Conventions of a thriller- Miss Miller

·     In this essay i will be discussing the conventions in the sloth scene of the film Seven. Conventions are things that are presented in films that relate to that specific genre for example in thrillers you expect it to be set in a forest as its quite a dark scary place and builds tension for audience. Another example is a chase scene as in thrillers there is normally a chase scene between the killer and the victim. I chose the particular clip as it has many conventions of a thriller film which is ideal for this essay.

Camera shots and angles are very important in thriller genres as it gives the film the thriller genre. Different camera angles creates different senses of body language and emotions. In the clip of seven a steadi cam is used to create a smooth shots and angles of the setting so the audience can get a better feel of where the film is set. A steadi cam is used around the hallways of the house/factory of the place the characters are in too let audience get a brilliant picture of what the characters are seeing and feeling at that time. The place the characters are in is quite dark, gloomy and looks quite dirty so by using a steadi cam it enables the audience to feel sorry for the characters as they can get a clear image of where they are. By using a steadi cam it also allows suspense to be built as by going through the halls slowly its building up to the climax where at the end the man under the cover is shown making it more jumpier and scarier for the audience. It builds a relationship between the audience and the characters as they can clearly see the men walking through the corridors meaning they will sympathise for them. Its conventional to a thriller as normally in thriller films the setting of the film is made clear in which a steadi cam does that. 

Another important convention in a thriller is editing as it gives thriller films a sense of excitement and builds suspense. In the film seven a jump cut edit is used. A jump cut edit is where suddenly the camera suddenly focuses on something to build suspense. In the clip the torches of the characters suddenly focus on the door, this creates tension for the audience as it allows them to believe something scary is behind it. By focusing on something quickly it makes the film more jumpy which is conventional to a thriller. It builds an element of excitement as by focusing on something the audience may think something bad is going to happen which builds up tension for them which is key for thrillers. It enables the audience to feel quite scared as they don't know why it has focused on the door which is very important in thrillers. Another editing shot used is timing of shots. The timing of shots is quite slow at the beginning of the scene which allows the audience to understand the setting and how the characters are feeling which enables them to build a relationship with them however towards the end of the scene where tension has been built up the shots are really quick which creates an element of excitement for the audience and allows them to feel the pace the characters are going at to understand there point of view. In the film seven the quick shots are used straight after the jump cut shot on the door so it can release all the build up of tension quicker which makes the audience more jumpy which is key in thriller films.

Another convention of a thriller is lighting. Lighting is key in thrillers as it can make the film more sinister if it is dark (low key) which is stereotypical in thrillers. The lighting can be light (high key) which gives the audience the wrong impression of the film so when something scary does happen it builds more tension and creates more suspense then normally. In seven low key lighting is used inside the house to give of the idea to the audience that it is a sinister and mysterious place. Low key lighting is used as it makes the audience feel more vulnerable and uncomfortable which is key in thriller genres. Using low key lighting also builds tension as anything could jump out without the audience being aware off which creates an element of excitement. By using low key lighting it allows the characters in the film searching through the house to have torches, the torches give the audience to focus on so when the torches focused on the door it allowed the audience to engage even more with the film. Its conventional to thriller films as normally in other thriller films low key lighting is used to build tension as something will pop out which will make the audience more scared as they wouldn't expect it. The setting is also in a dark place which is typical for a thriller film and can make the audience feel sorry for the characters meaning it builds a relationship and builds suspense and tension. 

Another convention in the thriller genre is sound. Sound is ultimately the most important convention in thrillers, without sound the film wont be as jumpy and wouldn't be as interesting for the audience. There is different types of sound used in films. In seven there is sound used on screen, this means that you can see where the sound is coming from. In the film the sound is coming from the ambulance which gives the audience that someone is hurt which enables them to sympathise for the character that is in pain which is usually the victim. On screen sound just proves to the audience what is happening and where the sound is coming from. There's non digetic sound throughout the film which is a sound track of loud instruments and high beats to build suspense and tension for the audience. The soundtrack is loud at the beginning but is quite slow to create a sense of excitement and to make the audience feel quite scared, then when the door is smashed open the music gets even more louder and the pace is quicker to build even more tension for the audience. The beat of the soundtrack can shock the audience as it is loud which is key for thrillers to do so. 

The clip has inspired me to add all these conventions into my own thriller opening as they all engage the audience really well and make it more interesting for them. They all build suspense really well but in different ways and makes the film more exciting. If these conventions weren't used in the clip, so the setting would be light, there wouldn't be any music, or no different shots used the overall effect wouldn't be as good and wouldn't create a sense of excitement for the audience.