Thriller Conventions The aim of a thriller is to keep the audience watchful and on the edge of their seats.

The protagonist is thrillers are set to against a problem or mystery in which he/she has to solve. Thrillers are now commonly a mixture of another genre this may be action-thriller like our groups film. In whatever type of thriller there conventions in which you have to abide to doing these are; Themes and Characters Themes Common themes in thrillers include some form ransom, heists, ransoms, revenge and kidnappings these themes will include the protagonist and antagonist in a struggle of dominance with the antagonist using one of them to gain control of the situation. Character The protagonist faces some sort life or death situation usually involving him, a family member or someone the protagonist dearly cares about for example in the film Taken and its sequel it is the main characters family members that are kidnapped which forces him to react. The antagonist must initially be clever and or stronger than the protagonist for example in the Dark Knight Rises Bane is physically and mentally stronger than Batman but gradually the balance changes. The plot of the protagonist is either a mission to find something that is missing or to take down an antagonist for example in James Bond Quantum of Solace the protagonist is on a mission to put down the man who killed his lover and the organisation which forced her hand. The films narrative construction is dominated by the protagonist point of view so the audience are in favour of the protagonist. For example in the film Wanted the majority of the film we get one perspective of the main character. All action and characters must be realistic in their representation on screen. The two major themes that reinforce the thriller genre are the desire for justice and the morality of the characters for example in Reservoir dogs the characters have to decide which person in the group is the traitor. One small, but significant, aspect of a thriller is the presence of innocence in what is seen as an essentially unethical world this is usually portrayed by the victim in the thriller for example if a character is kidnap they are usually telling their captors they will be rescued. The protagonist and antagonist may battle, themselves and each other, not just on a physical level, but on a mental one as well. For example in

Dark Knight Rise Bane the antagonist is constantly stressing the need to break Batman in mind and in body. Either by accident or their own curiousness, characters is dragged into a dangerous conflict or situation that they are not prepared to resolve. For example in the Dark Knight Rises Batman goes into battle with the antagonist Bane without been fully prepared with the challenge he is about to face. Story and Setting Plots of thrillers involve characters which come into conflict with each other or with outside forces the threat is sometimes abstract or unseen. An atmosphere of creepy menace and sudden violence, such as crime and murder, characterize thrillers. Thrillers often present the world and society as dark, corrupt and dangerous. But in modern day films they usually feature happy endings in which evil is overcome by good. The tension usually arises when the character is placed in a menacing situation, a mystery, or a trap from which escaping seems impossible. Life is threatened, usually because the principal character is unsuspectingly or unknowingly involved in a dangerous or potentially deadly situation

Story and Setting

Is dragged into a dangerous conflict or situation that they are not prepared to resolve.