The conventions of a thriller and how they affect the audience

Low key lighting; This is a common trait found in thrillers. It can be used to emphasise fear and darkness as well as creating an eerie atmosphere which can create a sense of tension and suspense for the audience.
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Mirrors; mirrors are a useful tool because they can show a characters hidden side without it being obvious and can say more about a character or setting than just showing it because they offer a different view point.
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Quick cuts; Cutting between shots fast can make it harder to understand what is going on and can suggest something heart pounding is happening or that a character is confused/rushed/scared ect. This is a very useful tool because it is used heavily in all thriller movies to increase the emotions that the audience feels for the character/s. An example of this is the shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.


Dramatic music/score; This can help set the tone for what is happening in a scene and also can increase the impact of a big reveal or a tense scene. It is very important because it can have the biggest effects on the audience.
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Diegetic sounds; They can be used to immerse the audience into the scene and make them feel part of the action. They can also mount the tension up if they are the only sounds being used. Examples of this are heavy breathing, floor creaks and shattering glass.
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Mise en scene; This is a key feature of any film but it is useful for the thriller genre especially because it can be used to build a sense of mystery and suspense. There are many iconic uses of mise en scene that range from Superman's costume to Mary Poppin's umbrella or the Joker's make up to Citizen Kane's speech.
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Camera angles e.g. close ups; Camera angles such as close ups can be used to mount tension for example a close up on someone's face hides the background and emphasises on their emotion which can make the audience sympathise with the character.
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