Sub Genres of Thrillers

Thriller is a genre of film but even within this genre, films can be broken into different sub genres. These different sub genres can include:

Action Thriller

it’s defining elements a back seat, and focus on the action, and you have an action-thriller. This is more common in movies than novels because of the visual appeal of explosions and violence. An example of an action thriller is Taken

Conspiracy Thriller

In this sub genre the protagonist must confront a large, powerful organization whose threat only he sees, most times he must do so alone. An example of an conspiracy thriller is X Files

Crime Thriller

This sub genre focuses on crime, and is usually from the criminal’s point of view. Physical action and evading the police feature heavily instead of gathering evidence and trying to discover the criminal. An example of an crime thriller is Pulp Fiction

Disaster Thriller

In this sub genre a natural disaster is occurring, and the protagonist is either trying to stop the disaster, the reduce the extent of the disaster, or just save themselves before time runs out and the disaster has run its course. An example of a disaster thriller is 2012

Legal Thriller

This sub genre takes place in and around the courtroom. Usually the protagonist is a lawyer who has found their case threatening death for either them or their client. An example of a legal thriller is Michael Clayton

Medical Thriller

This sub genre involves something usually used for medical purposes becoming a deadly weapon. Often it is a virus that is leaking out to the public. The protagonist or antagonist are usually doctors. An example of a medical thriller is Contagion

Mystery Thriller

This is a sub genre of both mysteries and thrillers. It differs from a regular mystery by being much more fast-paced, with the protagonist on the run and the looming threat of another crime serving as the movitation for the protagonist. Examples of mystery thrillers are The Usual Suspects and Gone Girl

Political Thriller

In this sub genre political relations or the whole government is at stake, and the protagonist is employed by the government to stop the threat. An example of a political thriller is Snowden

Psychological Thriller

In this sub genre a lot of the action is mental, instead of physical. The protagonist has become involved in a dangerous situation which literally threatens their sanity or life. They must use mental prowess to overcome their opponent, whether the battle is inside their own head or it a battle of their intelligence. An example of a psychological thriller is Shutter Island

Religious Thriller

This sub genre uses the history and myths of religion. Usually a religious artifact or historical secret is discovered, and different people and groups compete for control. An example of a religious thriller is Constantine 

Romantic Thriller 

This is a sub genre of both thrillers and romantic novels. The plot line follows a typical thriller’s tension, suspense, and excitement, but a main element is relationship between two characters. An example of a romantic thriller is The Adjustment Bureua 

Spy Thriller

This sub genre focuses on the high adventures of field agents. It is usually set against the backdrop of some war. An example of spy thriller is Tinker Tailor Solider Spy

Supernatural Thriller

In this sub genre supernatural elements are introduced, usually as an antagonistic force, but  the plot line and feel or distinctly that of thrillers. Some characters may have psychic abilities and other supernatural novel elements may be present. An example of a supernatural thriller is The Sixth Sense

Techno-Thriller

This genre is a mix near-future science fiction and thrillers. Cutting-edge technology plays an important role, either as something to obtain, or working for or against the protagonist. An example of a techno-thriller is The Matrix

The Key Features of A Thriller

Thrillers have certain troupes that are used. These features can include:

- Tension / Suspense

- A variety of camera shots and angles

- Effective and emotive music

- Use of Lighting

- The protagonist in some sort of predicament

- The protagonist usually achieves his goals

Examples of Thriller

Panic Room is a thriller that builds great tension throughout the film as the protagonist, Meg Altman, makes her way towards the Panic Room. There are several moments in the film that leads the audience to genuinely believe the the protagonist is about to die, but the danger is averted in an as realistic way as possible, which keeps the sense of threat alive.

Die Hard is a great example of a Thriller. In this Die Hard John McClane (Bruce Willis), was inexperience at combating the threat. This led to him being in sticky situations that left the audience on the edge of their seats and questioning whether he would end the film alive. Although as the Die Hard series progressed John McClane lost his underdog character type as he became almost invincible but this led to some of the thriller aspect being lost in the series.

Shutter Island is a psychological thriller that uses thriller troupes such as light and a variety of camera shots and angles. These troupes coupled with the very strange and cryptic story, keep the tension high and the audience unaware of what step the film may take.

Hello, my name is Jonathan and this is my AS Media blog. On my blog I will talk about the creation of my thriller opening. It will be of an average length, in order to not give too much away as well as to not let the audience know exactly what the film is about. It will also make use of music, special effects, production logos and more media techniques. I will detail each step, form my planning all the way up to my final finished opening. i will do this in order to allow you to understand what goes into the creation of an opening sequence for a thriller film

Dialouge in the Opening

We decided to keep dialogue to a minimum throughout the opening, we chose to do this as we thought that dialogue would disrupt the tension that is being built and could interfere with the music that lends so well to the tension. The dialogue throughout the opening is in the classroom between the teacher and the students this is only because it helped to set the mood and give slightly more understanding of the situation to the audience, however the opening doesn't need to give too much information, as a information heavy opening would spoil the plot of the rest of the film