Research into conventions - Miss Miller

Research into conventions

A convention in a thriller film is elements that rate common within different film genres - patterns that can be seen/used in different films from the same category. Examples of conventions in a thriller are; iconography, jump scenes, death, masked antagonists, low key lighting, enigma, long pauses, suspense, shock, tense music and many other things that engage the audience and help them understand the movie more and get a bigger thrill. The clip I have chosen to analyse is called " The Box Scene" from the film Se7en. I have chosen to analyse this clip, as I believe it has many different conventions that engage the audience and help them understand the plot more clearly. 

Firstly, iconography was used and in this case it was a gun. This was when the detective had to point the gun at the serial killer. This links the audience to the character (detective) as it makes them feel like he does not feel safe so he needs to watch his back incase anything happens. This is conventional to a thriller as it shows the audience that the serial killer is a dangerous character and the detective is in danger because he has to have a gun pointed at him for protection, which means the audience is more sympathetic and cares for the detective as they do not want him to get hurt by the psychopathic serial killer. This builds a relationship between the audience and the characters as the audience know someone is going to die as the gun foreshadows death that will most likely occur but the fact that the antagonist is psychotic engages the audience more as they know it will not be a normal death and something else may occur as he is a very clever, scary but twisted character. This occurs throughout the scene every time it shows the detective and antagonist. 


Secondly, the next convention used in this scene was setting. The setting was in a isolated place which no one knows about as it is like a desert and in the middle of nowhere. This makes the audience assume that something bad is going to happen as it is in the middle of nowhere and the suspense has built up throughout so they are on the edge of their seat expecting for something thrilling to happen. This is conventional to as thriller genre as it helped to build on the relationship with the audience and the character (detective) and made them feel sympathy for the character as they are expecting the serial killer to get physical and violence as there is no one around to witness him getting away and killing the detectives. This occurs throughout the scene every time there is a mid shot of long shot. 

Thirdly, the next convention used was tense music. This went on throughout the whole of this scene to make sure that the audience stays under focus as the clip keeps changing from the psychotic killer to the innocent agent who is wondering if he's wife has been hurt. This builds a relationship between the characters and the audience as the music engages the audience which then leads to them feeling more sad, shock and sympathetic for the innocent detective as he doesn't know what has happened to his wife from the psychotic serial killer. This is conventional to a thriller film as it builds up suspense for the audience and prepares them for potential shock. It also helps the audience to start to imagine what could happen next and feel worried for the fragile detective as we feel unsure for him. This occurs throughout the whole scene.

Fourthly, the next convention used in this scene was an enigma. This was going on throughout the clip when the psychotic serial killer was hinting out the death of someone. The purpose of this convention within the clip was to create suspense and make the audience feel more excited to find out what is going to happen next and build a relationship with the characters. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it engaged the audience more and kept them on the edge of their seats to find out what is going to happen next and made them make predictions of what was to come. This use of enigma also builds a relationship between the audience and the character as the audience feel as something is going to happen because the antagonist is portrayed as being clever and twisted so the enigma builds more tension and the audience feel more scared for the detectives as they start to assume something bad is going to happen to them. 

Lastly, the next convention used in this scene was handheld. This was used when the detective (Morgan Freeman) was opening up the box to see what was in it. The purpose of this convention at that point in the scene was to create a jerky image from the character to the box, which made the relationship between the audience and character stronger as it made them feel the chaos and urgency within. This is conventional to a thriller genre as it showed the audience what was happening from the characters perspective, which intrigued and engaged them more. The fact that the audience felt as they were seeing what was happening from the characters perspective made them more engaged in the film and more scared wanting to find out more as they were on the edge of their seats waiting for something to happen. 

This task that made me research into conventions in a thriller genre helped me gain lots of different ideas on what i can use in my own opening thriller sequence to make it as successful. The clip I have analysed was successful in using the different types of conventions to make the audience feel the elements of; shock, suspense and surprise. The conventions I've seen in this sequence and going to use in my sequence are; iconography, enigma and handheld camera. I am going to use these conventions in my sequence because I believe they have the biggest impact on the audience by engaging them in the film more and keeping them on the edge of their seats waiting to find out more and what is going to happen next.  For example; i could use a handheld shot to create a scarier atmosphere to the audience as the shaky recording will make the audience feel unstable and spook them out more into thinking something is going to happen. The most important thing i learnt from this task it that sound is very affective in a thriller film as it adds on the tension being built and engages the audience more scaring them one something does occur. Sound is something very important i will include in my own thriller sequence.

Research into editing - Miss Georgiou

Research into editing

Throughout many thriller films a huge variety of editing terminologies are used to make the audience enjoy their experience of viewing the film more than usual. For example, a reaction shot is used to show a subjects reaction to a previous shot. A montage is used to speed up editing and add shots together to juxtapose them together to create excitement. I will be analysing the reverse teddy bear trap scene from Saw 1.

The first editing terminology used was the Reaction Shot. This was when the girl was being asked questions in the interview then it zoomed into a close up of her face very quickly. This editing terminology shows the audience the characters facial expressions and in this case it was not a pleasant one as the audience found out that the character did not have a good experience. This editing terminology is conventional to a thriller as it builds a relationship between the characters and the audience as it shows them how the characters are feeling and engages them more. The audience also feel sympathetic as they can see the characters facial expression was not a nice one and knew something bad had happened. This is also conventional to the thriller genre as it creates suspense then when they see the characters reaction the audience are shocked and more thriller. This editing terminology was in the reverse bear trap scene at 0:45 seconds.


Another editing terminology used was a jump cut. This was when the girl was sitting on the interview chair and a flashback occurred. This shows the audience that there was a change from a civilised, calm and safe room to a cruel, dangerous torture  chamber. This is conventional to a thriller as it builds a relationship between the characters and the audience as it shows the audience the past life of the character and everything that had happened before. 
The audience feel like they know the character more and understands the story line more if they see what had happened before for the character to be that scared and in mentally damaged. This is conventional to the genre as it creates enigma and suspense as the audience are more enticed and shocked by what is happening as they feel like they understand what is happening more. This editing terminology was in the same scene during 0:50-0:55.

Furthermore, timing shot was also used in this scene. This is when a shot is edited quicker or slower. This occurred when the clip sped up as it started to show the audience the girl being tortured. This made the audience more engaged and more emotional as they could start to panic for the girl as the video sped which showed it was more of a serious situation and scary for her.This is conventional to a thriller because it builds suspense to the audience and links them to create a relationship with the character as it adds a emotional impact for the characters that the audience would understand. This also creates tension and shocks the audience more when something happens to the protagonist. This editing terminology was used between 0:55-1:20

Lastly, a shot reverse shot was also used in this scene. This is when a conversation is taking place and it quickly changes from one shot to another over and over. This occurred in this scene when jigsaw said he was going to kill the innocent victim and cut from the villain to the victim. This made the audience understand the dialogue more and engaged them into it more. This is conventional to a thriller because it builds up tension to the audience as they have built a relationship with the victim and do not want her to get hurt however feel scared for her as they do not know what is going to be said in the conversation so are hooked and waiting to see if she will be alright so when something bad happens the audience are more surprised by it. This editing terminology was used between 1:20-2:35.

In conclusion, editing is utilised to create suspense, suspense and shock and helps create enigma and tension within the film. Distinctive editing techniques make the film more scarier and dramatic which creates more lumpy scenes to thrill the audience and make their experience of watching a thriller film more thrilling and enjoyable. Editing techniques are used to plot critical elements within the opening thriller sequence which make the audience focus on certain objects to create more tension. Researching these editing terminologies taught me how it makes films better for the audience and which ones help the audience enjoy the film more. The main editing terminologies i am going to use in my film is; reaction shot, timing shots, jump cut and slow editing. Timing shots outline the victim and the antagonist by using techniques which link the scenes together. Jump cuts help the audience focus on things in the shots such as weapons which create tension as the audience already know something bad is going to happen so they feel the suspense during the enigma when they see the victim is going to strike. I am going to be using these ones because i believe it has the most affect on the film making it a better, clearer and more exciting experience for the audience to watch. They also create elements of shock, suspense and surprise to entice the audience more and make them more thriller and jumpy during the films. These editing terminologies in my opinion also make the audience have a better connection with the characters as they feel like they are in the characters place and feel scared, shocked and suspenseful throughout the film. Editing is conventional in the thriller genre as it makes the audience more on edge as it is unexpected but it also makes the protagonist seem vulnerable which creates more suspense.  

Research into sound - Miss Miller

Research into sound 

Sound is a noise used to create a suspense for the audience and engage them in what they are watching. Its also used in films to help the audience understand what is happening and create more of a meaning about the characters and their emotions. The film i have chosen to analyse is The Conjuring. I am analysing this film as it has many different sounds that engage the audience and helps them understand the film more.

The film started off with an off-screen sound. This was when it was pitch black however you could hear wind blowing but could not see the weather outside. The wind sound showed the audience the type of weather that was outside and engaged them as it was the first sound they heard. The fact that the film started off like this sets up a spooky setting. This means that the audience can build a relationship with the characters as they would feel scared themselves which means they would understand more and know how the character feels in that specific time. This is conventional to a thriller as it engages the audience and sets up a element of suspense ready for them to get frightened. It benefits the audience and helps them think of the film more as a spooky thriller than just an average film. This part of the clip was during 0:00-0:06. 

Silence was also used in this scene. The point of using silence was to create suspense and tension to entice the audience. This was when it was just dark and showing around the room. The silence was used to build up tension for the audience as the scene was just beginning and started off with a spooky sound. The silence also creates anticipation  as the audience are waiting for something to jump out. This builds a relationship with the audience and the character as they both feel the same emotions and both are scared at the same things. The sound of silence is conventional to a thriller film as it intrigues the audience and builds up a suspense for the rest of the scene that will be set in the film. The suspense the silence builds engages the audience more and keeps them on the edge of their seats waiting for something thrilling to happen. This part of the clip was during 0:27-0:34.

A diegetic sound was also used. The diegetic sound was a dialogue. This was when the little girl got scared and got out of her bed to go get her parents. The dialogue shows the audience that the child is scared and needs comfort as she is calling for her "mummy" and "daddy" in the film.  This builds a relationship between the character and the audience as they know that when a child is looking for their parents or calling for them they feel very unsafe and scared and this makes the audience feel more upset and sympathetic for the little scared girl. A dialogue is conventional to a thriller as it gives the audience a small and clearer understanding of what is going to happen and helps them predict the timing of the scares from listening to what is being said in dialogue. A diegetic sound, and in this case, a dialogue engages the audience more and makes them want to know what happens more as the words said by the characters intrigue them. This part of the clip was during 0:58-1:01. 

Another sound terminology used was parallel sound. This was when the little innocent girl went through the dark creepy corridor and opened the door slowly. The parallel sound was expected as the door looked old and people knew it would of made a creepy creaking noise. This builds a relationship and links the audience and the character as it makes them feel like something is going to jump out and danger the girl and feel scared for her as the sound is a creepy one and makes the audience think that something bad and dangerous is going to happen. However this was conventional to a thriller as it made the audience frightened because the sound was high pitched and made them expect and stay on the edge of their seats for a jump scare. This part of the clip was during 1:15-1:19.

My research into sound has taught me many different types of sound terminologies and what they can do to the audience. For example, certain sounds such as silence can be used to interest the audience more, building on the elements of suspense, surprise and shock, to make them enjoy watching the film more. Sound can also be used to set the mood of the audience for a certain part of the film. For example; high pitched sounds can be used to make it more thrilling and scary for the audience as they will think something bad and scary is about to happen. Films all use different sounds to entice the audience but thriller films always use them to engage the audience by building more suspense and scare them when they least expect it. In my own film i am going to include a variety of sound terminologies i have learnt about especially; silence, parallel sound and non-diegetic sound as i believe they are the most effective in a thriller film and makes the audience have a bigger reaction after watching the thriller. I will use silence to create tension to the audience as it would become silent making the audience on edge again waiting for the jump scare to occur or something to come out and harm the victim. I will also use parallel sound as it makes the audience think that something is going to happen leaving them in suspense waiting for something to happen which makes their experience of watching a thriller film more joyful and thrilling. Lastly, I will be using non diegetic sound to create a sinister atmosphere as it would build suspense for the audience engaging them and keeping them on edge waiting for a scare to occur. 

Research into Mise-en-Scene - Miss Georgiou

Research into Mise en Scene

Mise-en-Scene is the french term for "put into the scene". In other words, Mise-en-Scene describes the stuff in the frame and the way it is shown and arranged. We have organised this page according to five give general areas: setting and iconography, lighting and colour, costume/hair and makeup, facial expressions and body language and positioning objects within the frame. 

The setting was essential of the opening scene of Scream 3. The sequence was based in two different locations which consisted of a house and a car. Both of these places are realistic so it makes it more believable for the audience. The house setting makes the audience feel comfortable as the characters are safe so shocks them even more when something bad happens. This is conventional to a thriller because the two settings are homely settings so the audience would not expect anything dangerous to happen and when it does it would engage them more. Iconography enables the audience to fully understand the narrative that is taken place. In this case the iconography used was a mobile phone. This iconography was a good one to use because it is something all the audience use daily therefore it made it realistic. Moreover, this item is a good item to start a murder mystery and begin the thriller in the film. This is conventional to a thriller because it helps the character contact the murderer in the most realistic way that would engage the audience and build suspense as the film goes on. The suspense built will also lead to them getting surprised and feeling shocked later on in the film which would make their experience of watching the film a good and joyful one.

Costume, hair and make up is essential in the film scream 3. The murderer in this film is dressed in a black cape and has his face covered in a spooky mask. This costume is black and covers all of the victim showing none of his skin. This costume is conventional to a thriller because it scares the audience even more as they have no idea what the villain looks like and the colour black automatically symbolises death and dark evil. The villain is also wearing a white mask to compliment the black cape and look more catchy to the viewers eyes and the mask hides the villains identity by not showing any of his face or even his hair. Therefore, the mask is also conventional to a thriller as it makes the audience more intrigued and would scare them even more when he pops up from the dark which makes the audience feel suspense throughout the film and a huge element of shock when the antagonist does jump out to surprise the character and the audience along with it.

Facial expressions and body language pays a key role in the film Scream 3. The man in the car that is on the phone starts of with a calm and smiley facial expression however towards the end of the film has the complete opposite expressions. In the first picture his facial expressions are flirty and smiley which shows he is innocent and not the bad guy. However, in the second picture the same characters facial expressions change to being scared and frowned which shows he is in danger and the victim. This makes the audience feel scared for the character as they see the sudden change in his facial expression. This is conventional to a thriller because it shows the audience how the actors are feeling and makes the audience more engaged when they see the change between the character before and after. The fact that his face went from cheerful and happy to sad and frightened shows the audience that he must be in danger and is a victim to a terrible tragedy to come which builds tension to the audience and a huge surprise when something does take place and someone does get hurt or killed.

 

Lighting and Colour is very essential to a thriller and especially in the film Scream 3. The serial killer suddenly pops up suddenly in the film to frighten the girl. The lighting used in the still image below is low-key lighting. This occurs when he pops up out of nowhere, the lighting and colour used is very dark so that the audience can feel as something scary is about to take place. This would mean that the audience would be more engaged waiting and looking out for something that's going to happen and they would feel anxious and panic-stricken for the character. This is conventional to a thriller films as it gives it a spooky and dark setting to make the villain more visible and frighten the audience more when they suddenly spot him/her through the dark. This would then lead on to the audience being shocked, surprised and going through suspense throughout the whole process of the dangerous character waiting to strike on the innocent woman. 

Positioning of characters and objects within the frame is also extremely essential to a thriller film such as Scream3. This happens when the serial killer turns up suddenly behind the innocent woman and kills her. The fact that the characters were positioned like that draws attention to the importance of the woman innocent face and the villain who turns up behind her without her knowing. This makes the audience feel scared for the women as they have built a relationship with the character and already feel sympathy for her however can see her facial expression and feel very frightened for her. This is conventional to a thriller as it indicates the relationship between the two characters and helps the audience understand it clearer and more building the elements of shock, surprise and suspense to the audience through the characters. 

In conclusion, Mise-en-Scene is used to create emotions of; shock, surprise and suspense to the audience throughout the film to engage them and make them feel more nervous and excited to see the rest of the flu . A type of Mise-en-Scene such as; lighting, is a key element when making a thriller films to improve the film and make it more thrilling and scary to the audience when they are watching. Researching Mise-en-Scene gave me ideas on what is needed to make a successful thriller that would make the film better for the audience to watch and be intrigued by. After researching i decided to include mainly settings, iconography, lighting and colour in my own thriller to improve it and make it better and more enjoyable  for the audience when they are viewing. The setting is very important as it is most likely the first thing the audience is going to see so if it is mysterious for the audience it will engage them more and intrigue them to wanting to watch the rest of the film. Lighting and colour along with iconography is also very important as it will affect the audiences opinion about how shocking, surprising and suspenseful the film actually is. If i have big and dangerous iconography along with low lighting and dark colours it will frighten the audience more and keep them looking forward to the rest of the film. Therefore, all the elements of Mise-en-Scene above would be used in my opening of a thriller sequence to entice the audience straight away and make them want to watch the rest of the film as they would like it because of all the thrills they face built up slowly by the shock, suspense and surprise. 

History of a Thriller- Miss Georgiou

Why is the thriller genre popular today?

I believe that in the modern age today thrillers are extremely popular because it gives the audience a huge adrenaline rush due to the fact that most of the films are fast-paced. A majority of these films are catchy so the viewer gets caught up in the thrills and want to see what happens next. The genre of thrillers provide the audience with a sudden rush of excitement and usually keeps them on the edge of their seats during the whole period of the film. 

1930 Thriller Film

King Kong was a thriller made in the 1930's. The narrative of this film consists of a film crew travelling to an exotic location for a film shoot and finding a giant, violent and scary  gorilla who finds a big interest in their main blonde actress. The theme of this film is fear because everybody is scared of King Kong as he his not a human and is a big dangerous and scary beast. Ann Darrow is characterised as the beautiful helpless blonde that everybody has fallen in love for even a giant ape. Meanwhile, King Kong is characterised as a giant, violent and dangerous destruction machine. These two characters are portrayed as the opposite however King Kong falls in love with the women which shows opposites attract. This film was directed Merian C.Cooper who was known for making films containing the elements of thrill, shock and romantic violence. 


1940 Thriller Film

The Ape was a thriller made in the 1940's. The narrative of this film consist of a mad scientists who is trying to cure a young females polio however is interrupted by a angry circus ape who is terrorising the towns people. However, the scientist only needs spinal fluid from a human to complete his formula for his experiment. The theme of this film is suspense because nobody knows what the wild ape is going to do next and they also do not know what the mad scientist is planning to do so they have to wait and see what's happening. The mad scientist is characterised as clever as he is close to finding a cure because of his experiments however is made to seem as he is deranged. This film was directed by William Nigh also known as "Will Nigh" or "William Nye". He also directed Mr. Wong, Detective and Black Dragons.

1950 Thriller Film

Mystery Street was a thriller made in the 1950's. The narrative of this film consists of a bargirl finding out her married boyfriend is no longer going to leave his wife for her so she steals a car and goes to confront him. However, months later her skeleton washed ashore and the local officer and a detective have to solve the mystery before an innocent man pays the price. The theme of the is film is curiosity because the audience do not know what is happened and are given clues throughout the film to the reason how she has died however is not given the actual reason which is why they are intrigued and curious throughout the film. Vivian is characterised  as a beautiful, flirty and blonde bar girl who is innocent however is the victim of this tragic and mysterious death. This film was directed, by the American, John Sturges. He directed films such as; Bad Day at Black Rock, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape and Ice Station Zebra.


1960 Thriller Film 

The Blast of Silence was a thriller made in the 1960's. The narrative of this film consists of a bearded man giving a hit man a gun who just came to New York to kill a gangster. The theme of this film is mystery because the audience are in suspense of who the hit man is trying to kill and get excited and anxious about it every time the hit man gets close to killing him. 
Frankie Bono is characterised as a mysterious, sneaky and mischievous hit man who is quiet and very good at what he does. This film was directed by Allen Baron who also stars as the main role in it. Allen Barons most successful film was intact the noire Blast of Silence. 

1970 Thriller Film 


Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? was  a thriller made in the 1970's. The narrative of this film consists of an insane women called Roo who throws a traditional party for orphans and kidnaps a little girl called Katy to replace her as her dead daughter who's corpse's she still keeps in her cot. The theme of this film is phycology as the audience need to worry for the little girl as she can not defend her self from the sane Auntie Roo. Mrs Forest is characterised as a evil, twisted and psychotic women who has lost everyone she loves so she wants to replace them with the orphans. On the other hand, Katy Coombs is characterised as a sweet, innocent young child who does not know what's happening and is very scared as she was expecting a party for orphans and not a mad woman wanting her to be her daughter. This film was directed by Curtis Harrington. His films had elements of shock, mystery and murder. He also made many other thriller films that contained mysteries for the audience to be intrigued by.

1980 Thriller Film

Ten Little Indians was a thriller made in the 1980's.The narrative of this film consists of 10 strangers getting invited to a party at a mansion however is left a note from the host that was not there that they are all one by one going to die and have to find out who the murderer is if they want to live. The theme of this film is curiosity because the audience is intrigued on who the killer is that is trying to kill everyone so they themselves act like detectives and try to figure it out themselves as they are curious. Ann Clyde is characterised is outgoing, ruthless and eager to find out who the murderer is before she herself is murdered. This film was directed by George Pollock best known for his murder mystery films. His films all contained elements of shock, murder and brain tease. 

1990 Thriller Film

The Sixth Sense was a thriller made in the 1990's. The narrative of this film consists of a young child who gets frequent visits from ghosts and is scared to tell anyone other than the child psychologists who tries his very best to find out more about the young boys problem and help him. The theme of this film is spookiness as the audience can see that there are no ghosts from the normal characters perspectives however can see that there are ghosts from the young boys perspective. Cole Sear is characterised as scared, dark and troubled as he doesn't know how the dead is only visiting him and none else can see them. He is also a very young child which makes him look even more petrified. This film was directed by M. Night Shyamalan. He was known for his films to contain elements of supernatural plots.


2000 Thriller Film 

Hannibal was a thriller made in the 2000's. The narrative of this film consist of a flesh eating murderer escaping from custody and 7 years later one of his survived victims wants to get revenge on him but needs to use human bait to lurk him in. The theme of this film is psychotic because the fact that Hannibal murders people by eating them freaks the audience out and keeps them intrigued as one of his victims survived and is looking for him to try and kill him. Hannibal Lecter is characterised as psychotic, scary and a cannibalistic serial killer who can't be stopped. This film was directed by Ridley Scott. He is know for his atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style and he used elements of puzzlement and his films made the audience feel spine-chilled. 


2010 Thriller Film

Shutter Island was a thriller made in 2010. The narrative of this film consists of a detective being sent to an island full of dangerous people to find out what happened to a murderess as she escaped her cell that was locked, but the detective finds out weird things are happening behind closed doors and has to face his fears if he wants to get off the island alive. The theme of this film is mystery as the audience feel like they need to find out what happened got the escaped women and they are intrigued by what they see and find out. Dr Cawley is characterised as a sly, secretive and unhinged person who looks innocent however is the main problem in everything. This film was directed by  Martin Scorsese who won the academy award for best director. Many of his films were known for the violence and liberal use of profanity. He used elements such  as suspense, surprise and  fright.

2015 Thriller Film

Knock Knock is a thriller made this year. The narrative of this film consists of 2 stranded young women who try to find safety in a house however the mans kind gestures turn into a dangerous and deadly seductive game for him as the girls try to kill him. The theme of this film is fear because the audience feel scared for the innocent man who tried to do a good gesture however is trying to escape getting murdered. Evan Webber is characterised as innocent, helpful and a good souled man however his kind heart was taken for granted by the two mad girls. This film was directed by Eli Roth known for his horror sequels and war films. He also directed the Hostel Sequels and used elements of scare, surprise and shock throughout his films. 

To conclude, thriller films from the 1930's to the modern day now have changed as the filming techniques has advanced and bettered throughout the years and now special affects can be added to engage the audience more in the film and make it more thrilling and exciting for the audience to watch. Thriller films from the 1930's have scared many generations and the different type of thrillers such as violent and psychological thriller all make it more intense for the audience. Many different things in the thrillers throughout the years all antics the audience into watching the films and trying to work out what is going on through the antagonists mind and death scenes are very good at doing that. Before in the early 1900's to 1990's thrillers seemed terrifying to watch even though if you compare them to thrillers these days they were not as frightening and jumpy as they are now. As time moved on film industry improved a lot through the music and effects swell as they became more established and the directors had a better idea on how to scare the audience more. Since then many thriller films started using music to create suspense and engaged the audience more into thinking something bad is about to happen so kept them on the edge of their seats. A lot of music was used in the modern thriller film 'scream' to get the audience enticed and in the mood for thrills and jumpy scenes. However, the modern thriller film ' paranormal activity' uses special effects and different types of lighting such as low key to create darkness so the audience can see from all angles what is happening but in a more scary point of view. In many of the thriller films to this day, point of view angle is used which means that the audience can see the scary clips from the characters point of view which engages them more and intrigues them making them nervous for what is going to happen next and keep them on edge. Overall, thriller films are becoming way more advanced each year due to the improvement of effects made by the advanced technology which make the experience of watching a thriller film more mysterious and terrifying for the audience. In the many years to come thriller films will always improve and technology will only go up and improve more so thriller films will be interesting and a even better experience for the audience to watch.

The films above are the top 10 thriller films around the world. Hannibal is the most successful thriller film released on the 9th of March 2001 that has been played in the theatres of a total of 3,292 times and made a whopping amount of $165,092,268 in its lifetime. The 5th successful thriller film is called the Red Dragon. This film was made on the 4th of October 2002 and appeared in more theatres than Hannibal  with the total of 3,363 theatre plays. However, this film did not make as much money as Hannibal but only made $93,149,898. The 10th most successful thriller film is called The Cell which was made on the 18th of August in 2000. This film made less profit than Hannibal and Red Dragon only making a total of $61,334,059 in total in its lifetime and only appearing in the theatres a total of 2,476 times. Red Dragon is a serious that carries on from the film Hannibal however The Cell is a separate film. Each one of these films consist of violence and a dark story of a serial killer on loose. The theme of each of these films shocking mind trips into the dark corridors of a serial killers psyche. The main characters in all these films are dark, dangerous and cold-blooded serial killers who have no fear for murdering innocent victims and scarring others for life. The target audience for all these thriller films are the same and are targeted at mature, adult audiences due to the complex and often shocking themes and content. 

The film Hannibal was more successful than the other films as this film engages the audience the most as it is the most physiologically thrilling film. This film keeps the audience enticed throughout as it makes them think about what is happening in the antagonists mind as they can see he is mentally disturbed and they feel thrilled every time he does something and every time he kills someone. This film is also very successful as the special effects are jaw-dropping to the audience as they are very realistic and in a weird way very joyful to watch. However, the main reason why this film is very successful is due to the narrative. The narrative is very engaging but psychological which makes the audience feel the pain of Hannibal as they understand why he wants revenge so they feel as they have built a bond with him so feel more clear and understanding when things happen. They also try to work out how he tries to think and his plans he makes to kill the people he does. 

This task set for me to analyse thrillers from the 1930's till modern day now helped me plan towards my own thriller and has inspired me in many ways. For example, I would like to have a theme of shock, mystery and suspense in my own production as many of the thrillers above had had. These films gave me a clear understanding of what type of thriller most of the audience like to see and i need try and add as much of the narratives in all of these films together into one for my very own production. such as; a mystery of a killing that no ones knows about which would engage the audience and cause an enigma for them to be hooked to and try to work out. I believe that some of these films were more successful than the others purely because of the time it was made and the equipment and editing skills they had back then to the ones they have now. However, its not only based on the time the film was made. It is also based on the narrative and how the characters are portrayed to the audience as if they are not engaging enough in the first 5 minutes the audience would not enjoy the film and it would not be as successful compared to a film that engages the audience straight away with and interesting and intriguing storyline that the characters made better by the way they act it out. 

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