Common props in Thriller genre

Props

• Guns 
• Explosives 
• Knives
• Fake blood 
• Dripping water
• Mirrors
• Masks

These are all typical stereotypes or a horror/thriller, and are all equally effective, as they all promote a dark tense mood and environment. Weapons are an obvious use of prop given to allow the audience to identify an enemy or villain within the storyline, and are used to intimidate the victim or the hero. Weapons automatically build action and tension into a storyline and fake blood gives dramatic effect to wounds or gunshots, red would connotate danger, energy, war, danger, strength and power.

                                                                                                                                                                  Prop ideas I like...

       

 Dripping water and mirrors are also useful unique props to use as factors of tension and building an eerie atmosphere.  
Mirrors are effective in reflecting a characters true self/ true emotions. This usually shows a dark evil side as they are viewing their inner selves that no one else knows. It can also create an uneasy vibe for the audience as mirrors are often used in thriller/horror films to view a ghost/monster suddenly behind a character. 













The sound of a dripping tap allows a scene to be filled with a deafening silence. The echo made by dripping in a large empty room gives a chilling effect, building suspense as though at any moment something would jump from the shadows and could be used with blood instead of water. 
Dripping can also connotate loneliness as the quite could fill the room emphasising how alone and sad someone may be.

Characters 

Examples of popular characters used in thrillers would be, the criminal, the stalker, assassins, authority, innocent victims/victim, most if not all of these characters would have a dark psychotic past. The themes these characters often portray in thrillers include terrorism, conspiracy, supernatural or romantic triangles leading to murder.

Mise en scene 

Lighting within a Thriller, depending on the sub genre of the thriller (psychological, fantasy etc) it would usually consist mostly of a low key lighting, in order to create a tense, serious mood and showing a sense of coming danger especially at night time. This also allows shadows to be emphasised to show the innocence of a victim or even the power and superiority of the enemy.  The blackness created from shadowing and low lighting can connotate sinister actions and death. 

The setting of a Thriller can have a large variation from each film, the likes of a dark forrest, alley ways, and urban location empty at night.


Narrative 

The general narrative usually consists of a disequilibrium - equilibrium - new equilibrium, with its main aim to give thrills, build tension and leave audiences on the edge of their seat. Thrillers tend to have complicated story lines which often confuse audiences, in order to build to a climax which ends all confusion, whereas some are left with confusion and do not give everything away.    

Enigma Code

The Enigma Code allows the audience to constantly question what is going on within a film, where will this lead? Who is this person?Why is this happening?  By doing this the audience are completely immersed and takes you from reality, transporting you into a temporary separate life of the character, which I find to be an amazing and magical aspect of film.   
I also find films when complicated stories are not completely answered, allowing your imagination to run away with you. Completely giving away the plot and answering all questions ruins a complex storyline as it brings the storyline to an abrupt end, although it gives clarification it stops the audiences imagination running away with its self and ends the temporary break from reality. 
I find coming out of a theatre or finishing watching a film, the sign of a brilliant film is that you should come away with your mind boggled and constantly questioning what you saw.