Genre research- Psychological thriller

What is a Psychological thriller- 

The genre of film I will be researching is psychological thriller as our film is likely be a psychological thriller or incorporate a lot of elements from this genre.

A thriller is a story that centres around anticipation and suspense. The aim for Thrillers is to keep the audience alert and on the edge of their seats. A psychological thriller is a sub-genre of a thriller genre. A psychological thriller is a story which emphasizes the psychology of its characters and their unstable emotional states. Psychological thrillers often have a big emphasis on the characters as much as, if not more so, than on the plot. They also often incorporate an element of mystery.

Common themes in psychological thrillers-

·         Reality

·         Perception

·         Mind

·         Existence

·         Purpose

·         Identity

·         Death

Literary devices and techniques frequented by psychological thrillers-

Stream of consciousness-

This is where the character's thoughts, feelings, and reactions are shown in a continuous flow. In Psychological thrillers the narrative often focuses on the main characters psyche.

First person narrative-

This is where things are shared from the point of view of the person telling the story. Usually the main character. The story is narrated by one character at a time. This character may be speaking about him or herself or sharing events that he or she is experiencing. This technique is often used to help the audience connect with the character and therefore to show how the characters mind works.

Back story-

Back story is the history or background of the character. This shows the development of the story to this point. It also deepens the psychological aspect of the film and fully understand the character and their motivations.

Costumes in psychological thrillers-

Costumes in this genre of film are usually true to day to day life due to the fact that themes are usually very surreal and this gives the audience a connection of day to day life and realism. However sometimes characters dress oddly in order to give an insight into their mind or to signify something is wrong with them. E.g. Esther from Orphan.

Locations in psychological thrillers-

Again like in costumes, locations are usually true to realism. However they can be overly theatrical and stereotypical of the area or country where he film is set.