Our Target Audience

Our Target Audience

Thriller films are all rated 15 or 18+ depending on the sub-genre, context and how explicit it is. The sub-genre I am focusing on is psychological thrillers. I have done some research on this website:

  http://www.imdb.com/

I looked at some popular psychological thrillers and how they have been reviewed. With Silence of the Lambs (1991), by Jonathan Demme, it shows that a staggering 363637 males rated this film an 8.7 compared to 88984 females which gave it the same rating. This is evidence that males enjoy and watch these types of thriller films more. It also shows that 6313 under 18's rated this film 8.9, the highest out of all of the age categories, even though this film has a certificate of 18. The age group that voted the most amounts of times for this film were the 18-29 year olds, there were 232878 votes. 

I also looked at the results of the voting for the psychological thriller, Shutter Island (2010). This film is rated 15 and there were 8080 votes for the Under 18 age group in total, they rated it at 8.6. However the age group that voted the most times were the 18-29 year olds again, they rated it at 8.2. The majority of the votes again came from males at 322380 votes, compared with 79246 female votes. 

This tells me that psychological thrillers are most popular with the 18-29 age group and so young adults. I have also discovered that the number of male viewers is significantly higher than the number of female viewers. I can now identify my own target market based on this and my previous research.  I think the target audience of a thriller movie is at the age range of 18-29 year old males, so I will provide the same conventions of a psychological thriller to aim this film at the said age range. I will however make the film a rating of 15 instead of an 18, and may even try to get females more interested in the thriller genre by introducing a female character which they can relate too.

Audience

Different sub genres of thrillers will attract different audiences, but mainly they are aimed at people aged 15 and up. This is because the suspense, tension, anxiety and anticipation found in thrillers would not be suitable for children. Also children may not understand the story lines, plots twists or techniques such as red herrings which is what defines thrillers and makes them a separate genre. Some main themes in thrillers are pursuit, crime, spying/espionage, obsessions, terrorism and political conspiracy. Some of these would not be suitable for children or perhaps too complicated for them to follow.
Social profiling and demographic profiling can be used to help directors and producers choose a target audience that their film would be best suited for. They consider many details of their target audience to make sure when the film is produced people will want to want it.
Social profiling divides group of people depending on their class, job, income etc. It is split into very well paid professionals (banker or surgeon), well paid professionals (lawyer or teacher), skilled non-manual workers (bank clerk or junior manager), skilled workers (electrician or plumber, semi and unskilled manual workers (postman or driver) and lower level (unemployed or students).
Demographic profiling divides people into groups by their gender, race, age, sexuality, hobbies etc. which bases their film preferences on stereotypes such as girls like sad films that make you cry and boys like action films that pump your adrenaline.

The British Board for Film Classification has guidelines for each age rating/certificate for films. For the full guidelines visit http://www.bbfc.co.uk/what-classification/guidelines

As our opening sequence will be aiming for a 15 certificate it may include the following:

• strong violence, although strong sadistic or sexualised violence is unlikely to be acceptable
• frequent strong language, although repeated, aggressive use of extremely strong swear words will be classified an 18 rating
• portrayals of sexual activity
• strong verbal references to sex
• sexual nudity, as long as there is no strong, graphic detail
• brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence
• discriminatory language or behaviour, although as a whole it must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour.
• drug taking

No theme is prohibited for a 15 rated film, although there are restrictions to the extent of the themes above. 

Our clip will be a 15 because then we can create tension, suspense without worrying about breaking the rules of a 12 but it is not necessary to rate it an 18 as we will not be using strong or extreme references or images of drug use, sex, discrimination, violence or swearing. We are hoping to make a psychological or horror thriller so looking at examples of existing films of this sub genre they are mostly rated 15.

Audience Research

What audiences are drawn to thrillers?

For thrillers there is no specific target audience for them as it depends of which sub genre of thriller the film belongs too is is recommended the age to see a thriller would be over 12. Each sub genre of thriller has a specific target audience because of the suspense and the narrative of the story due to the contents they have. The typical audience for thrillers would often be those who enjoy the tension and anticipation of films but also excitement and thrill. 

Before making movies the producers, direction and and all those who make important decisions what audience type they are aiming the film at. to do this they take count of the Social Profiling of the audience what groups they fit into, the Demographics profiling as well as Psychological profiling.

  Social Profiling

Social profiling is used by producers to find out who the film will attract and what they target it at. It classifies the audience and puts them into a series of grades. The grades are formed by looking at what type of career, the audience has and the amount of money that they make. Because social profiling groups the different catagorises together it does not treat people as individuals so some may be put into the audience which don't actually like the type of film. There are six grades they can be placed into. They use the following in social profiling to help: 

• A - Higher Managerial, well paid professionals such as:
• Judges
• Surgeons
• Bankers
• Lawyers
• B - Middle Management which are fairly well paid professionals like:
• Teachers 
• Doctors 
• Graphic Designers 

• C1 - Skilled Non Manual; Supervisory (White Collar Jobs)
• Clerical
• Junior Management
• Bank Clerk
• Nurses

• C2 - Skilled Worker (Blue Collar)
• Joiners
• Electricians
• Plumbers
• Painters

• D - Semi and Unskilled Manual Work
• Driver
• Postman
• Farmer

• E - Lower Level 
• Pensioners
• Students
• Casual Workers
• Unemployed 

Demographic Profiling

Through questionnaires and focus groups and comparison to find out what type of audience they want their film to be aimed at, otherwise no one will watch the movie and the stand to make no money. All the research done is then catagorised by:

• Age
• Family Life Cycle
• Gender
• Location
• Race
• Sexuality 

Psychological Profiling 

The use of psychological profiling makes profiles of potential profiles which will represent the types of people who will make up the target audience. By doing this we are essentially answering questions on the behalf of our target audience. Whenever anyone plans to produce a new film they have to ask various questions such as the ones above to ask and there is many more questions. When doing my opening sequence for a thriller my group and I will have to ask ourselves and others these questions to be a bale to find a target audience.

Questions such as these are used in an attempt to find their target audience:

  

1. What their names, age, genders, occupation, family details?
2. What are their interests, habits, hobbies, and pastimes?
3. What influences them? Religion? Politics?
4. Beliefs?
5. Where they hangout? Shop? Eat?  
6. How do they get information? Travel? Dress? 

Furthermore, when trying to gain the perfect target audience, personality types are important. The audience members will either be:

• Mainstreamers/Conformists
• They like to follow a crowd and what there friends are doing.

• Aspirers
• Using consumption as a way to indicate a status.

• Succeeders
• Confident in success that has been achieved, and consuming in an understated yet sophisticated way.

• Reformers
• Consuming in a way which makes a statement for change and is often wanting to be seen as challenging the establishment.

• Individualists
• Ignoring fashion trend and making your own impression on the world with no care for what others think. 

Profiling affects how and what your opening sequence or film will be about because you have to plan around what kind of people who will watch the film.

BBFC Classification Guidelines

Many English films classify which age group they aim the audience at through BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) guidelines. this is a guide to which age group/ audience a film will be aimed at based on what they are about and what they contain that may note suitable for other age groups.

 The BBFC classifies films on behalf of the local authorities who license cinemas under the Licensing Act of 2003.

Films Classified as U, for universal means is suitable for children, teens and adults of all ages as there is no upsetting contents. it is recommended however that the child who watches a U certified film be over the age of four so they have an understanding of what they are watching and the context in the film. U films offer a counter balance to violence, horror or threats as they are very moral movies sending positive images to the views.

 PG stands for Parental Guidance and if a film is certified as a PG film it is a general viewing but there are some scenes which can be unsuitable for young children. It is recommended that children ages 8 and over can watch PG films unaccompanied but parents are advised to consider the contents of the film as it may be upsetting to a younger child who is more sensitive.

A 12 or 12A is only suitable for children over the age of 12. they both have the same criteria. the material uses in 12 and 12A is generally aimed at those of the age 12 and over not for any children younger as the work shown may be upsetting to those under the recommended age group as parents will find it unsuitable. 

12A is only used in cinema screenings and no one under this age is permitted to watch the film unless accompanied by an adult. An adult is allowed to take a younger child to the film at their own choice and if they feel the film is suitable for the child to watch. If they do decide to take the child it is their responsibility.

A 15 rated film is only suitable for the age 15 and over and no one under this age is allowed to rent the movie. 15 rated movies often include sexual references as well as violence, drugs, swearing (cursing) and references to other contents that would be deemed unsuitable for anyone younger than 15.

Much like a 15, and 18 included more violence and gore depending on the film. The reason for it being different to a 15 is that it includes a lot more swearing and use of inappropriate language. there is often full frontal nudity. No one under the age of 18 is allowed to rend or purchase a film rated 18.No one younger than18 can watch such films.

The most appropriate BBFC Classification Guideline for a Psychological Thriller would be a 15 because there can be references to violence, drugs, swearing and sex which would not be applicable to a 12 and an 18 would be involve more contents which wont be needed.

Audience Profiling

Audience Profiling 

Social Profiling

Social profiling is used to discover the types of audiences different films attract. There are six areas to be categorised in and they range from A to E:

A – Higher managerial (judges, surgeons) – well paid professionals

B – Middle management (teachers, lawyers, doctors) – fairly well paid professionals

C1 – Skilled Non-manual; Supervisory “white collar” (junior management, bank clerk and nurses)

C2 – Skilled worker “blue collar” (electricians, plumbers) 

D – Semi and unskilled manual (driver, postman)

E – Lower level (pensioners, unemployed, and students)

Demographic Profiling

To find out what type of audience the film should be aimed at demographic profiling is also used. Research is gathered on many different people through questionnaires and focus groups. This type of profiling is the most accurate because it discovers your likes and dislikes in life and it is in much more detail than any other form of profiling. It can identify what kind of person you are, whether you’re an extrovert or an introvert, independent or someone that likes following the crowed, if you like going out or prefer staying in. once all of this information is collected it is sectioned into six groups:

1) Age

2) Gender

3) Race

4) Location

5) Family life cycle

6) Sexuality 

Psychographic Profiling

Questions such as the ones below are part of psychographic profiling and they are used in an attempt to find the right target audiences. They are answered by directors and film producers on behalf of their ideal audience:

• What are their names ages, genders, occupations and family details?

• What are their interests, habits, hobbies and pastimes?

• What influences them? Religion? Politics?

• Do they have strongly held beliefs?

• Where do they go for information?

• Where do they shop, eat and hang out?

• How do they dress?

• What concerns keep them up at night?

• Can they drive? What kind of cars do they drive if so?

• What do they want from you?

BBFC Classification Guidelines

Films classified as U (Universal) means that it is suitable for all ages. However young children below the age of 4 may not understand all of the content. 

PG stands for Parental Guidance. Anyone can still see this film but it makes parents aware that there could be some unsettling scenes. A child over the age of 8 is allowed to see these rated films unaccompanied by an adult. 

A 12 rating means that children under the ages of 12 are not allowed to view the film in a cinema unless they are with a person over the age of 18. Films under this category can contain mature themes, discrimination, soft drugs, infrequent strong language, moderate violence, sex references and nudity. 

12A is only used in cinema screenings and anyone under the age of 12 is not permitted to buy or buy a 12A DVD, Blu-Ray Disc or game.

Only those over 15 is admitted. nobody under the age of 15 can buy or rent a 25 rated DVD, Blu-Ray Disc or game. Films under this category can contain adult themes, hard drugs, frequent strong language, strong violence, strong sex references and nudity without graphic detail. 


Only adults are allowed into the cinema to view it. 18 rated films contain more violence and more gore, the story lines can be disturbing and upsetting. Scenes of strong, real sex is permitted if it is justified by the context. 

The History of the Thriller Genre

The History of the Thriller Genre

Thriller is a genre which is used in literature, film and television to create suspense, excitement and tension. These main elements of the genre mean that they are likely to stimulate the audience and their moods. All thriller titles aim to create a tense atmosphere, filled with suspense, where the viewers are anxious and expectant of what is to come. The thriller genre relentlessly peruses a single-minded goal - to provide thrills and to keeps the audience cliff-hanging on the "edge of their seats" as the plot builds towards a climax. Tension usually increases when the main character is placed in a threatening situation, a mystery or a trap that they are unknowingly involved in from which escape seems impossible. 

The thriller genre first came about through literature, for example the ancient epic poems such as the Epic of Gilgamesh and Homer's Odyssey. Both these poems use similar narrative techniques as modern day thrillers do. "Homer's Odyssey is one of the oldest stories in the Western world and is regarded as an early prototype of the thriller." Even the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood (1697) is an early example of a psycho-stalker thriller, the story of a wolf following a little girl through the woods. Novels such as Bram Stocker’s "Dracula" (1897) and Mary Shelley’s "Frankenstein" (1818) include mythical creatures like those shown in modern thriller films, like: vampires, monsters, bats and wolves. 


One of the earliest known thriller films was the German film ‘M’. It was directed by Fritz Lang in 1931; where Peter Lorre played a child killer which was based on real serial killer known as the ‘Vampire of Dusseldorf’. However the auteur Alfred Hitchcock is considered to be the ‘master of the thriller genre’ by the way he creates films which represent reality, making the audience relate to the film and therefore become more terrified. Alfred Hitchcock helped to promote the thriller genre when making his first film; it was an early silent film called "The Lodger" based on the "Jack the Ripper" murders. It had major influence in the UK as the nation was introduced to a new type of film; Hitchcock's influence was from expressionist techniques that he had discovered in Germany.

In the 1940's Hitchcock continued to perfect his recognizable brand of suspense-thriller, directing "Foreign Correspondent" (1940) and the haunting, Oscar winning, "Rebecca" (1940). However, in the 1950's, Hitchcock added Technicolor to his thrillers, which led to the classic thriller title "Strangers on a Train" in which two passengers engaged in a battle of wits and exchanged murders with one another. 

Until today the thriller genre tried to follow examples from the past, it has since expanded and split off into many sub-genres. Some are influenced by current affairs like the assassination of President Kennedy, which brought a sudden popularity to political and paranoid thrillers, such as "The Ghost".
In recent years, thrillers have been slightly influenced by the horror genre; they have more gore/sadistic violence, brutality, terror, and body counts. Recent thrillers which took this route include films like Saw. There is also the spy/espionage thriller. These films show the espionage activities of government agents and their risk of being discovered by their enemies. From the Nazi espionage thrillers, which were made in the 1940's, to the James Bond films, from the 1960's, and to the high-tech blockbusters of today, the spy film has always been popular with audiences worldwide. 

Psychological thrillers have also become a hybrid and a distinguishing characteristic of these types of films is a marked emphasis on the mental states of its characters: their perceptions and thoughts. The main characters no longer rely on physical strength to overcome their enemies (like in other thriller sub-genres) but with mental resources. This includes things like mind games and the disruption of ones mental state. A very popular example of a modern psychological thriller is the "Black Swan". 

The thriller sub-genres also includes, 

• Sci-Fi thrillers (Minority Report), 
• Historical thrillers (Charlotte Gray), 
• Religious thrillers (The Da Vinci Code), 
• Romantic thrillers (Casablanca), 
• Crime thrillers (Silence of the Lambs), 
• Supernatural thrillers (The Shining), 
• Legal thrillers (The Pelican Brief), 
• Erotic thrillers (Basic instinct) and
•  Comedy thrillers (Mr & Mrs Smith).  

Techniques and Conventions of Opening Sequences

Techniques and Conventions of Opening Sequences

All opening sequences should have titles incorporated into the beginning of the film some way or another, this is because they introduce the actors, directors, producers, etc. They also tell the audience more about what they should be expecting as they can set an atmosphere. Typography can have connotations that conform to the conventions of the thriller genre, for example, black and white colours are significant because they can represent good vs. evil. There is an example of this from the opening titles of the psychological thriller “Se7en”. 

A further example that could be incorporated into an opening sequence is flashbacks. This gives the audience some context on what has happened in the past with characters and story lines and so therefore sets up the film and promotes the plot. The opening scene of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” uses this technique. The audience feel welcomed into the film because they are discovering more about the characters and they feel that they know Indiana Jones a little bit better. The opening sequence of Indiana Jones also includes intertexual references. These are pieces of information dropped into the scene that the audience will only understand if they have some prior knowledge. This again means that audience feel involved and have some part to play within the film. These techniques intensifies the viewer’s experience when watching the film because they are engaged and so therefore tension and suspense is easily heightened.

Narrative structure and techniques are also a big part of opening sequences. Narration can be used over the top of a film or it could be speech from the actual film. This is a useful way to inform the audience about the characters and can also give a picture of what the film is about as it sets the scene. The film “American Beauty” takes advantage of this technique. Restricted narrative also has the same effect of setting the scene but, not enough. It’s when the audience haven’t been open to as much information and so the story line and plot is unclear. Non-linear narrative is also another aspect. This again can limit how much information the audience knows from the very beginning. The audience feel unsettled because they do not know what is going to happen and they have high expectations and so apprehension is increased and it can create an eerie atmosphere. The film “London to Brighton” incorporates this as so there are enigmas throughout the whole film and so the audience are constantly anxious. 

The thriller genre

Not to be confused with the horror genre, thrillers often make the audience feel tense and create suspense and anticipation. These typical thriller moods can also occur in horrors, so the two genres are closely linked and films can often come under the genre horror-thriller. This is known as a hybrid. Other common hybrids include action thrillers, psychological thrillers, political thrillers, crime thrillers, sci-fi thrillers etc. For our coursework clip it would probably be more practical to do a horror-thriller or a psychological-thriller because they are easier to film  and it would require fewer props. An action-thriller or espionage-thriller would need props and iconography such as weapons and cars which we don't have access to. Also it is unlikely we will find people willing to act in our clip that would fit the profile for a action hero, secret agent or spy whereas we know lots of young people who would be perfect horror victims.
To create the typical moods of a thriller film, cinematography, mise en scene, sound and editing are all key. In cinematography the protagonist/victim may be shot using high angles to make them seem weaker and more vulnerable. Oppositely antagonists can be shot using low angles to make them appear more powerful. Point of view shots are also used to show victims being watched by the antagonist or to show an eyeline match shot for when the protagonist makes a discovery. Close ups and extreme close ups are often used to highlight characters' facial expressions, normally to show fear in the victim or to show insanity in the antagonist. The facial expressions are important to create tension among the audience because the audience will feel uncomfortable and therefore tense. Also using close ups and extreme close ups enables the audience to see details they wouldn't be able to see normally, so the experience is more exciting and thrilling than it would be in real life. Zooming and dollying can be used to disorientate the audience, especially in psychological thrillers where things aren't always as they seem. As stalking and pursuit are main thriller themes tracking can be used to show characters being followed. This can be point of view or over the shoulder, and it lets the audience know the protagonist is in danger, building tension and suspense.
 In mise en scene low key lighting is often used as a play on the fear of the unknown, creating suspense and tension because the audience cannot see much of what is happening on the screen so enigmas are formed. Therefore the audience feels uneasy and they imagine what they think is happening in the storyline when really it is probably  not as bad as they believe. As some early thrillers date back to the 1920's and 1930's some were made in black and white, which can create an eerie mood and so adds to the tension of the thriller. Key props are used to make the film seem more realistic. They can also just be part of the storyline but usually key props link in with iconography. Also in mise en scene the location of the scene can help to create the mood for a thriller. Often the most tense scenes are set in isolated, rural locations because that is where victims are most helpless and vulnerable. For example in Psycho (1960) the Bates Motel is the perfect location for a thriller as it is isolated, secluded and remote. The antagonist is free to murder the protagonist without fear of being caught because it is unlikely anyone would be around to see him.

Bates Motel

Thrillers usually have a protagonist who is an outsider or an underdog and therefore an easier target because if anything were to happen to them people may not care or even notice. They often unknowingly get involved or dragged into a dangerous situation and escape seems impossible. This creates tension and suspense because the audience cannot see a way out for the protagonist and they feel anxious and sympathetic towards them. The protagonist is sometimes a controversial character with secrets of their own from past experiences, often on the run, in trouble with the law or they just stand out as different from the rest of society. Typical thriller characters include prison inmates, stalkers, spies, convicts, corrupt police officers or detectives, assassins, soldiers, terrorists, mentally unstable people and people with dark pasts. The antagonist is not always clear, they can be sketchy, shady characters and sometimes the audience aren't sure who it is until later in the film. This is often the case is mystery thrillers and it creates suspense and tension because the audience are kept in the dark. Quite often in thrillers as well as the protagonist and the antagonist there is the innocent victim who isn't really important to the storyline but they end up getting involved either by a connection to the protagonist or just by trying to do good. This unlucky character will usually die, heroically or tragically but never significantly. Another thriller character is the femme fatale. This is a strong female character,  although she is not usually the protagonist, and she may at first seem innocent but she is actually devious and manipulative, and of course seductive. She is often very guarded and complex, holding many secrets which creates enigmas.
Editing is used to increase the pace of the scene by using quick cuts so the scene is fast and tension rises. This can be used at the climax of a scene, for example the shower scene from Psycho (1960) where the woman is killed. By making the pace of the scene faster, it creates a sense of panic and the audience feels tense and nervous. Another editing technique used in thrillers is cross cutting. This establishes a relationship between people or objects, but in a thriller in can also suggest something is about to happen. Cross cutting between two shots creates an expectation for some action, so the audience knows there is something going on. Although this technique doesn't create much tension it can create suspense as the audience anticipate what is going to happen next. Long edits also let the audience know something is about to happen and they elongate the wait to build suspense and tension. By prolonging the shot the audience have more time to worry and let their imaginations lead them astray. The longer the edit the greater the tension.
Sound is arguably the most important creator of the atmosphere and moods that define a thriller. Without sound most thriller films would lose the tension and suspense created with scores and sound effects. Sound, and in particular score, often links with editing. For example a long edit may have a slow, simple score to build up tension, like the well known score used in Jaws (1975) which is effective because the audience anticipates the danger. During quick cuts the score may be more fast paced and complex, often including several instruments. This is usually pleonastic too so that it mimics the actions of the film, therefore exaggerating and intensifying it. In the build up to an action of some sort the score can increase the pace and tempo to indicate danger is approaching or it can stay the same so that when the action occurs the audience are surprised as they weren't expecting it.
Dramatic irony and red herrings are quite typical in thrillers. Dramatic irony lets the audience know something the characters don't, so they feel more involved with the film and also anxious because they are aware of what is likely to happen whereas the character isn't, so the audience can anticipate the action but they can't do anything to prevent it or warn the character. Red herrings do the opposite. They lead the character to believe something is important when in actual fact it is insignificant to the storyline and so the audience are blissfully unaware of what is actually happening and when it is later revealed they are shocked. Quite often characters can be red herrings, the audience thinks they are responsible for whatever the story revolves around and actually it was someone else all along.

 In Shutter Island (2010) the protagonist Marshal Teddy Daniels has a bad past which is an enigma and is revealed bit by bit throughout the film. Flashbacks are used to show his past but not enough to reveal anything too much, just enough to confuse the audience. He ends up involved in a storyline bigger than his Investigation and the audience realise towards the end of the film after the plot twist that the investigation was a red herring. This is a typical feature of a thriller film as it fools the audience so they can be surprised when they realise it was a red herring. It also allows the audience to think they know more than they do because in fact the whole time something else has been happening. As the protagonist is visiting the prison for an investigation, he is an outsider. This is common for the protagonist in a thriller film because it means they are an easier target and they stand out from the crowd so they must be different for a reason. The film links two common thriller characters, criminals and psychos, in a prison for the criminally insane. Most of the film is shot with low key lighting to create a sinister and ominous mood. Many parts of the film make the audience doubt themselves and question what they know as there are conflicting views. The audience want to believe the protagonist but logic is on the antagonist's side. As the title suggests the film is set on an island, which is an important factor of the key thriller theme of impossible escape as it means the protagonist cannot leave the island unnoticed. There is also a storm which means it is unsafe to travel on the water and therefore no one can leave the island, so the protagonist is trapped. The protagonist starts hallucinating and suffering from migraines which disorientates the audience and creates more suspense, tension, anxiety and uncertainty.

Alfred Hitchcock is an English film maker/director who's best known for making suspense thrillers. In his third film, an early silent film The lodger (1927), the protagonist and murder victims are all young, blonde females, showing that since the beginning of thrillers this has been the typical character appearance. The antagonist is a mystery for most of the film, and an innocent man is wrongly accused of being the murderer. This theme is also used in The 39 steps (1935) and The wrong man (1956). A similar theme also occurs in Psycho (1960) where the audience think Mrs Bates is the murderer when really it's Norman dressing up as her.  Hitchcock often used red herrings in his films, such as the $40,000 that's stolen in Psycho which really isn't significant to the murders. It also includes an innocent victim, the investigator who's just trying to do his job but gets killed instead. Hitchcock is often called "the master of thrillers", and he is responsible for many of the conventions of thrillers used in modern films. He had many signature features he included in his films, such as using sexual themes or a taboo to make his films more controversial as well as making cameo appearances in most of his films. He used a variety of cinematic techniques in his films to evoke the right emotions out of his audience, such as the dolly-zoom shots in Vertigo (1958).

Hitchcock - "The master of thrillers"

House at the end of the street (2012)  is a good example of a film that includes the codes and conventions of a thriller, laid out by Alfred Hitchcock. The protagonist, a young, blonde female, has just moved house with her mother, so she is an outsider. This is a typical character from a Hitchcock thriller, and automatically lets the audience know she is in danger because of the expectation from the film genre. The antagonist is shadowy and throughout the film the audience is lead to believe it is the little sister of the man who lives in the house at the end of the street but it is actually the man himself who is responsible for the deaths of his parents and other occurrences in the film. This theme of using a red herring as the antagonist also comes from Hitchcock. There is no femme fatale but the film does include the innocent victim; the police officer who tries to save the protagonist but ends up getting murdered instead. This is similar to the investigator in Psycho (1960) who also gets killed because he got in the way of the antagonist. The location is a rural town, although there are other houses in the town they are spread quite far apart, so the house at the end of the street is quite isolated and separate from the rest of the neighbourhood. This makes it a good location for the man to keep girls hostage because no one is around and even when she escapes it is such a long distance to the next house he catches her before she reaches help. The film is rated a certificate 15, so it is not suitable for people under the age of 15. This is because it contains disturbing images and some bad language. The score used in this film is quite high pitched and slow because there are many tense moments where the score is needed to create suspense. There are many long edits which also create tension and due to the massive plot twist the audience is shocked and so for the remainder of the film very tense. Close ups of the protagonist's face are often used to show her fear, this projects her emotions onto the audience so they too share her fear and tension.