Research into conventions of the thriller genre - Miss Miller

The conventions of a thriller are aspects in a film that are typical to films all throughout the thriller genre. They are things that most thriller films have in common. In this essay, I will be discussing how conventions of thrillers are seen in the above clip of Saw V (the pendulum trap).


In these screenshots of the clip, hidden identity is used; both with Jigsaw (the puppet seen on videotape) and the mysterious man at the end of the scene looking through a hole in the door. Both people are unrecognisable and unknown to the characters and the audience. This creates a sense of mystery and creepiness for the audience, as they don't specifically know who is making these events happen. Killers with hidden identities are common within films of the thriller genre because it adds tension and suspense to a scene, making the audience scared but also wonder who the killer is. Furthermore, the audience can relate to the victim, as neither the audience nor the character know who created this deathly trap.


In this screenshot, we see that the trap appears to be set up in an isolated setting - meaning only people who know about it have access to it. This provides a sense of danger and insecurity because the audience knows that no one can help the victim. Thrillers are typically set in dark, eerie and abandoned places so the audience know the victim is alone, and sympathise with the victim. This increases the relationship between the audience and the character(s), creating a more frightening and intense viewing experience.

All throughout the clip, low key lighting is used. The darkness creates an eerie atmosphere and a sense of danger because the audience doesn't know what will happen. Thrillers can be obvious about danger in the way that the frame is arranged and presented (dark and mysterious). This scares the audience, and creates an intense atmosphere, because we know that danger is coming soon.



Towards the end of the clip, there is an unexpected twist in the film. At the beginning of the clip, Jigsaw (the puppet) said, via video tape, that the trap is survivable by pressing two buttons, crushing the victim's hands in the process. However, the victim did this but the pendulum didn't stop. This was unexpected because he should have survived. It is clear to the audience that the trap has been tampered with, most likely by the man at the end looking through the hole in the door. Thrillers typically have unexpected twists in the plot to maintain the audience's interest. It also adds to the elements of shock and surprise that are common in thriller films.

The main prop/piece of iconography in this scene is the pendulum axe. The weapon looks extremely dangerous and harmful, which creates a sense of fear within the audience. It also increases the bond between the audience and the victim because we are scared for the victim. This kind of weaponry is common in the thriller genre because frightening props create and enhance the gore/violence in films, thereby shocking the audience (one of a thriller's main aims).

To conclude, there are many conventions of thrillers. These things are what make thrillers frightening, gory, intense and suspenseful. Every successful horror/thriller film must include most of if not all of these codes and conventions, and Saw V is one of these films. This analysis has helped me to find out what I should be putting in my opening scene if I wish for it to be a good thriller sequence.