RESEARCH - Genre Conventions

My group and I have decided that we are doing a combinations of both genres of mystery and thriller. Here are conventions of both of these genres:

Codes and conventions of a Thriller

Codes are systems of signs in which create meaning. Codes can be divided into two categories; technical and symbolic.

Thrillers

• A thriller shows a series of bad events in which build up tension before the climax. 
• A thriller consists of both an antagonist and a protagonist, who battle to restore/destroy justice.
• The storyline will be designed so that the audience will be able to relate to it, believing it could happen to anyone. This adds to the audience feeling scared and therefore stay interested in the film.

Sound in a thriller

Thrillers use music to help build tension/suspense. Music is essential in the build up as it makes a scene more dramatic and interesting for the audience, and also helps to set out the mood of the scene.

Conventions of a thriller

• Music that builds up suspense/tension,
• Black and white shots,
• A protagonist and an antagonist,
• Shadows,
• Quick cuts,
• Shadows,
• Breathing sounds,
• Changes in angles of shots.

Mise en scene

The location is also important when establishing the theme of the film. An example of this is the protagonist wearing everyday clothing and the antagonist wearing dark clothes. This further establishes their roles, and helps the audience to relate to the protagonist through them living an ordinary life and experiencing situations in which could happen to anyone.

Conventions of Mystery Genre

Themes in mystery

• Justice,
• Good vs bad,
• Confusion,
• Interrogation,
• Crime.

Setting

Settings are very important when setting the tone of the film. There are a variation of settings within the mystery genre. Some popular examples are remote countrysides or abandoned places. These settings are successful in mystery films as they are cut off from busy areas and are low populated, making the atmosphere more scary and builds up tension.

Narrative Structure

Mystery films often follow a similar narrative of an ordinary hero going about their normal life. Something then goes wrong which sets out the rest of the story, such as someone being killed. The hero is then involved in solving the issue.