Research: Psychological Thriller Codes and Conventions Main Task

Codes and conventions of a psychological thriller

Psychological thriller is a sub-genre of thriller, and has a heavy focus on the character themselves this is predominantly through close up reaction shots of characters. It incorporates elements of mystery through low level lighting creating shadows, which in turn bring a sense of secrecy, additionally costume design such as dark covering clothing can also become a presentation of the characters inner darkness as well as traits of the thriller genre. Some conventions of the genre often overlap with those of the horror genre. Suspense is created through pace paced editing which is prominently black and white or of a darker nature and music that his of high tension, eerie, with long periods of silence during critical moments. Flash backs are conventions of the thriller genre, time disorientation linked to Todorovs theory of dis equilibrium is used to confuse the audience or to sow the past to give an insight into why the characters are the way they are. Within psychological thrillers there is often a first person narrative allowing the viewer to understand the characters story and psychological state or mind.

Elements of psychological thrillers

• Reality- Characters often try to determine what is true and what is not within the narrative through the use of flashbacks.
• Perception- The way they see the world around them, they often see the world around them as a dull place.
• Mind- The mind is often used as a location for narrative conflict, where characters battle their emotions to reach a new level of understanding. This is primarily done through the first person narrative.  
• Identity-characters often are confused about or doubt who they are and try to discover their true identity.  
• Death- characters often have a fear or fascination with death.
• Purpose- characters often try to discover what their purpose is in their lives, and the narrative conflict often is a way for characters to discover their purpose.
• Mystery
• Drama

Conventions of psychological thrillers

• Time disorientation- flashbacks, dreams

• Music a mixture of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds, even music within some scenes of the trailer

• Fast paced edits

• Frequent changes of camera angle                     

  
  

Directors of thrillers.

• Alfred Hitchcock is known as the master of suspense, and uses code and conventions effectively, he is best known for films such as Psycho.
• David lynch- is known as a surrealist director, whose films create mystery, and puzzles within the films that audiences have to figure out, for example Mulholland Drive.
• Martin Scorsese- director of The Departed and Shutter Island, makes films have mystery through, using dis equilibrium to keep the audience watching right until the end when the plot behind the story is revealed.