What is a Thriller?

A thriller is a genre of film which combines elements of mise-en-scene, lighting and sound to create a feeling of suspense, mystery and excitement in the audience. The different ways in which lighting and sound are used together can impact the audience in different ways, and a Thriller focuses on these elements to produce a film which suprises and scares the audience.

Whilst studying 'The Usual Suspects', we analyzed the ways in which sound, lighting and mise-en-scene were used, and why this reflected the thriller genre. We studied the use of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds and what impact these sounds have on the audience. We noticed that the use of background non-diegetic sound in the opening sequence of 'The Usual Suspects' created suspense and mystery, whilst slowly building to a climax where both the action and the sound was very dramatic.

The lighting on the other hand is very dark and gloomy, which conjures up a sense of mystery which conforms the typical 'thriller' genre. This gloomy dark lighting contrasts with the light of the fire in the opening scene, which signifies danger.

Shoes are an important factor in the mise-en-scene of 'The Usual Suspects', as they are the only bit of the killer that is revealed. The costumes of the characters also suggest that the movie is a thriller because they are very dark, which normally signifies suspicious, criminal behaviour.

 

Photography and Image Manipulation

Photography brings a visual language that is universal in understanding. We must then understand its vocabulary which consists of shapes, textures, patterns, lines, colours, shade of light to dark and sharp to blurry images. Just as we must learn to arrange words in a coherent order in order to make sense when we write or speak, so too must we put visual elements together in an organized manner if our photographs are to convey their meaning clearly and vividly.

Composition means arrangement: the orderly putting together of parts to make a unified whole; composition through a personal, intuitive act. However, there are basic principles that govern the way visual elements behave and interact when you combine them inside the four borders of a photograph. Once we have sharpened our vision and grasped these basic ideas of principles, then we will have the potential for making our photographs more exciting and effective than ever before.

During the last 2 weeks of learning photoshop, I have learnt how to manipulate images to produce proffessional looking images like we see on posters and on TV. I've learnt how to cut an object from one picture and transfer it onto another, where I adjusted the image in several ways to make the object appear as though it was part of the picture in the first place. I did this by modifying the brightness and colour of the image and altering the contrast levels. I also used some layering techniques to give off different effects which made the image look more proffesional. I transferred a picture from one picture to another where I made the image appear as though it was coming out of the water. To enhance the picture, I created a reflection of an object in the water, using a blurring tool to make it more realistic.

About Myself

Helloooooo :) I'm Imi, I live in Cornwall and I used to go to Stover School in Devon, but recently moved to Hurtwood to study Music tech, Media, Art and Business. Me and my cousin have our own youtube account: http://www.youtube.com/Liamandimii. We've been playing together since Janurary, but I've been singing most of my life. I hope to make my own music business in the future, or be involved with the music industry in some way. I'm also interested in art and media, and this refects in my subject choices here at Hurtwood House. I also love watching movies, especially Rom-Coms, Chick-flicks and Thrillers, especially ones that have a significance or meaning.

I also love my roomate. She is the best person ever.