Conventions of a Thriller

Conventions of a thriller are to do with sound and editing, such as quick cuts and the different camera angel changes. also the music that is played at different points that gives tension when appropriate and needed.

An example is from a scene in the film psycho, as when the women is being murdered diegetic music is played to build more tension. Without the music playing there is less emotion in the scene as the audience can become less aware of the situation, by playing the music we become more aware that something bad is going to happen and it makes us more anxious. Other examples in this clip is when close up shots are used to emphasise the characters death and her pain. For example as the killer leaves the camera cuts to a close up of the hand slowly moving down the wall, showing us how the women is hurt without having to focus on her face and making it obvious. Another shot is used at the end of the scene as it starts as a close up to the womens eye and slowly spirals out to a medium close up of her entire face. The camera making a spiraled movement could be interpreted as the water spiraling down the drain, and showing an end to her life We can tell again that the women is now dead as she is lifeless and not blinking. These are all different conventions as they are all different parts that have been editied and have used different camera angles and shots to build tension in the scene therefore creating a thriller.

This shows a close up shot of the girl being murdered. It does a close up to show more emotion in her face, as this is happening diegetic music is being played making the experience feel more dramatic.












psycho- the shower scene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WtDmbr9xyY