Thriller Genre Research

 Thriller: A Deep Dive Into the Genre 

WHY: As I am only in the brainstorming stage for my film opening project, I am considering many different genres that I would like to film. One of these genres is Thriller. I chose to study the Thriller genre because it is very engaging and has grown in popularity over the last few decades. Some of my favorite Thriller films include Insidious: The Red Door directed by Patrick Wilson and Pearl directed by Ti West. While movies are one of the most recognized forms in the Thriller genre, one must not forget about television shows which have had an impact on the genre's success. TV shows such as Black Mirror and Criminal Minds, as well as other well-known tv shows, have had an influence on the stylistic choices of today's thriller films. There are many aspects about film making which are under-appreciated but are what make the thriller genre so successful and influential.  

CONTENT: When fully immersed in an engaging film, some of the key conventions and plot elements will go unnoticed by the audience. The first prevalent convention seen in the thriller genre is conflict. Within most action films, there is an antagonist and a protagonist. The entire plot of the movie is watching the conflict unfold between them. This cliche can be seen in popular movies such as Saw X directed by Kevin Greutert. Allowing there to be a conflict between a protagonist and antagonist can allow the audience to build empathetic emotions towards the protagonist. It creates anticipation, as well as a perfect foundation for an engaging climax. Another convention which is commonly used within the genre is the antagonists “MacGuffin”, or object of desire. When the audience can gather a background motive for the antagonists' actions, they fully understand the plot. Aside from the MacGuffin convention, red herring fallacies are also a common strategy for creating plot-twists and surprises in thriller movies. When the protagonist finds that a piece of evidence has been false all along, it causes a shift in the plot that was displayed before. Red herring fallacies keep viewers on the edge of their seats, which is the ultimate goal of the thriller genre. 

TECHNIQUES: There are many techniques used in the thriller genre to create different emotions and thoughts. One way to evoke feeling is to build suspense. This can be achieved by adding longer cuts opposed to quick cuts. This type of suspense can be seen in the movie No Exit directed by Damien Power. By cutting the scene less, we were able to watch the stress increase for the character in real time, as well as extend the time for us to build anticipation for what will happen next. In the scene of No Exit, when the main character finds the kidnapped child, we can see this technique. We can also notice the use of unsettling diegetic sound when the girl is trapped on the mountain. Sound techniques are used in many movies, including Get Out directed by Jordan Peele. In the sunken place scene, viewers can hear classical music in the background, acting as contrapuntal sound. This allows contrast between the unsettling dialogue, as well as adds to the disturbing feeling of the movie. Camerawork is also a significant factor when creating a thriller movie. We can see great examples of camerawork in the film, The Menu, directed by Mark Mylod. Within this film, we get many close-up shots, which allow us to see the customers' reactions to their dining experience and point of view shots to give the audience an immersive experience. These shots can give the audience an in-depth perspective of the uneasiness that the customers are feeling. Camerawork techniques are utilized in the film Midsommar, directed by Ari Aster, to evoke a feeling of distorted reality. When the group takes drugs in the flower field, the scene is captured by a slow zoom-in and is angled slightly at a Dutch angle to dramatize the slant of the hill. This makes the scene feel unbalanced, and adds to the uneasiness of the scene, as the characters are under the influence of drugs.  

MARKETING: There are many ways to gain an audience when it comes to thriller movies. This is because Thriller movies come in a variety of different sub-genres, so there is always something for everyone. One of the most prevalent things I've noticed throughout my research is the abundance of thriller films based on best-selling novels. This boosts the film's appreciation and attention, as those who have read the novel are anticipating its release. Movies such as the Hunger games, directed by Gary Ross, show this success. Another technique used by the hunger games is their ability to create a long-lasting series the audience keeps in tune with. When a movie continues their influence over multiple decades, they are generating their own advertising for themselves, as the audience is already eager to see what happens in the next film. Another creative way to generate advertising for a film is extensive content creation prior to the film's release. The film Smile directed by Parker Finn Successfully utilized this technique by filming people smiling in the recognizable smile movie horror fashion in public. This generated attention and views, making people want to view the film themselves. Another part of generating content is the creation of multiple trailers for a film. Joker directed by Todd Phillips, for example, uploaded five trailers to the warner bros. YouTube channel. By posting multiple trailers, this allows the movie multiple chances to gain traction for their movie. The creators of the Joker movie also did an excellent job with their media design, such as their posters. They created three different posters, each displaying different color schemes and outfits, which, in hindsight, can reflect the joker's mentally unstable character. The posters also did an outstanding job with creating a recognizable poster, as fans of the D.C. Comics series would be able to recognize this infamous character. 

 

 Many brands picked up on the influence that the Joker movie had as well, creating synergy relationships with the film. Dominos, for example, celebrated the release of the new film by posting this graphic to their twitter account: 

 

The Joker also had its influence on other social media platforms, partnering with snapchat to create a “Joker Face” snapchat filter.  

 

When the company gave potential customers the opportunity to see the Joker’s face on themselves, it increased engagement and publicity. Users were able to repost themselves with the filter to their story, spreading awareness for the upcoming release of the film. 

Synopsis: The Menu 

The Menu is about a young couple who goes on a date night to an exclusive restaurant called Hawthorne on a secluded island that can only be reached by boat. Throughout the night, they receive more creative dishes with deep meaning relating to the restaurant's theme. However, with each dish, the diners begin to realize why this restaurant is “to die for”. The Menu is a psychological thriller that has caught the attention of the public and has grossed 79.6 million dollars since September 2022. Without a doubt, this movie has had a successful history so far. But there are many aspects to the making of this movie that elevate the quality of storytelling. The movie utilizes many forms of camera work. Point of view shots can be noticed throughout the entire movie and allow viewers to see the dining experience through the character's point of view. Along with this, we see many close-up shots of the characters' expressions and reactions. The audience can pick up on the excitement, confusion, shock, fear, and sadness that the diners feel. The chef, however, is portrayed in a different light. By utilizing low-angle shots, the movie successfully portrayed the chef's power compared to his customers. There are different lengths of cuts, as well. When something negative occurs in the film, the shots become shorter, inducing panic and anxiety in the audience. On the other hand, some shots are longer, allowing us to further connect with the emotions of the diners and give us the ability to relate and connect with them more. Red Herring fallacies were seen throughout the movie, as well. We can see a significant red herring example when Margot sits down in the office with the chef. This film not only used camera shots and angles, but also sound. Throughout the movie, we can hear classical music played throughout the restaurant. While at the beginning the music can be seen as melodic, it is contrapuntal at the end. Costume choice must not go unnoticed, either. The chef wears a white chef's uniform. Usually, white signifies purity. However, by the end of the movie, the white of his uniform is stained with blood. This signifies purity being tainted. Margot, the diner we see the most, is wearing a thin-strapped silk dress. This may seem insignificant, however compared to the rest of the diners who are dressed conservatively and covered, this can make her stand out. We learn throughout the movie that she does not come from wealth like the rest of the diners. Therefore, this costume choice may show her personality compared to the classic “aristocrats”.  While this movie may seem like a classic psychological thriller, there is a deeper meaning to the movie. There are many aspects to the movie which show the difference between “givers” and “takers”.