Rules And Conventions Of A Thriller

There are many different conventions used throughout a thriller such as:

• camera movement
• close up/ long shot framing
• low/high angle shots
• jump cuts
• digetic sound
• red herrings 

Camera movement

tracking and pan shots are extremely common at the beginning of thrillers. This is done to guide the interest of the audience to a certain person/group.

Close up/long shot framing

close up framing is one of the most popular types of framing in a thriller. It is usually used to create suspense and make the scene appear more dramatic. Another frame type used frequently in thrillers is long shot framing. Long shot framing is used to establish the scene.

Low/high angle shots

Low angle and high angle shots are very common in thrillers. Low angle shots are used to make a character seem weak and vulnerable; completely defenseless. Where as high angle shots are usually used to express power and strength.  These shots are usually found a the point in which the antagonist has gained control and power over the protagonist. An example of this can be found in the crop duster scene in Alfred Hitchcock's "north by north west" Our protagonist Richard Thornhill is shown in many low angle shots to represent is vulnerability where as in contrast the crop duster is shown in many high angle shots to represent the antagonists power. 

Jumpcuts

a jump cut is an abrupt transition between one scene to another and are extremely common in thrillers. This is because they go smoothly with the fast paced plot of a thriller. Jump cuts are used to link two scenes together. Good examples of films with good jump cut is Guy Richie's "Snatch" and Stanley Kubrick's " A Space Odyssey". 

 

Digetic Sound

Digetic sound is used throughout thrillers as it is one of the most effective ways in which they can create suspense. Digetic sound such as the soundtrack plays a key role in most thrillers as it tells the audience how to react/feel without actually telling them. It also helps establish the scene.

Red Herrings

Red herrings are a typical convention of a thriller as they keep the audience in suspense and on the edge of their seats. A good example of a red herring is in the scene where we find out the Bourne actually worked for the people that are trying to kill him in Doug Limen's " The Bourne Identity"