Codes & Conventions of a Psychological Thriller

Psychological Thrillers
Is a popular sub-genre of thrillers with heavy focus on characters. It often incorporates elements from the mystery and drama genre genre along with the typical traits of the thriller genre. In addition, psychological thrillers contain elements of and often overlap with the horror genre, especially seen in psychological thrillers.
Characters are no longer reliant on physical strength to overcome their enemies but are reliant on their mental resources by battling for equilibrium in the characters own mind. The suspense created by psychological thrillers often comes from two or more characters preying on one another's mind. E.g. Playing deceptive games.

Themes

Psychological thrillers tend to follow certain themes which is the centre of the story. Some of them as follows are: 

• Death
• Reality
• Identity
• Existence
• Purpose

Conventions of a psychological thriller

The conventions of psychological thrillers will include things like:

• Low level lighting- shadows to create fear/tension.
• Quick edits & changes in camera angle- increase the feeling of fear and shock. Often used during significant scenes.
• Music- high tension, eerie, silence.
• Flashbacks- time disorientation confusing the audience or showing the past to give an insight into why the characters are the way they are.
• Black and white colouring- increase effectiveness of shadows.
• Claustrophobic spaces- entrapment of the mind, planes or house.
• Font/colour of title- may be written in a certain way to emphasise the theme of the film.

Directors of thrillers

• Alfred Hitchcock - also known as the 'Master of suspense' uses these conventions to an extent that its so effective   and really encapsulates the audience. You can find it in one of his best films 'Psycho' which does this really well.

• David Lynch - is a surrealist director whose mysteries are usually puzzles of the mind. The audience and the characters themselves must figure out what is real and what isn't. E.g. Mulholland drive.

• Martin Scorsese - director of 'The Departed' & 'Shutter island'.