Storyboarding

Storyboards from the film 'The Big Lebowski'

Thriller conventions

The following is a list of thriller conventions. Use it to both to create your own sequence and analyse existing ones, remembering that different films will use different conventions in different ways............:

Thriller Conventions.

A crime at the core of the narrative (often murder, but not necessarily).
A complex narrative structure, with false paths, clues and resolutions.
A narrative pattern of establishing enigmas which the viewer expects to be resolved.
A protagonist who is systematically dis-empowered and drawn into a complex web of intrigue by the antagonist.
Extraordinary events happening in ordinary situations.
Themes of identity.
Themes of mirroring.
Themes of voyeurism.
Protagonist with a ‘flaw’ which is exploited by the antagonist.
Titles often reflect an aspect of the pro/antagonist’s psychological state.
There is often a scene near the end of the film in which the protagonist is in peril.
Mise en scene which echoes/ mirrors the protagonist’s plight.

Last year's student thrillers

Also look at how the titles work-what sort of things are included in a title sequence? How does the font reflect the genre/themes?

• Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock,
  
• Anatomy of a Murder (
• Casino Royale (
  

Real Media Texts-Thriller Opening Sequences

Some examples of thriller opening sequences. Watch them and think about: the generic conventions of thrillers (i.e. what makes you know it's a thriller!); features and function of opening sequences; how each opening suggests its target audience; shots and ideas you could use in your own sequence...

• Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000)




• The Usual Suspects (Bryan Singer, 1995)




• Seven (David Fincher, 1995)
  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6msq8mgdnE&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL97DE4EBEFFFACE22

http://youtu.be/7bjA-4no1ZY