Main Conventions of Thrillers

I have created a list of thriller conventions from doing research on the internet. This will help me in my coursework, especially in my planning stages, as it gives me ideas and tells me what I need to include to make it a thriller.

• Narrative centres around crime

• A protagonist and an antagonist

• The title of a thriller may relate to a weakness

• The narrative can present ordinary situations in which extraordinary things happen

• Camera work, sound, narrative, genre, mise-en-scene, lighting, costumes, actors, editing all help with a build up of suspense

• Themes of identity are common, like mistaken identity or doubling

• Reflection and mirroring, manipulation of perspectives and optical illusions are common

• Enigmas are usually set up, often in the opening