Location choice

The location we have chosen to shoot the scenes for our coursework in is an esate block. The main reason we decided on this location is because it complies with the stereotype of a troubled teenager in London nowadays making the storyline easier to relate to with the audience. As we are using the idea of a teenager in a crime world the estate location is clearly a good one to use the stereotype and back up the image of his troubled life. Another reason why we chose an estate block is because it is a tall building and as we want the boy to be watching a man in the street from a distance a room high up in an estate fits the bill perfectly. This therefore allows us to do over the shoulder shots through the window to show the man in the street from the teenagers point of view and create the stalking affect.

In terms of practicallity the estate idea also suits us aswell, the main reason for this is that a member of our group lives in an estate block in white city, therefore meaning we can easily use this as our location. This also means we dont need to ask for any permission to do our filming because we are on our members property. This then makes it a lot easier for us to then do the filming.

Overall we have chosen an estate block for our location because it suits our storyline and adds to the teenager in London idea and is also easy to use and shoot at, making it an ideal location for our group to use.

Synopsis of Thriller Film

The main idea for our thriller movie is a crime thriller involving a teenage caught up in the dangerous street life. Below is the synopsis for our thriller:

Brought up into a life of crime, Grant finds himself wanting a way out.

With no parents by his side, and no help from society, cheating the system is the only escape.

Living a life filled with misery and disappointment, Grant looks forward to nothing else than planning his next move. Just to get by, he's got his freedom on the line.

Analyses Of Script

INT. Boy's room. Day.

Boy stands by window having a cigarette, silently watching innocent looking man walking on street. Over the shoulder shot shows the man down on the street from the boy's perspective. Close up on certain actions of the boy smoking. The smoking shows the casual approach of the boy which due to the over the shoulder shot we assume is linked to the man on the street.   

                                           Voice over says (in a deep and depressive tone):

                         "Thats my target, i never planned life to be like this, but it is how it is." 

We have decided to do this at the beginning of the thriller as it opens up what the rest of the potential movie will be linked around. The use of the over the shoulder shot is key in this scene as it will definitely establish to the audience what the character's possible motives will be and where the movie will take place around. The voice over is also being used in order to explain the scene a little more to the audience and it creates tension and suspense as the deep and depressive tone will cause the audience to know that something tense will be taking place. The dialogue helps to create enigmas as the audience will want to know things such as 'why is he targeting this person?' 'How do they know each other?' etc.

EXT. Street outside boys block. Day.

Shot of man walking in the street as we know boy is watching (omniscient audience). Portrayed as innocent an seemingly normal, average business man on his way to work with a briefcase and smartly dressed. Shots cut between boy and man to show connection. Camera is mainly eye line shots from boy to man, medium shots of man and close ups of boy's eyes. This shows the definite connection between the two but the audience doesn't quite know what. 

This has been used in order to connect the two characters further but from the innocent protagonists point of view. As the protagonist is smartly dressed and seems like a normal man the audience will easily be able to pick up on the fact that he is definitely endangered which is backed up by the constant camera shots, close-ups, eye line shots and camera movements. This part of the sequence will also raise suspense and tension because the audience are omniscient due to the dramatic irony. Enigma in this shot should be raised in the audience as now they will be wondering more things such as 'How is he going to kill him?' 'Why is he going to kill him?' etc

INT. Boy's room. Day.

Titles and boy getting dressed interchange, final shot shows boy placing gun/knife in jeans. The camera shots are mainly close ups of props and clothing mixed in with blacked out screens with the titles on. The close up of the weapons show their importance and raise tension because the audience assumes the worse when they see the weapons but don't quite know what he's going to do with them.   

Score: Bashy-Ransom 

This is being used in order to create more suspense in the audience as they will see the knife or gun and immediately feel shocked by what they've seen. The constant close ups and camera movements showing the props and clothing will help to set up the scenario for the audience and help them to understand the plot a little more. The close up of the weapon will reveal to the audience that it is a key prop and they will begin to associate that with the man and enigmas will be answered such as 'how is he going to kill him?' etc.

INT. Boy's room. Day. 

Boy puts his hood up, showing he's ready for action and leaves his room, door slams. Camera is a low medium shot from behind showing the boy leave. The low shot makes the boy seem bigger than he actually is so that he becomes an intimidating figure. The hood also creates a mysterious aspect about the boy as he's never fully revealed. This then cuts to a blacked out screen with the film name on top. 

The camera shot of the boy putting up his hood will allow the audience to visually know that he is going to begin moving, creating more tension as now the audience will think that he is going to kill the man now. The shot behind the boy leaving his house will show the audience that the real action is going to begin very soon and the blacked out screen revealing the name of the film will want the audience wanting to know what is going to happen next, making them want to watch the film if it was to be made. All this tension created throughout the sequence will enable the real motive of the film to easily be spotted by the audience.

Analysis of Saw Opening Sequence

Analysis of Saw Opening Sequence

We looked at the opening scene to the movie Saw as part of looking at key opening sequences. The scene begins with the titles being shown. The title ‘Twisted Productions’ is presented in the middle of the screen in blue over a black screen. This immediately gives the audience a picture of what to expect from the upcoming movie. The production titles are repeated again in silence, with no score being used. Next, the titles of the production team of Saw are presented, again with no score but instead with the asynchronous sound of water dripping. This contributes to the opening scene as it adds tension and suspense as the sound of water dripping is conventionally linked to a dark, damp place. Once the titles finish the viewers are presented with the actual opening sequence which begins with a tracking shot of a key prop which helps to create the first enigma. This brings the question ‘What will that key be used for?’. The first character is revealed as male character who wakes up, gasping to regain his breath. In fear, he screams out for help and is answered by another person, who is yet to be shown to the viewer. This creates an enigma as the questions of who the other character is and why they are both in that setting arise. A medium shot shows the two characters with faces filled with worry and genuine fear. A long shot then takes place to reveal the whole setting and the situation the duo find themselves in, chained up in an unfamiliar surrounding. This creates another enigma which increases suspense. This is because the audience can now see the characters are chained up and are clearly being held against their will, but why? Another enigma is then created as the viewer is introduced to a 3^rd character who is dead along with two key props in a cassette player and a gun. The enigma created brings the question ‘why is the person dead, how did he die ?’ and ‘what importance do the cassette player and the gun have?’

What is the purpose of an opening sequence?

The purpose of an opening sequence in any movie is to establish a mood and introduce the audience to what genre the upcoming movie will be part of. An opening sequence does not have to be in a linear order as shown by the opening sequence to ‘London to Brighton’ where the opening sequence begins in the middle of the plot. This helps to create enigmas as due to the plot having already moved on, confusion is created and the audience begin to ask questions which also creates tension and suspense. Main characters are also introduced via the opening sequence. Disequilibrium’s are also set up in terms of narrative. The plot and theme of the film are also set up for the audience as part of an opening sequence.

What are the common techniques and conventions to an opening sequence?

Opening sequences involve many different techniques which introduce key aspects to the movie as well as assisting to build a narrative structure. The main cast and production team are introduced via titles which are conventionally are over a black background. The title of the film is shown at the start of the sequence which creates tension and suspense as well as giving the audience of what they are about to watch and what to expect. More enigmas as created via the use of non-linear order die to the characters not being introduced but instead, just being placed in front of the viewer. Red Herrings may be used in the opening sequence to create enigmas as well as creating a suspenseful atmosphere. The color of which the titles are presented in also plays a significant role in the audience’s perception of the upcoming film. An example of this is the use of darker colors which shows the intensity of the film as well as adding a more serious atmosphere. Another key aspect of an opening sequence is sound. Conventionally, thriller movies do not contain dialogue in order to create suspense. A score can instantly influence the atmosphere or mood surrounding a particular character and how the audience feels towards him/her.

Peter Christopher Boguszewicz

Script

INT. Boy's room. Day.

Boy stands by window having a cigarette, silently watching innocent looking man walking on street. Over the shoulder shot shows the man down on the street from the boy's perspective. Close up on certain actions of the boy smoking. The smoking shows the casual approach of the boy which due to the over the shoulder shot we assume is linked to the man on the street.   

                                           Voice over says (in a deep and depressive tone):

                         "Thats my target, i never planned life to be like this, but it is how it is." 

EXT. Street outside boys block. Day.

Shot of man walking in the street as we know boy is watching (omniscient audience). Portrayed as innocent an seemingly normal, average business man on his way to work with a briefcase and smartly dressed. Shots cut between boy and man to show connection. Camera is mainly eye line shots from boy to man, medium shots of man and close ups of boy's eyes. This shows the definite connection between the two but the audience doesn't quite know what. 

INT. Boy's room. Day.

Titles and boy getting dressed interchange, final shot shows boy placing gun/knife in jeans. The camera shots are mainly close ups of props and clothing mixed in with blacked out screens with the titles on. The close up of the weapons show their importance and raise tension because the audience assumes the worse when they see the weapons but don't quite know what he's going to do with them.   

Score: Bashy-Ransom 

INT. Boy's room. Day. 

Boy puts his hood up, showing he's ready for action and leaves his room, door slams. Camera is a low medium shot from behind showing the boy leave. The low shot makes the boy seem bigger than he actually is so that he becomes an intimidating figure. The hood also creates a mysterious aspect about the boy as he's never fully revealed. This then cuts to a blacked out screen with the film name on top. 

Classification

When choosing what classification you want to be in with a thriller film you have to think about the boundries enforced by the classification. Thrillers are bound to have quite sophisticated themes which would not be allowed in such classifications as "U". A thriller film may also wish to use a certain amount of violence, thus increasing the age classification it is likely to be put in. For a Thriller the best classification to aim for is 15. This would allow a certain amount of violence and a complex and sophisticated storyline meaning when creating the film you are less constrained with what you do. Having a classification of 15 also tells the viewer that there is certain adult themes, likely to create a greater intrest in the film because if a film is classified a PG adults arent going to watch it as they will feel its too childish but children wont watch it either because it would be too serious for them. Therefore a 15 ensures that the likely target audience of teenagers and adults can be met. In the case of our film it will be a crime thriller that will be targeted at 15-21 year olds. Therefore making the classification of 15 perfect for our film as it allows all of our target audience to watch it whilst also allowing us to put in a more violent theme such as the planned teenage hit man, a 15 rating allows us to include basic shooting or violence as long as its no too graphic. This action is likely to then appeal to the audience of males who are 15-21 because they would tend to sway towards more violently orientated films. 

BBFC classification

U: A film classified as a universal film is meant to be suitable for children aged 4 years and over. Theses type of films should offer positive morals, and counterbalance any themes of violence, threat or horror. There should only be anti drug messages, natural nudity, mild horror and no dangerous behaviour which children are likely to copy.

PG: A PG film should not disturb a child of 8 or older, however parents are advised to decide themselves whether the film is suitable for their children. More violence is permitted, however they need to be in context, in bare details and appropriate to the film.

12/12A: Both are seen as films that are suitable for those who are 12 years and older but not for children that are younger. 12A is a classification for cinema films only as it allows children under 12 to watch the film but only when accompanied with an adult who is responsible for them. More is allowed in terms of violence and horror, however it should not be dwelled on, glamourised or seen harmless to the audience.

15: This is a film that is not appropriate for anyone under the age of 15. No theme is prohibited in this classification however with things such as horror strong threat and menace are permitted unless sadistic or sexualised. Also violence can be strong but not dwelled on or too gory.m

18: No one under the age of 18 can watch a film certified 18 and it is to correspond with the human rights act of 1998 that states adults are free to choose their own entertainment.

R18: This is restricted 18 classification is only able to be showed in certain registrered cinemas. It tends to contain the top gory images and sexual scenes.

Opening sequence of key texts you have studied

Full analysis on key scene from Psycho.

At the beginning of the sequence we are introduced to a close up of the protagonist flushing paper down the toilet which is effective as it identifies the paper as a key prop and draws the attention of the viewer towards that item and why it has been hidden like that. Furthermore this creates an enigma as there must be a story behind the paper being flushed which creates more interest for the viewer. The sound of the toilet is diegetic as it exists within the movies world and it is also a synchronous sound as we can see the source of the sound on camera whilst it is taking place. The camera doesn't move at all and is kept at a high angle in order to make the toilet the main focus as it takes up most of the screen space. There is a score playing over this scene in order to try and create a tense mood and prepare the viewer for what is going to happen later on in the sequence.

After the toilet scene we are introduced with a panning shot of the protagonist moving from the toilet towards the door to shut it. The effect of the panning shot is to reveal to the viewer the surroundings of the scene in order to help them fully understand the setting of the scene. The camera is at a medium close up to the protagonist which allows the viewer to monitor her movements well. The sound of the door shutting is diegetic and synchronous as it exists within the world of the film and we can see it on camera whilst it is taking place. This part of the sequence will help to create tension as after she shuts the door the score that was playing stops which could mean that something is going to take place very soon which engages with the viewers attention.

In the next scene we are introduced to a close up shot on the protagonists lower legs and feet whilst she is undressing to get into the shower. This is effective because nudity was not allowed to be shown on screen so the director is able to show the viewers that she is undressed without having to show the viewers her nude. When the woman steps into the shower we have a medium shot of her body through the shower curtains aswell as a diegetic and synchronous sound of the shower curtains being dragged back.

As we progress we are introduced to a medium close up shot of the protagonist taking a shower whilst she is fully naked. This medium close up shot avoids showing the protagonist fully naked which makes a normal activity tense as when somebody is taking a shower you would expect them to be nude but this shot doesn't allow this to be shown. The camera is at a eye angle with the protagonist which makes her head centralised in the shot which makes her the main focus of the shot. We can hear a diegetic but asynchronous sound of the protagonist trying to get an item out of its packaging which is then followed by the diegetic and synchronous sound of the shower head being turned on. After the protagonist has started her shower we are introduced to a low shot facing up on the shower head which suggests that the shower head could be a key prop as it is the main focus of that shot.

Shortly after we are introduced to a montage of medium close ups of the protagonist showering but editting techniques have been used such as jump cuts in order to make it seem like time has gone by in the film quicker then it has in real life, in other words an 'ellipses of time'. During this montage many different camera angles are used in order to emphasise the action of the protagonist aswell as the shower head which is now defenitely identified as a key prop as the shots randomly return to it. From this scene we can see that the protagonist is thoroughly enjoying her shower which could be a technique used by the director in order to add more suspense as it emphasises the vulnerability of the character who seems to be very innocent.

The next part of the sequence starts with a medium close up on the protagonist who is towards the right of the shot in order to expose the full left part of the setting in order to allow the audience to be aware of the antagonist entering the bathroom whilst the protagonist is showering. This is effective because it creates dramatic irony as the audience knows that something is going to happen to the character before they know themselves. As the character enters the bathroom the camera begins to slowly zoom in order to draw the viewers attention to the darkened figure behind the shower curtain, this creates a lot of suspense as we can see the antagonist before the protagonist can and we can almost predict what will happen next. There is a medium close up shot on the antagonist who is in silluoette form which adds a sense of mystery to the character and makes it more interesting for the viewer to see.

The beginning of the next scene is synchronised with the curtain being pulled back by the antagonist. When the curtain has been drawn back, straight away we are introduced to a very loud, sharp and dramatic score playing over the scene which includes pleonastic sounds which mimicks the sound of the stabbing, this is very effective as it creates a sense of urgency within the scene and brings up emotions from the viewers who will be shocked at the scene as it will be uncomfortable to listen to and watch. During the stabbing there is a quick montage of close ups and extreme close ups on the antagonist and protagonist aswell as a variety of camera angles such as low and high angles in order to distinguish between the powerful antagonist and the weak and vulnerable protagonist. During the scene the sounds of the screaming is diegetic and synchronous as it is evident on screen that the woman is screaming and the sound exists within the world of the movie. At the end of the murder scene the antagonist is shown escaping at a mid shot and the viewer is able to identify that it could be a woman which again is a form of dramatic irony.

After the stabbing we are shown the protagonists hand sliding down the wall. An extreme close up shot is used on her hand in order to emphasise the fact that her life is literally 'slipping away' from her which shows that she is slowly dying. At this point in time the score changes to a slower pace and pleonastic sounds are used in order to mimic her dying slowly. While the shot is taking place we can still hear the diegetic sound of the shower running. The camera movement plays a huge role in this part of the scene as it tilts down to follow the protagonist sliding down the wall which reveals to the audience that she is slowly dying or has already died after the attack. This creates suspense as the viewer will want to know why she was murdered and by who.

As we progress the camera begins to slowly zoom in on the plug hole with water running down it which could emphasise that her life is draining away. As the camera slowly zooms into the plug hole, the shot transitions to the eye of the deceased protagonist and the camera begins to zoom out and spin slowly which expresses the fact that she has died.

After this we are introduced to a long tracking shot on the room and we are introduced to the setting in which the scene has taken place aswell as a key prop which is the newspaper as the camera stops roaming the room in order to focus in on the newspaper. The significance of the newspaper is not revealed in this scene but the idea that the newspaper may be significant later on is defenitely raised within the viewer. Finally in the final part of the sequence we are shown a house at a low angle with low key lighting in order to emphasise the fact that the house is creepy and may be of relevance later on in the movie.

What Is The Purpose Of An Opening Sequence

The are many different purposes of an opening sequence. One purpose of an opening sequence is to establish a certain type of mood for the film (in this instance, thriller). This helps the audience to get an insight on  the characters involved in the film, the locations used in the film, to understand the narrative of the film more, to get a insight on the theme of the film and understand the genre and visual style of the film. This will help the audience to understand the film more and appreciate what is taking place.

When an opening sequence is being decided by the producers, they will focus on what part of the film will create the most positive reaction out of the audience in order to attract them to their film and in order to present the genre they have gone for to the audience. The opening sequence does not have to be a linear shot (starts at the beginning of the film) but can begin anywhere throughout the film. The opening sequence will want to create enigmas, red herrings and many other techniques in order to create as much of a reaction as possible from the audience.

An example of an effective opening sequence is the film Se7en which would of been carefully picked by the producers of the film in order to interact with the audience as much as possible and present the most information they would want the audience to know before watching the whole film.

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Conventions - Thriller

The conventions of a film are all the techniques used in order to create its specific genre which in this instance will be the genre Thriller. Thrillers are carefully constructed and many things such as techniques, plotlines and characters are taken into consideration whilst the film is being produced in order to be a thriller.

Plot Lines

The main convention of a thriller is to create as much suspense as possible for the audience. Thrillers are always jam-packed with danger and high alert movements in order to create tense moods and make as much suspense as possible. The plot lines are normally based around a good side (the protagonists) and the evil side (the antagonists) who have engaged in a persuit or anything negative that creates a tense feeling when viewing.

Themes

The themes for thrillers normally follow the same basic idea, some of the themes are:

action- or adventure- thrillers

sci-fi thrillers (such as Alien (1979))

crime-caper thrillers (such as The French Connection (1971))

western-thrillers (such as High Noon (1952))

film-noir thrillers (such as Double Indemnity (1944))

even romantic comedy-thrillers (such as Safety Last (1923))

(Information taken from http://www.filmsite.org/thrillerfilms.html)

Characters

As mentioned earlier a thriller will always contain a protagonist and an antagonist following a particular story line. The protagonist will normally be faced with a hard to escape situation such as an antagonist trying to inflict as much trauma to the protagonist as possible. This creates huge amounts of suspense as the audience are normally sympathetic to the protagonist and wish for them to survive whilst the antagonist poses a major threat to this.

A technique used within the thriller genre is 'Red Herrings' which provides the audience with misleading information and after the truth has been revealed, the audience are shocked with what they have discovered. Red Herrings create a lot of suspense within films and are commonly used by producers in order to create as much of a reaction out of the audience as possible. The antagonist will always be shown to be a dark character with an unhappy upbringing or an event that has taken place which has ruined their moral beings etc.

An example of a thriller that follows this technique is Psycho, an example of this is the following clip:

Some types of characters involved within the Thriller genre are:

Police

Criminals

Terrorists

Stalkers

Innocent victims

Teenagers

Analyses Of Relevant Key Texts

London To Brighton

The opening sequence of London To Brighton is fit in between the titles of the film. When the opening sequence starts we are introduced to the film distributor's identity 'Vertigo Films' which is shown in black and white and absolute silence in order to make the viewers concentrate on the names and take in the information being shown. After the film distributors we are shown the sponsors of the film as 'The National Lottery' and 'UK Film Council'. After this we are shown the film productions identity which is 'Still Mill Pictures' and 'Wellington Films'. After these titles have been shown we are presented with the time and place of the film which is 'London 3:07 am', this is effective as it enables the audience to understand where the following events are taking place and when they are taking place. This setting also links with the title of the film as it shows that they are still in London and the film is called 'London To Brighton' which immediately tells the audience that they have yet reached Brighton meaning that events will be taking place. Immediately after the titles we are introduced to the first shot of the film which includes the door quickly opening, producing a bang which breaks the silence that has been taking place which already starts off the thriller feeling as it shows that the person is in a rush to do something. This will also create an enigma as it will raise questions such as 'Why is she running at 3:07?' 'Why does she have a black eye?' etc. The audience can immediately understand that the opening sequence is not taking place at the start of the film but starting half way through the film making it a non-linear narrative. The rest of the opening sequence is very fast paced and creates suspense and is jam-packed with enigmas (question raisers) and keeps the audience interested in what is going on. Throughout the sequence the audience are presented with an ellipses of time which is done through quick shots of events that allows the audience to understand that a long event has taken place but has been shown in a small amount of time. Furthermore the dialogue in this thriller is very urgent and quick which creates more suspense as it shows that the characters are trying to rush things. Throughout the shot we are shown many kinetic camera movements which gives this thriller a documentary feel and makes it seem more realistic to the viewer. This thriller would be categorised as a 'urban social realist thriller' as it contains gritty, challenging and realistic techniques that forms the thriller together.

From Russia With Love

The opening sequence to From Russia With Love begins with the film productions titles 'MGM' being shown on screen in order to inform the audience who has produced this film. We are then presented with the famous James Bond title sequence with the famous James Bond score which is faded out at the end of the title sequence. We are then presented with the opening sequence being shown with no titles present which features sounds such as creeking and slow foot movement in order to create a tense feeling. A dramatic score is then included after the sounds have been quiet in order to break the tense silence and show the audience that something significant is going to take place very soon. The camera movement is very slow and calm in order to add a sense of 'cat and mouse' chase in which one character tries to find the other. After the sequence has taken place we are introduced to another title sequence in which a score is added in order to create a mysterious feeling around the titles. This is where the 'bulk' majority of titles are shown, ranging from the main actors, co-starring, key production team, director, editor, writer, director of photography and producers etc. This opening sequence can be seen as a Espionage thriller as we are presented with a lot of low key lighting, iconography such as guns and suits and the theme of persuit is present which creates the thriller feeling in this sequence. Furthermore we are presented with many enigmas throughout this sequence such as 'Who's following who?' 'Why?' etc. Even whilst the audience are raising questions, they are being presented with many more due to false information being given to the audience and through other techniques such as 'Red Herrings' and 'Dramatic Irony'.

from watching both of these thriller film introductions i can see common trends. Both start with engimas, the audience is left wondering how the people have found themselves in this position and would therefore assume the film would go on to explain. They don't know anything about the scene the actors are in due to the enigma, leaving the audience wanting to carry on watching to find out.  Both of these films also alert the reader that there is something wrong and not normal. For example in London to Brighton the two females are locked in the toilets at 3:07 am, showing that thecircumstances they find themselves in are clearly not normal. Just as in 28 days later, the man is confused in an empty hospital that is extremely messy. Hospitals would not normally be empty as they are 24 hour so theres no reason for no one to be there. He is then in the centre of London which is again abandoned, creatin

g a real sense of confusion to his position. These situations then make the audience automatically intrested in the film as they try to guess why and how this situation has come about. However there are ways in which the two introductions contrast, the main one being that in London to Brighton the action starts straight away, whereas in 28 days later there is a slow start which is really quite and relaxed. It then slowly builds up to become more dramatic as the confusion continues. This build up of tension os done through the score as it increases in volume and speed creating a far more tense scene. Even though London to Brighton doesnt have a score it is still a very tense scene because the people seem to be very frantic and they are shouting. The apperance of them also shows the audience that they are in a

 bad way and likely to be in some kind of trouble. The other main way in which the two introductions differ is the titles. London to Brighton has short one which just show the sponsors and producers before any of the action, followed by the film title and the end of the beginning scene. Whereas in 28 days later the only title shown is the nae of the film briefly before the scenes start. They also contrast in terms of structure. London to Brighton is a non-linear text because it starts half way through the story, to then return to the beginning. Whereas in 28 days later it has a restricted narrative as the audience doesn't know anything the charachter doesn't, we find out things with him.  

In terms of my thriller introduction this tells me that getting the audience guessing is vital to do at the beginning as it brings them in to the film straught away. However parts such as whether to go in to the action straight away and whether or not to have titles are shown to be dependable on what type of introduction i choose to do.

One of the earliest 'thrillers' was Harold Lloyd's comic Safety Last (1923), with the all-American boy performing a daredevil stunt on the side of a skyscraper.From: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/The_first_thriller_movie_was#ixzz16Dlpr2Gu
The top director associated with the thriller genre is the British Alfred Hitchcock. He started out in silent films but moved on in to the black and white or "talkies" era with such films as; Blackmail in 1929 and Murder! in 1930. Hitchcock is seen as one of the top thriller directors because of the many new techniques which he brought to the genre that are still used in todays films. Some of these techniques include the "red herring" technique where hitchock would set up one storyline as a distraction from the main one, there is also his constant use of a twist ending. In terms of editing Hitchcock always used the camera as an eye to make the audience feel as though there in the film, and he used a lot of point of view shots.
The final reason why Hitchcock is recognised as a top thriller director because of how many of his films were re-made. Such films as "Psycho", which is probably his most successful film, and 39 steps were re made by later directors.

Overall the thriller genre is one mainly based on suspense, tension and excitement. They are mainly based on crime, violence and murder. The main objective of a thriller is to keep the audience on the edge of their seat, not letting them know whats going to happen right until the end. The enigma is usually created on who the murderer is, or how people have managed to get themselves into the situaation we see them in. This is normally then revelaed to the audience in a way that builds up the awnser all throughout the fillm. You are likely to get a lot of close ups, eye line shots and quick cuts in a thriller to build up the tension. You will then most likely get the awnser to the questions that are built up through the film at the end, however it is regularly not what the audience is led to beleive. This is called a twist, which adds drama because the audience are shocked by the revelation and try to figure out how their guess could of been wrong. There are many adaptations on this generalisation that normally come within the sub genres and hybrids such as an action thriller.

Sub genres

Thriller is an extremely wide genre containing many different sub genres within it. Each sub genre contains different codes and conventions and general story lines. It ranges all the way from erotic to action thrillers. There are also many hybrids within the genre in which two genres combine such as some of the action or comedy thrillers. All os this means that there us a huge range of thrillers that can be created, each hugely different from the other. 

Conspiracy thriller: In which the hero/heroine confronts a large, powerful group of enemies whose true extent only he/she recognises. The Chancellor manuscript and The Aquitaine Progression by Robert Ludlum fall into this category, as do films such as Three Days of the Condor, Awake, Flightplan, Snake Eyes, 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. Crime thrillers usually emphasise action over psychological aspects. 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, A Perfect Murder, No Country for Old Men, Firewall, Hostage, Silence of the Lambs, Kiss the Girls and Copycat. Examples of crime thrillers involving heists or robberies includes The Asphalt Jungle, The Score, Rififi, Ocean's 11, Entrapment, The Killing and Reservoir Dogs.
Disaster thriller: In which the main conflict is due to some sort of natural or artificial disaster, such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes, etc., or nuclear disasters as an artificial disaster. Examples include Earthquake, 2012, The Day After Tomorrow, Poseidon, Knowing, Deep Impact and Twister.
Erotic thriller: In which it consists of erotica and thriller. It has become popular since the 1980s and the rise of VCR market penetration. The genre includes such films as Basic Instinct, Chloe, Color of Night, Dressed to Kill, Eyes Wide Shut, In the Cut and Lust, Caution.
Legal thriller: In which the lawyer-heroes/heroines confront enemies outside, as well as inside, the courtroom and are in danger of losing not only their cases but their lives. The Runaway Jury by John Grisham is a well known example of the type. Other examples include The Client, Fracture, A Time to Kill, Primal Fear, A Few Good Men, Presumed Innocent andThe Juror.
Medical thriller: In which the hero/heroine are medical doctors/personnel working to solve an expanding medical problem. Robin Cook, Tess Gerritsen, Michael Crichton, and Gary Braver are well-known authors of this sub-genre. Nonfiction medical thrillers are also a subcategory, comprising works like The Hot Zone by Richard Preston. Films such as Extreme Measures, The Experiment, Anatomy, Coma and Pathology are other examples of medical thrillers.
Mystery thriller: Suspense films where characters attempt solving, or involved in, a mystery. Examples include Flightplan, Mindhunters, The Number 23, Unforgettable, Shutter Island, Secret Window, Vertigo, Identity and Memento.

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 sub-genre. Examples include, The Constant Gardener, Rendition, The Good Shepherd, Topaz, Syrian, The Interpreter , Proof of Life 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. 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, House of 9, Phone Booth, Cape Fear, Red Eye, The River Wild, Psycho, P2, Breakdown, The Collector, Panic Room, Don't Say A Word, Frailty, The Good Son, Dead Calm, Funny Games and Misery.
Rape and Revenge films: Out of the sub-genres of exploitation film, this focuses more on the thriller elements such as suspense, tension, some action and fast-pacing rather than scares and the supernatural. Some famous rape and revenge films are The Last House on the Left, Irréversible, Thriller - A Cruel Picture, Baise-moi, Kill Bill and I Spit on Your Grave.

Religious thriller: In which the plot is closely connected to religious objects,

 institutions and questions. While suspense stories have always shown a significant affinity for religion and philosophical issues (G. K. Chesterton's novel The Man Who Was Thursday  has been called a "metaphysical thriller"; and Umberto Eco's novels The Name of the Rose and Foucault's Pendulum both display thriller characteristics), Dan Brown's 2003 best-seller The Da Vinci Code has led to a current boom in religiously oriented thrillers. Other examples include the film version of

 The Da Vinci Code, The Devil's Advocate, The Ninth Gate, Angel Heart, The Sin Eater, The Omega Code and Angels & Demons.

Supernatural thriller: In which the film brings in an otherworldly element mixed with tension, suspense and plot twists. Sometimes the hero and/or villain has some psychic ability. Examples include, Lady in the Water, Possession, Fallen, Frequency, In Dreams, Flatliners, Jacob's Ladder, The Skeleton Key, Signs, What Lies Beneath, Unbreakable, Rosemary's Baby, The Others, The Gift, The Dead Zone and the TV series Medium.

Techno thriller: A suspense film in which the manipulation of sophisticated technology plays a prominent part. Examples include The Thirteenth Floor; The Matrix; Jurassic Park; I, Robot; Eagle Eye; Hackers; Futureworld; eXistenZ and Virtuosity.

Although most thrillers are formed in some combination of the above, there are some however that are formed with other genres, which commonly are the horror genre, spy genre and the action/adventure genre.