10 questions

1. What is the purpose of the opening to a film?
To engage the audience, set the scene and make them want to carry on watching the rest of the film.

2. What techniques can a director use to create suspense in a film?
The director can use music to build suspense, the sounds of a single instrument, or constant echoing vibration can slowly build up suspense in a thriller movie. They can also use darkness to create suspicion on what’s going to happen next.
3. How do you think a thriller film is defined?
It is a type of genre that is always building suspense and excitement.
4. What films can you think of that would fit into the thriller genre.
One hour photo, Drag me to hell, black swan or se7en.
5. The thriller film can be divided into sub-genres – what different types of thriller films do you think exist.
Crime thriller, conspiracy thriller, disaster thriller, erotic thriller, legal thrillers and mystery thrillers, there are so many different types.
6. What are the characteristics or conventions of a thriller film?
A true thriller will keep the audience constantly on the edge of their seats, by using cliff hangers and suspenseful music and images that will lead to a climax in the movie. Most thrillers take place in everyday areas such as schools or suburb areas; this is to show horror can take place in everyday environments.
7. What do you is the audience pleasure of a thriller film?
I think the audience will gain excitement in the film; they will want to watch it to scare themselves but also for that sense of relief after the jumpy bits are over.
8. What do you think are the differences between a horror and a thriller film?
A horror tends to have scenes of explicit gore and injury, where thrillers don’t need to include this as they just build suspense all the way through the film.
9. using the internet research “top 50 thriller films”. Look at the top twenty – which ones have you watched? If it’s not many, why do you think this is?
out of the top 20 thriller films I have watched quite a few including pulp fiction, the dark knight, fight club, silence of the lambs, se7en, terminator 2 salvation and alien. I think I have watched this many because I do enjoy thriller films but I would like to watch some more in the top 20 list.
10. using the internet find 3 posters for thriller films. Complete a brief semiotic analysis of the posters. What colours are used, what kind of imagery, taglines, certificate, narrative?