Research into the conventions of the thriller genre- Miss Miller.

Research into the conventions of the thriller genre.

I will be discussing the different conventions that are typically used in the thriller genre to create emotion from the audience and build suspense,the definition of Convention is : Conforming or adhering to accepted standards. They are the elements/patterns that the viewer expects to see when they are watching a film of this specific genre. I have chosen to use 'It's showtime!' from Scream 2 because it uses typical thriller conventions to a good effect to create a tense atmosphere in the clip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdPtumdfg9c

Sound
On-screen sound is used in this clip when the phone rings, the audience can clearly see that the phone is ringing and the girl picks up the phone. The phone ringing builds a shot moment of suspense in the clip because the audience anticipate what is going to said to the girl. This helps the audience build a relationship with the character as they see that she is anxious about picking up the phone, this in turn engages the audience and makes them worried for her. Non-diagetic sound is also used in this clip, for example the soundtrack. The soundtrack is a vital convention in thriller films because it builds suspense quickly and makes the audience react to what is happening on screen. the soundtrack is most effective once the killer appears, this is because the sound is building up on the phone when  the killer is talking to her, but once he appears the music builds up and is fast paced. this is emphasized when the girl runs to her boyfriend, that is when the music stops, it once starts again when he goes inside the house after the killer. The sound track is effective at building a tense atmosphere that can scare the audience and show the audience when the characters are in danger, as the music was stopped when she was safe and then started when the male returned in the house.

Knife
The use of a knife in this scene is typical of a thriller film as the killer usually has a weapon and in this film the knife he uses is his trademark, the use of the knife is important to the scene as when the audience see the knife it builds a tense atmosphere because they audience are scared for the woman being chased by the killer with a knife. The knife also helps build a relationship between the characters and the audience because the audience want the woman to survive so when they see they knife they feel scared for her and it makes the audience dislike the killer. they way the use of the knife quickly builds tension in a scene and builds a relationship between the audience and the characters is why weapons are important in the thriller genre, as they are a stimulant for the audience.

Female victim
Female victims are a popular convention in thriller films because they female victims are portrayed as weak and helpless against the killer in most thriller films and especially this clip, so the use of the female victim builds tension in the scene for the audience who are scared for the female in the scene. The audience begin to build a relationship with the female character as they want her to live, this is why the female victim is used because it helps the audience engage in the scene, which again, builds a tense atmosphere for the audience.

Masked killer
Masked killers are a popular convention in thriller films because they are immediately recognised in the scene and build suspense quickly when the audience know the masked killer is looking to kill someone, so the audience are scared for the other characters. The masked killer creates a sense of mystery in a film, which is why they might be so popular in thriller films because the mystery can be scary for some of the audience and it makes a lasting atmosphere for the whole scene when you can see the masked killer. This is why masked killers are used, as they are mysterious for the audience and leave a lasting scary atmosphere for the film, which engages the audience.

Summary.
Overall the clip I have chosen uses these popular conventions to a good effect, I would consider using every convention that they have used because they build a suspenseful atmosphere which is important in thriller films. When I am creating my scene I will have to take these typical conventions into consideration,so i might be able to re create the tense atmosphere in this scene.