A genre is essentially a type of film, a "clique" that every film or book fits into. However, all good films can fit in to many sub-genres which make it unique: to use the example of 'Girl, Interrupted' (analysis of opening scenes here) it fits into the drama, biography, thriller and romance genres, but is primarily a drama film. For my own coursework, I'd like to explore the thriller genre as I love watching films and television shows within this genre.
The mise-en-scene in thriller films are commonly low-key lighting and tense music, though there are other elements that are often seen. Dramatic high or low angled shots create an impression of the characters, and can also raise tension when paired with suspenseful music. A fast-paced editing adds to tension but also moves the action along quickly, and extreme closeups tell the audience a lot about how a character is feeling without using dialogue. The mise-en-scene in a thriller is mostly used to create tension and suspense for the audience.
A thriller storyline can have many different features, which largely depend on it's subgenre. There is often a quest to solve a mystery- this mystery could be a murder, disappearance, or kidnapping/capture etc. The events in a thriller are designed around the central tension necessary for a successful 'thrilling' film, which keeps audiences on the tenterhooks throughout.
An innocent victim is often the central character, even if they have disappeared/died, as the quest to find out why this happened is the plot for the whole film. A curious, inquisitive character usually sets out to discover the 'why', and they become a protagonist. Sometimes, to add an element of humour, this character appears inadequate for the quest at hand and the audience has doubts about them: inevitably the protagonist proves the audience wrong and ends up solving the mystery. A villain is usually disguised, and in films with a mystery/crime subgenre red-herrings lead the protagonist on false trails which can create dramatic irony and tension surrounding the actual culprit. Ignorant or incompetent police and authority figures also add humour but also frustration and tension as the protagonist must complete the quest on their own.
Sub-genres commonly associated with thrillers are action, science-fiction, crime and film-noir. For my own opening sequence, I'd like to explore the film-noir or crime sub-genres, as I think these are the most interesting personally and I would enjoy producing a film of this genre. Elements of the crime genre that can be incorporated are a criminal investigation: sometimes one that police are no longer interested in or cannot solve, so an outsider takes interest and begins to solve the case. As thrillers often include murder and violence, police are often involved, hence linking to the crime genre. The film-noir genre is obviously famous for the lighting and black and white filters, but I think elements from the genre can be incorporated into a thriller such as a narrative voice or cynical central hero, and also flashbacks to help with explaining backstories for characters.
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