Codes and Conventions of a Thriller.

There are some codes and conventions that are essential to a thriller. These codes and conventions are used to immediately draw in and hook the audience. Events occur that form questions that the audience want to find answers to and this also hooks the viewers.

Sound is also used to add ambience to the scene and creates gravitz (which gives it a serious note). In the film, usually the music / sound is harsh and abrasive to build up the atmosphere in the title sequence.

Some thriller openings have a prologue (a pre-title scene which sets up for the rest of the film). Its somewhat like a prologue in a book, telling some of the story. A prologue immediatley captures the viewers attention and sets the tempo for the rest of the film. This can also add many unanswered questions and this makes the audience want to view the rest of the film.

Opening scenes or prologues of a thriller are usually very dark and dull, there will be hardly any bright colours, unless the director wants to draw the attention of the audience to something. Many close-ups may also be used to draw attention to a detail. Sometimes these details dont make any sense and are fragmented at the start of the opening scene, but will be pieced together with other scenes in the film to answer the audiences questions.

The titles and credits of a thriller will also add atmosphere to the film and make the audience anticipate whats going to happen.

All in all; the music, the camera shots and the ambience of the scene piece together to create a successful thriller opening.