Genre Research: Psychological Thriller

While conducting research on psychological thriller, I noticed that they used dutch shots a lot. This stood out to me specifically because of the fact that I LOVEEE dutch shots. Thriller movies use the dutch shots to capture moments of insanity or disorientation of a character. Dutch shots are my favorite because I find them extremely effective in not only capturing the character's disorientation, but also in disorienting the audience. The low usage of this shot is precisely what makes the shot so uncomfortable for the audience; they typically never see dutch shots. I also noted the use of the low angle shot- I saw this angle be used usually when a character was on a power trip; by pointing the camera to "look up" at a character, it conveys a sense of superiority coming from the character. 

As for the Mis-en-scene, again, it varies on the plot of the thriller movie. Similar to the makeup used in mystery genre, I generally noted the same amplification of specific features that could express dullness or distress in characters. However, in Thriller movies I also noted the use of nicer clothes and makeup. For example, a lot of thriller movies I've seen contained scenes that featured a social gathering that was somewhat fancy. In these scenes, I noted the fancier costumes and the use of bolder makeup (such as red lipstick). As for the acting, I noticed that these scenes contain a lot of context on characters. The movies I watched mostly used these social gathering scenes to introduce characters that may be important for the plot. 

Thriller movies also frequently make use of quick cutting to create and intensify tension within a specific film. I also noticed how long the shots were at times. By letting the shot linger for longer, I noticed a growing feeling of unease. By using both short and long shots, it ensures the consistent feeling of tension, discomfort, uncertainty, and anticipation. The use of diegetic also proves to be a crucial element in the thriller genre. To increase tension within a scene, you'll often see instances where the natural sounds of the shot are emphasized. For example, in an intense scene where a character is about to enter a questionable room, the sounds of the footsteps on the wooden floor would be amplified to create feelings of unease and extreme discomfort. 

Some of the thriller movies that I ended up watching for my research on this are The Joker, Oppenheimer, Bird Box, and Five Nights at Freddy's.

Something that I really enjoyed about these movies and would incorporate in my opening sequence if it was my genre would be the way camera angles and sound play such a pivotal role in the overall mood and plot of the movies. However, something that wasn't necessarily my favorite thing was the gore that was, more often than not, incorporated. I definitely wouldn't use it for my opening sequence- I have a weak stomach.