MOOD AND TONE IN THRILLER GENRE

Mood A temporary state of mind or feeling.

TONE A musical or vocal sound with reference to its pitch, quality and strength.

Thriller’s Mood and Tone Thrillers are defined by there mood and tone. To heighten the audiences emotions towards the movie it has to have dominant underlining mood and tone. Without affective tone the Thriller does not meet its desired affect of keeping the audience on the “edge of their seats. They are key device’s which carefully build up the plot and are essential in delivering the moral message.

FREQUENTLY PORTRAYED MOODS IN THRILLER… SUSPENSE ANXIETY EXCITEMENT SURPRISE ANTICIPATION

SUSPENSE Suspense is the most crucial characteristic of the thriller genre. It builds on the plot of the Thriller storyline by making dramatic moments more memorable. Ways to create suspense in thriller genres are… e.g inserts, bird eye, zoom, panning, reverse, handheld, Point of Veiw (POV), over the shoulder E.g: The Mothman Prophecies uses extreme elements of suspense which effectively contributes to this thrilling horrors effectiveness

Anxiety Anxiety is a common mood used in thriller which is closely linked to suspense. Anxiety is the feeling the audience feels within them, this usually corrosponded to feelings of anxiety within the characters on screen. Shots which create Anxiety are… Birds eye, closeup, panning, reverse, tilted angle (worms eye), long shot, hand held, POV, over the shoulder E.g The movie gone uses anxiety as one of its main themes to draw in audience and create intensity

EXCITEMENT Excitement is a rarely used mood in thriller, which is only included to show dramatic contrast. This excitement sets the mood within the scene or movie to then later be brought down to create other moods or tones associated with thriller films. Camera angles which portray this emotion are…panning, hand held, POV

Surprise This mood dominates in Thriller movies. Thriller films thrive on a plot twists weaving in emotions to lead on audience. Cliché and stereotypical aspects of characters or the plot are never associated with a thriller film. Surprise changes how the audience was lead to percieve the situation redirecting the plot. Surprise heavily influences these types of flim as a shock factor adds interest and defining factor to the individual film. Shots portraying surprise would include… close up, POV, zoom, over the shoulder The famous scene in the movie scream uses a surprise element to create the iconic shower scene

Anticipation Anticipation adds to the shock factor of the thriller genre. It leaves an audience on edge and allows the audience to key into the movie as the anticipated scene unfolds this anticipations pulls a reaction from the audience which in return draws in the spectators into the plot as the film unfolds. Panning, reverse, long shot, hand held, POV, over the shoulder. E.G Victoria and German thriller film uses anticipation as a core aspect of the film

EXAMPLES HOW TO CREATE MOOD AND TONE IN THRILLER MOVIES

EXAMPLE: SHUTTER ISLAND USES… Low key lighting : forms a hidden sketchy element which shows an ominous mood. Tilted angle: creates distortion which conveys to a mood of confusion and panic. Tracking or panning shot: Creates movement which can cause a prolong of suspense. EDITING TECHNIQUES ALSO USED FOR EFFECT Parallel editing Jump cuts

TONE EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF TONE E.G. DARK, LIGHT, DREARY AND BROODING TONES ARE CLOSLEY ASSOCIATED WITH THE GENRE OF THRILLER FILMS. EXAMPLES OF THRILLER MOVIES WHICH HAVE A DISTINCT TONE THAT SETS THE SCENE. INCEPTION THE DEPARTED HEAT

HOW TO INTENSIFY MOOD AND TONE USE SOUND TECHNIQUES SUCH AS… Diegetic sound Non-diegetic sound SOUND!

MOOD AND TONE Mood and tone play an effective role in portraying the underlining message in a Thriller film. By exposing what the writer is trying to communicate e.g. anxiety, fear or relief. Mood and tone are an essential device to use in a movie due to there significance in entertaining and provoking emotion.