Primary Elements in a Thriller

Themes and characters

The primary elements of the thriller genre: Common methods and themes in crime thrillers are mainly ransoms, captivities, heists, revenge, kidnappings. More common in mystery thrillers are investigations and the whodunit technique. Common elements in psychological thrillers are mind games, psychological themes, stalking, confinement/deathtraps, horror-of-personality, and obsession. Elements such as fringe theories, false accusations and paranoia are common in paranoid thrillers. Threats to entire countries, spies, espionage, conspiracies, assassins and electronic surveillance are common in spy thrillers.

• The protagonist(s) faces death, either his and/or her or somebody else's.
• The force(s) of the antagonist's must initially be cleverer and/or stronger than the protagonist's.
• The main storyline for the protagonist is either a quest or a character that cannot be put down.
• The main plot focuses on a mystery that must be solved.
• The film's narrative construction is dominated by the protagonist's point of view.
• There may be a suspenseful and atmospheric soundtrack for the scenes of suspense.
• All action and characters must be credibly realistic or natural in their representation on screen.
• The two major themes that underpin the thriller genre are the desire for justice and the morality of individuals.
• One small, but significant, aspect of a thriller is the presence of innocence in what is seen as an essentially corrupt world.
• The protagonist(s) and antagonist(s) may battle, themselves and each other, not just on a physical level, but on a mental one as well.
• Either by accident or their own curiousness, each character is dragged into a dangerous conflict or situation that they are not prepared to resolve.

Shot List

Research into Viral Ads

Research into Viral Advertising

Viral marketing, viral advertising, or marketing buzz are buzzwords referring to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networking services and other technologies to try to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of viruses or computer viruses. Most of the well-known viral ads circulating online are ads paid by a sponsor company, launched either on their own platform or on social media websites such as YouTube.

The growth of social networking significantly contributed to the effectiveness of viral marketing.

Viral advertising could be done in many ways, in recent years, viral advertising is done in a prank way which shocks the live public and is set up to be shown on social networking sites, which potentially promotes the film that's been released. The viral advert for 'Carrie' in 2013 showed how effective viral advertising could have on the audience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlOxlSOr3_M

'Carrie' weren't the only film that took viral advertising to a new level, many films have followed the pranking version of viral advertising which mainly occurs when advertising horror films. This shows how films can be promoted and advertised in many ways which potentially don't have any significance to the actual film. Referring back to the Carrie viral ad it's set in an average coffee shop which an average girl, that is then acted out as though she has this abnormal ability to move furniture and a man with her mind. In my opinion prank viral advertisements are a great success and shows how advertising can be funny and plus shows how significant the internet and social networking sites can be when advertising your film.

Individual research into Movie Posters

 

 

 

Many horror films have a dark background with white writing, like this poster from The Conjuring.

A movie poster is mostly set out with the main actor's names at the top of the poster, these are usually popular, well known actors that are credited. The movie title is always in large writing so that it stands out.
The producers and editors are normally written in small writing.







This film poster for The Conjuring has a dark acid wash background which looks grungy and old. This gives off the impression that it may be a scary film. At the top of the poster is says 'From the director of Saw and Insidious' this shows us that the director has done many other films which the audience may have previously seen or heard of. If you have seen the film Saw or Insidious you would know that they are gory, creepy films and that gives an indication that this film may follow the same themes. Underneath the title of the film it says 'Based on the true case films of The Warrens' meaning that it follows a true story, this may interest the audience as it means it is not completely fictional and may grab the audiences attention and convince them to watch it.







Production Logo for Our Group

Original Image

We produced our production logo by using the programme, Photoshop by editing our own photograph taken by Courtney Smith. We edited the contrast and exposure on our original photograph to make it seem more gloomy and dark which would potential match our aims of the genre, as a group we decided we didn't think that colour represented our film and chose to put the Black and White effect on it to seem mysterious.

we researched into other production logo's to identify what the general text is like for productions that produce thrillers and horrors, we researched into both mainstream and independent institutions to get a rough idea what font we would like to use on our final production logo.

We noticed that most production logos stick to a very basic layout in which we wanted to stick to but wanted to make ours original by having a image as the background instead of going for the black background which occurs regularly in production logos. We decided on going for a mixture of a bold, plain font and a large, crackle effect font. The contrast of both fonts, we thought gave of a professional effect and represented our production how we wanted. 

FINAL PRODUCTION LOGO

After making dramatic changes to our original image we successfully achieved to make a production logo which suits our film by using the programme Photoshop. We have only changed contrast, brightness, added the black and white effect and added text and we feel like we have achieved a good original production logo.



Researching into Editing Techniques and Examples

Graphic Match-

Is a cut between two disconnected scenes. One shot ends in a frame containing the same element as the beginning frame of the next shot showing a connection between the two shots. A famous example is Hitchcock's 'Psycho' in the shower scene.

Short Cut-

Editing sequences so that the durations of the shots are very brief. Also known as a short cut as it is less than two seconds. We may feature short cuts within our film during the mental institute scene to show Katherine's mental state and how this effects her attentions span.

Shot Reverse Shot - 

Two or more shots edited together that alternate characters, usually in a conversation situation. For example, each time the person speaks the short focus' on them and then the other person. As seen in the film Spiderman 3. We are going to us many shot reverse shots within our film as we have multiple conversations and we want to make sure that we can see each characters reaction to the situations they are in.

Cross cutting

A cut from one line of action to another. Also applied as an adjective to sequences which use such cuts. It is used to describe two or more scenes. The technique is used to highlight or contrast a particular theme of aspect of the story. We may use this technique at the end of our film as we are going to use the sisters finding the truth out about their long lost sister Katherine and cut to the Katherine showing how mentally unstable she is within the mental institute. 

Annotation of a film poster

Annotation of a film poster 

The main purpose of a film poster is to advertise a film that is due to be or has just been released in order to generate some interest. A film poster provides a range of information including the: title, actors / actresses, release date and the age certificate. These aspects may encourage a person to watch a film, for example if a famous actor such as Leonardo DiCaprio is advertised to be in a film then  people may be encourage to watch it due to it have a successful actor staring in it. Also the release date and the age rating are important as this will allow the viewers to see whether the film would be suitable for them. The images used usually give off a message of the genre of the film and can also give an insight into the storyline which will also help inform the audience on the suitability of the film for them individually.
Film posters are also aiming to reach specific audiences and aspects such as colours can be used to try to attract the target audiences attention. For example if a person is interested in horror films and they walk past a poster that features red they will be more likely to take notice of it due to red having the connotations of a horror / thriller film. The film poster below has the connotations of a horror/ thriller due to the red writing and dark background and this means that it will appeal to the target audience. Leonardo DiCaprio we see is central to the film as he is the main image on the poster and his name is also written above the main titles. This may attract a large audience as he is a well known actor and people may just watch the film because he stars in it. The words 'someone is missing' that is positioned near his eye gives away a part of the storyline as it suggests that DiCaprio is searching for a missing person and this is central to the storyline. Another main feature of the poster is the word 'October' that is in bold and red writing at the bottom of the poster. This clearly informs the audience when the film is due to be released and this is important as the audience will be more likely to watch the film if they know about it previous to its release.

Individual Research and Annotations of Film Posters

Film Posters is a way of advertising of a film. Each film may have different ones depending on where they are advertised. It could change shape, text, content depending on the film. Usually it contains an image which relates to the film and some text which is usually the film's title and the slogan, in smaller text it may include the main characters. They are displayed wherever, outside the cinema and inside. Depending on the company who produced the film and their budget, some may be on bus stops, bus' and canvas's in shopping centres.

For Example, Spiderman.

1. The main colours used are a mixture of blue/grey and white. The blue links in with Spiderman's costume but is the colour of the sky and it portrays it is no "blue skies" and something terrible is going to happen. The colours grey have connotations of darkness, danger, dullness. It is used to represent that something bad is about to happen as the clouds are rolling in and there is going to be the storm.
2. The background contains a sky and a storm coming in, mostly the storm signifying something terrible is about to happen and as Spiderman is looking over it, he is about to act upon it. In the corner is a piece of sun, portraying there is still something good to happen and there is hope which relates to Spiderman.
3. The text is the first thing you look at. It stands out because it's on a plain background and you read it first "His Greatest Battle Begins" this tells the audience that this is going to be the best Spiderman yet and his adventure is just about to begin
4. Spiderman's stance shows he is about to approach the problem and is looking at everything from his view. He is about to start his adventure however no incline is revealed as to what might be included in the battle. However it could be seen as he has no idea what is about to happen and he doesn't know where to start.
5. It includes when the film is being released beneath the title so it's prominent and the audience can see when it is.

House of Wax

1. The image is the first thing the audience will be drawn to as it is a dead corpse who is being melted like wax. 
2. The name then relates to the image as it mentions wax and you instantly see a relation.
3. The colours used are black, blue and white. They all have connotations of darkness, danger, evil, death. It contrasts well white white which is associated with dead corpse's body. 
4. The title stands out as it contrasts against the colours but also relates to the body. It also gives the audience an idea of what genre the film is.
5. The slogan used is an idea of what happens in the film "Prey, Slay, Display" It is a catchy slogan which rhymes, this would stick in the audience's mind making it more effective.

Individual Research into Radio Trailers/Radio Spots

Radio Trailers

Conventions of a radio trailer are:

• Voiceover, with hints of sound/speech from the film
• Information at the end of the trailer
• The slogan the film has
• Sound effects
• To get the audience to watch the film

These are played through radio stations depending on the genre/subject. Modern/mainstream films are usually played on larger well known radio stations such as Capital FM or Radio 1 whereas a Disney film is more likely to get played on Classical FM.

It is used as many people/adults listen to the radio on a daily basis when driving or at home therefore it gets you publicity and awareness. Not only cars have the radio, but shopping centres and restaurants have the radio on, making the audience wider and more people can listen. 

Radio Spots
A radio spot is like a TV spot but adapted to the radio. It should include your films slogan. It should state what the film is about, where it is being shown and when from. 

Rough Storyboards

 

 

 

Script of first conversation between all of the sisters

Individual Research into Viral Adverts

Viral advertising is a business strategy that uses existing social networks to promote a product. Its name refers to how consumers spread information about a product with other people in their social networks, much in the same way that a virus spreads from one person to another. The idea is to spread the information by word-of-mouth however with modern technology, we are now able to use internet based things as well. The aim is to encourage people to watch whatever it is and share it with others so many people see the content of the message.

It is used as a useful marketing tool or as part of a larger company that uses multiple ways of marketing. For example, Warner Brothers made a viral campaign for Dark Knight Rises by using a website called whysoserious.com and people were sent off on a scavenger hunt to find hidden messages. It came to reveal the joker. 

Avenues of viral advertisement:

• Email
• Social Networks
• Word of mouth
• Web forums 
• Video sharing sites

It gets a lot of publicity and public awareness about the site/company/film.

Rough Draft of Script

Elizabeth: Courtney
Lilly: Shannon
Katherine: Emily
Nurse: Natalie

Setting: First meeting of both sister and the mental sister, sat down in the mental institute waiting for Katherine to enter.

Elizabeth: Oh i hope she's okay with her coming to visit her. (concerned)
Lilly: How do you think she will react?
Elizabeth: I don't know, it's what mum wanted us to do.

Door opens and Katherine enters and sits down opposite the two sisters.

Elizabeth: Hey, how are you? (Pauses due to no response from Katherine)
                 I'm Elizabeth and this is Lilly we are your younger sisters. *points at Lilly*

Katherine doesn't respond to any conversation that Elizabeth is giving, she just stares at her sisters and begins to scratch her hand uncomfortably. Elizabeth has to restart the conversation.

Elizabeth: Sorry about not getting in contact with you sooner, we didn't know its what mum wanted. Do you know the news about mum? (worried)
Katherine: News?
Elizabeth: Mum sadly passed away, thats why we are here we wanted to finally meet you and make sure you are okay.
Katherine: *whispers dead*
Lilly: We didn't know how to approach you in this sort of situation.
Katherine: Mothers dead.

Katherine continues to act abnormal by uncomfortably scratching and fidgeting. Lilly and Elizabeth keep looking at each other to reassure each other and give support.

Lilly: Would you like us to come visit you again?                              

Katherine stares viciously at sisters, intense atmosphere. When Katherine's nurse interrupts conversation.

Nurse: I think thats enough for today, come on Katherine, visiting hours are over now. (Friendly tone, encourages Katherine to move by holding her shoulder)

Reserach - Viral Advertisements

Viral Advertisements

 

A direct marketing technique in which a company persuades internet users to forward its publicity material in e-mails (usually by including jokes, games, video clips, etc). 

 

The Dark Knight

 

Batman fans awaited the return of the joker to the cinematic landscape and in the meanwhile Warner Bros created a viral marketing campaign for the film.

Before the first trailer for The Dark Knight had premieed Warner Bros began to develop a series of website that were based on the world of Gotham city and this included a legitimate looking campiagn site for Harvey Dent. In the section the motto 'I belive in Harvey Dent' was intorduced and fans were given access to themes explored within the film. The Joker was later introduced to these websites and he began to deface them making his presence known. 

Following this emails sent to the vandalised site would begin to remove poxels blocking and image of the Joker that would be seen for the first time. 

Warner Bros also used viral advertising again to push the film and they sent fans on a scavenger hunt at Comic - Con and the result would unlock a teaser trailer and an additional photograph of the Joker. 

However even though this marketining was successful the film was allready going to be very successful so it didn't impact much on the audience. Though it did keep fans on adge and interested in the film right up until the relsease date. Additionally, the themes of anarchy and chaos in the film were perfectly suited for a campaign on the Internet, where Web anarchy has become the weapon of choice.

 

 

 

Research Radio Trailers

Radio trailers

Radio trailers are a form of advertisement for films and they encourage the audeince to watch the film after giving them a slight insight into the storyline. 

Conventions

 - A voice over
- Clips of speech / sound from the film
- The film title / slogan
- Age rating
- Name of actors / actresses
- Name of director / distributor
- Sound effects 
- Release date
- Reviews
- Award nominations
- Competitions
- Overall purpose to encourage the listeners to watch the film

Analysis 

After reseearching radio trailer i have discovred that they all have a similar strucure and they all feature most of the conventions that are listed above.

An example of a radio trailer is below and it is promoting the film Fifty Shades of Grey.





This radio trailer starts with the a song that is featured within the film, 'Crazy in love' by Beyonce and then follows with a voice over saying 'the wait is over'. This will have been effective to promoting the film as it suggests people have been anticipating the film and this may encourage overs who havent to watch to see what they are msising out on. There is also voice clips from the film of the two main characters which give an insight to the storyline. 'Mr. Grey will see you now,' an unknown female voice says, followed by Jamie Dornan, who plays the mysterious Christian Grey, saying, 'I’m incapable of leaving now.' Actress Dakota Johnson, who plays  Dornan as his on-screen lover, Anastasia Steele, responds, 'Then don’t.' This speach gives away that the film is a romance and the fact that 'Mr Grey' is used suggests a dominant male characters which is key to the storyline.
The promo later features Dornan saying the telling phrase, 'So it begins.' This will encourage the target audience to watch the film as soon as possible and also suggest that this film is the beggining of multiple which could be true as it is based on a book out of a collection of three.

Risk Assessment

 

Analysis of Props/Costume/Makeup in similar films

Costume and make up - Girl interrupted
In this film, Angelina Jolie wears pale makeup with dark makeup under the eyes and cheekbones this makes her look ill which portrays how mentally unstable she is. She wears dark, dirty clothes and a scruffy haircut which also creates the image that she is mental and she blends into her surroundings. She also has a cut on her forehead in this image which gives the impression that she may be a danger to herself and others. This links to our film as Katherine is living in a mental institute and we plan to use similar make up and costume when filming in order to make the mental institute scene look realistic. We also plan to use other costumes within the film such as the uniforms of the staff within the mental institute. They usually wear white outfits which is what we are going to use within our film in order to make it look realistic and so that the central focus in on Katherine when there are scenes within the mental institute.




Props
A typical prop within horror/thriller films are diaries. Writing can have a scary effect and a common scenes that this genre uses is when a possessed person/ghost tries to write to communicate with the real world, and this is seen in Insidious and Woman In Black. We are going to us writing within our film which is a letter from the mother that has died. However we aren't using it in a stereotypical was as we are only using the letter to set up the storyline that lead to the sisters having a traumatic experience.

Research into Possible Distributors of our film (Warp)

A possible independent distributor of our film is Warp Films.

Warp Films is a well known independent film distributor that is known for producing indie/independent films such as Four Lions and This Is England. More psychological thrillers that have been produced by this company are Dead Man Shoes directed by Shane Meadows and Hush directed by Mark Tonderai.

Warp Films haven't produced that many psychological thrillers and we think it would be good if they were a possible distributer of our film because of this. We would be bringing a new and different storyline to there line of productions which could help them get more viewers and help us get out film across to the audience.







A possible mainstream distributor of our film is Lionsgate.

Lionsgate is a well known mainstream company. It is known not only for producing films but for television series and videos. It has many subsidiaries such as Lionsgate television and Summit Entertainment. They are a well known company which would mean our film could be introduced to a wider audience.

However the budgeting would be extremely difficult therefore our film is more likely to be produced and distributed by Warp Films as they are a well-known independent company with a suitable audience and a suitable budget.

Detailed research into potential audience

 

The potential audience for our film would be 15-25 year olds because it is a complicated storyline and may be hard to follow at times, so we decided to give our film 'The Lost Possession' the age certificate of a 15. We decided on having an age 15 certificate because if it was an age 12a certificate we wouldn't be able to show drug use which might be a activity featured in the mental institute scenes. So for safety reasons we looked on the BBFC website and decided on giving it a certificate of 15 because of the content of some of the scenes which may be featured.

We feel like both female and male would be able to enjoy our film because of the genre, as it is a psychological thriller and can be relatable to both genres. The characters featured in the film are all girls, this could potentially relate to a more female audience more than a male audience, however typically male's may watch it more as it is a thriller. As we have chosen to mainly include female characters its goes against stereotypes as thriller genre films usually include a male actor and this would make it more interesting for the audience.

We feel as though our film will appeal and engage a wide audience as it has a bittersweet plot of having their mother sadly passing away, and finding out they have a long lost sister. By adding a psychological genre to the plot and adding mystery will make it more interesting and would hopefully encourage people to watch the film and recommend it to friends.

What might I see in a 15 rated film or video?

Any of the following:

•   strong violence
•  frequent strong language (e.g. 'f***').
•   portrayals of sexual activity
•   strong verbal references to sex
•   sexual nudity
•   brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence
•   discriminatory language or behavior
•   drug taking

What about horror works?

At 15 there can be strong threat and horror as long as there is no sustained focus on sadistic or sexualized threat.

Can you see drugs in a 15 rated film or video?

At 15 drug taking may be shown but the work as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse (for example, through instructional detail).
The misuse of easily accessible and highly dangerous substances like aerosols or solvents is unlikely to be acceptable at 15.

Can there be strong violence?

Yes, at 15 violence may be strong. It should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury, however, and the strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable.
Strong sadistic violence is also unlikely to be acceptable.

Character Profiles

Elizabeth

Age: 20

Occupation: Unemployed

Role: Elizabeth finds the letter from her mother and reads it to find out she has to find Katherine, her long lost sister. On her way she finds out her sister is in a mental institution. By the end, she and Lily find out their sister killed their mother when she was seeking revenge

Character attributes: She is the oldest of the two sisters. Elizabeth was very unaware she had a long lost sister as her mother never spoke of her or what happened. The more confident of the two and is eager to find her sister. She has blonde hair and blue eyes.

Lily

Age: 19

Occupation: Unemployed

Role: Lily follows her sister to find the letter where she finds out about her sister from a while ago, she had never heard of her and  was asked to find Katherine through a letter by her deceased mother. With her sister she goes and finds her long lost sister sectioned in a mental institution, both confused and eager to find out the truth by the end. They have a shock.

Character attributes: Lily is the younger if the two sisters, she is more weary of the situation in hand because she isn't welcoming to change however she still pursuits in finding her sister to make her other sister happy. She can be easily persuaded with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Katherine 

Age: 24

Occupation: Unemployed currently sectioned in a mental institution

Role: Katherine is the long lost sister who the two sisters are trying to find.  The mother, who is now deceased, put her up for adoption at the young age of 4, almost 5. Seeking revenge from when she left her to some strangers, it turns out she had killed her mother therefore she is mentally unstable and is currently sectioned in a mental institution.
Character attributes: Dark hair, pale, dark eyes, mentally unstable. She is very pale as she doesn't go out much into the real world as she is cooped up in the mental institute. We emphasised that she has dark eyes to stress the fact she looks constantly sleep deprived as if she is up all night not sleeping and is stressed as much as possible. Katherine is mentally unstable and you can see this through her previous actions in the film as well as when she is visited by her two sisters, she doesn't speak and when she does she repeats the word "dead" to them. Katherine is not used to company and is used to being on herself. 

The Nurse:

Age: Unknown

Occupation: Nurse, looks after Katherine in the mental institute 

Role: Wears a white hospital gown to show the difference in job roles in the hospital, looks after Katherine daily and observes her during her meet with her two sisters and by the end reveals to the sisters that is was Katherine who was in the car crash with their mother and nobody else was involved

Character Attributes: wears a white coat to show the difference in job roles in the hospital, speaks professionally towards Katherine and her sisters

Research - Mental health

What are the Signs and Symptoms to Be Concerned About?

If several of the following are occurring, a serious condition may be developing.

• Recent social withdrawal and loss of interest in others.
• An unusual drop in functioning, especially at school or work, such as quitting sports, failing in school, or difficulty  performing familiar tasks.
• Problems with concentration, memory, or logical thought and speech that are hard to explain.
• Heightened sensitivity to sights, sounds, smells or touch; avoidance of over-stimulating situations.
• Loss of initiative or desire to participate in any activity; apathy.
• A vague feeling of being disconnected from oneself or one’s surroundings; a sense of unreality.
• Unusual or exaggerated beliefs about personal powers to understand meanings or influence events; illogical or  “magical” thinking typical of childhood in an adult.
• Fear or suspiciousness of others or a strong nervous feeling.
• Uncharacteristic, peculiar behavior.
• Dramatic sleep and appetite changes or deterioration in personal hygiene.
• Rapid or dramatic shifts in feelings or “mood swings.”

• Confused thinking
• Prolonged depression (sadness or irritability)
• Feelings of extreme highs and lows
• Excessive fears, worries and anxieties
• Social withdrawal
• Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits
• Strong feelings of anger
• Delusions or hallucinations
• Growing inability to cope with daily problems and activities
• Suicidal thoughts
• Denial of obvious problems
• Numerous unexplained physical ailments
• Substance abuse

We have researched into mental health and illnesses as one of our characters is detained in a mental institute, so therefore wanted to look at signs and physical effects which we can include in our film.

Research into Subgenres

Subgenres in film

The thriller genre can include the following subgenres, which may include elements of other genres:

• Comedy thriller: A genre that combines elements of comedy and thrillers, a combination of humour and suspense or action. Films such as Silver Streak, Charade, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, In Bruges,Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Grosse Point Blank, The Thin Man, The Big Fix, and The Lady Vanishes.

• Conspiracy thriller: In which the hero/heroine confronts a large, powerful group of enemies whose true extent only s/he recognises. The Chancellor Manuscript and The Aquitaine Progression byRobert Ludlum fall into this category, as do films such as Awake, Snake Eyes, The Da Vinci Code, Edge of Darkness, Absolute Power, Marathon Man, In the Line of Fire, Capricorn One, and JFK.

• Crime thriller: This particular genre is a hybrid type of both crime films and thrillers that offers a suspenseful account of a successful or failed crime or crimes. These films often focus on the criminal(s) rather than a policeman. Central topics of these films include serial killers/murders, robberies, chases, shootouts, heists and double-crosses. Some examples of crime thrillers involving murderers include, Seven, No Country for Old Men, Silence of the Lambs, Untraceable, Mindhunters, Kiss the Girls, Along Came a Spider, Collateral and Copycat. Examples of crime thrillers involving heists or robberies includes The Asphalt Jungle,The Score, Rififi, Entrapment and The Killing.

• Erotic thriller: A type of thriller that has an emphasis on eroticism and where a sexual relationship plays an important role in the plot. It has become popular since the 1980s and the rise of VCR market penetration. The genre includes such films as Sea of Love, Basic Instinct, Chloe, Colour of Night, Dressed to Kill, Eyes Wide Shut, In the Cut, Lust, Caution, and Single White Female.

• Legal thriller: A suspense film in which the major characters are lawyers and their employees. The system of justice itself is always a major part of these works, at times almost functioning as one of the characters. Examples include, The Pelican Brief, Presumed Innocent, The Jury, The Client, The Lincoln Lawyer, Hostile Witness, Mounam Sammadham and Silent Witness.

• Political thriller: In which the hero/heroine must ensure the stability of the government that employs him. The success of Seven Days in May (1962) by Fletcher Knebel, The Day of the Jackal (1971) by Frederick Forsyth, and The Manchurian Candidate (1959) by Richard Condon established this subgenre. Examples include, Topaz, Notorious, The Man Who Knew Too Much, The Interpreter, Proof of Life, State of Play, and The Ghost Writer.

• Psychological thriller: In which (until the often violent resolution) the conflict between the main characters is mental and emotional, rather than physical. Characters, either by accident or their own curiousness, are dragged into a dangerous conflict or situation that they are not prepared to resolve. Characters are not reliant on physical strength to overcome their brutish enemies, but rather are reliant on their mental resources, whether it be by battling wits with a formidable opponent or by battling for equilibrium in the character's own mind. At times, the characters attempt solving, or are involved in, a mystery. The suspense created by psychological thrillers often comes from two or more characters preying upon one another's minds, either by playing deceptive games with the other or by merely trying to demolish the other's mental state. The Alfred Hitchcock films Suspicion, Shadow of a Doubt, and Strangers on a Train and David Lynch's bizarre and influential Blue Velvet are notable examples of the type, as are The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Machinist, Don't Say A Word, House of 9, Trapped, Flightplan, Shutter Island, Secret Window,Identity, Red Eye, Phone Booth, Psycho, The River Wild, Nick of Time, P2, Breakdown, Panic Room, Misery, Straw Dogs and its remake, Cape Fear, The Collector, Frailty, The Good Son, and Funny Games.

• Spy thriller: In which the protagonist is generally a government agent who must take violent action against agents of a rival government or (in recent years) terrorists. The subgenre usually deals with the subject of fictional espionage in a realistic way (such as the adaptations of John Le Carré). It is a significant aspect of British cinema,^[45] with leading British directors such as Alfred Hitchcock and Carol Reed making notable contributions and many films set in the British Secret Service. The spy film usually fuses the action and science fiction genres, however, some spy films fall safely in the action genre rather than thriller (e.g. James Bond), especially those having frequent shootouts, car chases and such (see the spy entry in the subgenres of action film). Thrillers within this subgenre include Spy Game, Hanna, Traitor, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Tourist, The Parallax View, The Tailor of Panama, Taken, Unknown, The Recruit, The Debt, The Good Shepherd, and Three Days of the Condor.

• Supernatural thriller: In which the film brings in an otherworldly element (such as fantasy and/or the supernatural) mixed with tension, suspense and plot twists. Sometimes the protagonist and/or villain has some psychic ability and superpowers. Examples include, Marianne, Lady in the Water, Fallen, Frequency, Next, Knowing, In Dreams, Flatliners, Jacob's Ladder, Chronicle,The Skeleton Key,What Lies Beneath, Unbreakable, The Gift,The Dead Zone and Horns.

• Techno thriller: A suspense film in which the manipulation of sophisticated technology plays a prominent part. There is a bit of action and science fiction. Examples include The Thirteenth Floor, Jurassic Park^[, I, Robot, Source Code, Eagle Eye, Hackers, The Net, Futureworld, eXistenZ, and Virtuosity.