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Thriller Conventions

From my research in thriller conventions, I have found that they usually focus on using many different techniques to build suspense and tension. Thriller films put an emphasis on violence though often mask direct violence with cuts and other editing techniques. The plot of thriller films often rely on the convention of having an equilibrium, which is later broken by the antagonist and restored again by the protagonist. When it comes to psychological thrillers, they often utilise low-key lighting, tense music, claustrophobic spaces for set, quick edits and camera movements and an emphasis on the the mental state and vulnerability of the protagonist. The plot of a psychological thriller can incorporate elements of multiple realities, crime and a dissolving sense of self to create a more psychologically tense experience. Often the very opening of a psychological thriller will contain the establishing of the equilibrium with hints of degradation to come littered through out. These hints will often be put in place to reward repeat viewings or foreshadow later plot elements. 

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From researching the conventions of the thriller genre, I have learned what criteria I must meet to create a opening that is accurate to the psychological thriller codes and conventions.

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