Target Audience of thrillers.

In my opinion, thriller movies seem to be aimed at more mature people. The reason for this being that the films need an understanding of some issues.

Thrillers usually contain a storyline which requires some intelligence on a matter from an audience. If people don't understand the basic concepts that the thriller is based on (politics, mental health problems), it can be confusing for the viewer.

The audience will have to be interested in the genre, because sometimes the films in in this genre and its sub-genres are thought to be very controversial.

A lot of thrillers are aimed at females, I think. The heroine is usually a vulnerable, ordinary woman. This may get females more "sucked in" to the storyline. Also thrillers make you question everyday routines, which is also good for audience suspense.

To conclude, thrillers are mainly aimed at more mature people/people with a basic understanding of issues risen in these films. The age can be anyone & so can the gender, but usually a basic knowledge is needed.

Film Classification.

Guidelines;

15.

-Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not promote drug abuse.

-Strong threat and menace are permitted unless sadistic or sexualised.

-Nudity may be allowed in a sexual context but without strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context.

-Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail.

-Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also unlikely to be acceptable.

18.

In line with the consistent findings of the BBFC’s public consultations and The Human Rights Act 1998, at ‘18’ the BBFC’s guideline concerns will not normally override the principle that adults should be free to choose their own entertainment. Exceptions are most likely in the following areas:

• where the material is in breach of the criminal law, or has been created through the commission of a criminal offence.
• where material or treatment appears to the BBFC to risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour, to society – for example, any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use, which may cause harm to public health or morals. This may include portrayals of sexual or sexualised violence which might, for example, eroticise or endorse sexual assault.
• if there are more explicit images of sexual activity which cannot be justified by context. Such images may be appropriate in ‘R18’ works, and in ‘sex works’ would normally be confined to that category.

(Source http://www.bbfc.co.uk/)

Analysis of Thriller openings.

The Butterfly Effect (2004)Directed by Eric Bress& J. Mackye Gruber. (psychological thriller):
Starring Ashton Kutcher.
Opens with the chaos theory. "It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly's wing, can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world" - Chaos Theory.
Fast high-pitched tones pump adrenaline and keep the audience on their toes already.
Mise en scene & lighting:
The frosted windows of an office reveal a figures cautiously walking behind them. The dim lighting implies it is night time, a time of particular vulnerability.
Torches reinforce that it's night. The frantic waving of them into the room adds to the tension and the search.
Sound:
The whine of the violin in the background, builds up tension. Then when he breaks through the office door, drums kick in. It is faced-paced, building tension and building up to a climax.
His heavy breathing imply he has being running away or is nervous. He reads out what he writes down. the things he mentions are unfamiliar to the audience, so also keeps the audience on the edge of their seats, wanting to find out the meaning behind the letter.
The men shouting in the background are seemingly looking for someone, we suddenly realize that they are looking for Ashton Kutcher's character.
Close up on his letter, the music gets more tense & is the dominant sound. This helps the change of scene, where we presumably find out what put him in his current position.
Camera Angles:
Mainly medium-shots for when he is walking outside the office. Quite realistic.
When he is lay on the floor, there are lots of close-ups of the expressions on his face. Low angles are used when the searchers are looking for him, as if we as the audience are hiding too.
In his letter, the close up on the words "to save her" leave the audience wondering who she is. Also the music gets more tense.


SE7EN (1995) Directed by David Fincher (Crime & psychological thriller):
Starring Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey & Morgan Freeman:
Sound:
The sound of sirens are cars in the background, before the film comes on screen, suggests that the film is set in a city.
Begins with no un-natural sound. No music or tones in the background. For some reason this builds up a lot of tension and is appropriate for this film.
In the next scene it begins immediately with the same background noises, but a man speaking, who we can assume is a police officer, from this we understand Morgan Freeman's character is a detective, not just a cop.
Mise en scene & lighting:
Morgan Freeman's character appears, doing the washing up, looking out the window. Dusky light filters through the window. It's morning.
He is doing basic things that ordinary people do, ie. buttoning his shirt up & cleaning up. This sets the scene and the little things emphasize the normality of the character, simply getting ready for work. He picks up a police badge, now the audience know he is in the police force.
Then it cuts immediately to the next scene, with a dead person, lying in a pool of blood. The audience gather that he is a detective.
Camera Angles:
Long shot of Morgan Freeman looking out the windown. The camera stays static as he walks towards the mirror.
Close up on his torso as he straightens his tie. The camera moves up revealing his face in a head shot.
Close up on his hands picking up his badge & gun et c.


SIXTH SENSE (1999) Directed by M. Night Shyamalan. (psychological thriller):
Starring Bruce Willis.
Sound:
Before the movie starts, in the black, a deep humming tone emits. Then a mysterious piece of music plays, for the movie production companies credits. The music builds to a climax at the starring casts names are revealed. A dramatic stab of music as the film title is shown.
When the movie begins, no non-diegetic sound is present.
Suddenly a crackle is heard from the other side of the room, making the woman jumpy.
Mise en scene & lighting:
A woman is seen through shelves or something in what appears to be a  basement. It's dark in there, but there is light forcing its way through cracks in the doors. Being female, alone & in a place such as a basement shows that she is already a vulnerable character.


Camera Angles:
To begin with mainly medium & head shots, then when the noise is heard, the camera comes from a grate or box in the corner of the basement, at a low angle, as if it were watching the female character. A close up of her feet, as she runs up the stairs.

Silence of the Lambs (1991) Directed by Jonothan Demme (Crime thriller):
Starring Jodie Foster & Anthony Hopkins.
Sound:
Non-diegetic sound. Violins.
Diegetic sound; her heavy breathing, fromt he assault course.
voice, spoken.

Mise en scene & lighting:
Woods, alone. Dark, vulnerable place to be, for a young female. Training, not as vulnerable as she may first seem. Strong & strong-willed.
Gray lighting, early morning time.
Male dominated environment.
Dayight/ early morning light.
Artificial lighting in the FBI building. Mostly naturalistic though.
Men wearing suits, relfects importance of their characters job.

Camera Angles:
Long & medium shots.

Analysis of Thriller movie posters.

SE7EN. ( cert; 18)

Star Appeal: 

Two big-name stars, Morgan Freeman & Brad Pitt.

Brad Pitt is a Hollywood heart throb so, immediatley that is an appeal.

Morgan Freeman is a top actor and appeared in some of the greats (Shawshank Redemption, Batman). The use of this "Star appeal" helps sell the movie, with getting actors with big names such as this. It helps the audience believe it will be a good film, with such highly acclaimed actors.

Colour Use:

The colours are mainly yellowish-browns & blacks

From the muddy colours, we can percieve that the film is dark and ominous. The colours are quite generic of this genre. 

The seven sins are the meaning behind the title of this film.

 The film was released in the United States on September 22, 1995.

        UNTRACEABLE(18)

  

Colour Use:
As if the photo was shot through a blue-film.
Gives an insight of the film through the colouring (Dark, mysterious).


Connotations:
The mouse pointer on her face is a give away of what the film is about. It also gives the impression that she is being watched & also that the film title is linked with computers.


Star Appeal:
Diane Lane's star appeal is that she is an award winning actress and an Academy Award nominee.


Untraceable was released on 29 February 2008 (UK).

SHUTTER ISLAND(15)

Colour use;
Like the other posters, this one is mainly dark colours, sticking to a similar colour theme.
Blacks, grays and teal.
Fire implies danger.

Connotations;
"Someone is missing" connotes that this person is escaped. The dark colours of the poster imply that the loss of this person is dangerous.
The violent weather in this poster can reflect on the violent nature of patients on shutter island.

Star appeal;
Leonardo DiCaprio, is a Golden Globe winner & a highly acclaimed actor. Films he has been in have usually over-run the the box office.

Shutter Island was released 12 March 2010 (UK).

Conventions of thrillers.

Characteristics;
The plot builds keeps the audience at the edge of their seats whilst builiding up to a climax.
Usually take place in ordinary suburbs/cities.
The hero is usually a normal person, who has had danger thrown their way, yet in "crime-thrillers" the hero tends to be a detective or a police officer.




"Thrillers provide ... a ... literary feast. There are all kinds of thriller... with new variations constantly being invented... this openness to expansion is one of the genre's most enduring characteristics. But what gives ... thrillers a common ground is the intensity of emotions they create, particularly those of apprehension and exhilaration, of excitement and breathlessness, all designed to generate ...thrill. By definition, if a thriller doesn't thrill, it's not doing its job." - James Patterson - 2008, "Introduction" Thriller.

A lot of modern thrillers collaborate with the horror genre, they are more sadistic with more gore & brutality (Untraceable, Saw).
Some thrillers over-lap genres (political/psychological).

Conventions:
 The locations included can stand as a very important clue as to what the film is about. For example; in American Psycho for example the locations are used to reflect the  contrasting civil behaviour with his psychotic personality.

The history of the "thriller" genre.

"Homer's Odyssey is one of the oldest stories in the Western world and is regarded as an early prototype of the thriller."

Alfred Hitchcock is the pioneer of the suspense & psychological thriller industry. The most famous of his films being "Psycho" (1960) a base for the modern thriller movies. It has inspired many other films and a 1998 remake.
Also Wes Craven is a successful thriller director, with huge hits, such as A Nightmare on Elm St, with 8 sequels and a 2010 remake.

Thrillers are made to be realistic, making us question everday things in our own lives. Most thrillers are about obsession, the main character will be a victim to an obsession, usually resulting in crime.
A main theme of psychological thrillers are Mental Institutions. In psychological thrillers, the charachter usual has a mental health problem, unbeknowst to them. There is also usually a huge twist towards the end.