boy is severely hurt. An action match of the man walking through the door carrying the boy also implies that the little boy is vulnerable and he is not able to cope but also further reveals that the man is very caring and is willing to sacrifice his time for the little boy- this is also shown through the constant shout for help which also implies that he is panicking and does not know what to do.

A point of view shot of  the doctors running over to him reveals that they are caring characters but also have a responsibility and duty to take care of people who are hurt and sick. The fast-paced editing also adds to the panic and creates suspense and tension as we as an audience do not know whether he is going to make it or not. The mans character of being panicked is also shown through the close up of him as he does not know what to do in the end after they take him into the emergency room- we can also see his panic and worry through the long takes.