Actors

Most actors that have starred in a thriller film are now a-list stars and have starred in more than one thriller.

Matt Damon is an american actor who has starred in many hollywood blockbusters including Ocean's Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen, Stuck On You and Brothers Grimm. In the thriller genre, he is most known for his roles as Jason Bourne in the Bourne trilogy. All three films recieved generally all round good reviews, with some criticising the use of camera work. The highest grossing film was The Bourne Ultimatum, recieving $441.2 million worldwide,each sequel grossing higher than the previous.

Other actors and actresses include Uma Thurman, John Travolta and Denzel Washington.

Directors

Some of the most successful directors in the world have got to there success through a thriller film.



Alfred Hitchcock was a British producer and filmaker who exceled among others in creating suspense and the phycological thriller genre. In his earliest work he made silents films. He directed more than fifty films over sixty years, with his work still living on till today. He is often regarded as the greatest filmaker of all time and in 2007 was ranked #1 by film critics in The Telegraph's list of 21 greatest British directors. Some of his films are Rebecca, Suspicion, Spellbound and most notably Psycho.

D.J. Caruso started off his career directing for TV shows eventually directing his first feature film in 2002, The Salton Sea. He then directed a few other not so successful films, until his big break came in his 2007 hit, Disturbia. Starring Shia LaBeouf, the film grossed over $117 million, only starting on a $20 million budget. He then directed a second film starring LaBeouf called Eagle Eye, which recieved mixed reviews.

Steven Spielberg perhaps one of the world's most known director, producer and screenwriter, has had a run of successful films which have rightly changed the film industry forever. Jaws, E.T., and Jurassic Park just to name a few.

Target audiences

The target audience of a thriller can vary depending on the genre however I would say anyone from 16 or maybe even 18 due to the heavy plot line. I think male adults are the most targeted audience for crime or action thrillers because of the all the action, however females are also catered for because the main chracter in a thriller is usually an a-list Hollywood actor i.e Denzel Washington, Daniel Craig, Matt Damon. Horror thrillers could be for any gender as there is usually a young mixed gender cast which is also suitable for older teens.

Locations, set design, costume and props

Settings and locations play a big part in uncovering the story in thrillers. Especially in genres such as crime and action where they are set in major cities such as London and New York. These are popular locations because of how busy they are, how they look and sound on camera and also because they give us an everyday insight on 'normal' people's lives. Car chases and explosions usually happen on these busy streets which add tension. In crime, action, spy, and some other thrillers, the set designs can vary from being very busy and cramped, to spacious and isolated. If a scene is being shot in a busy set design this can tell us that something big is about to happen or important. A busy set design could contain loads of obstacles, walls, mirrors, etc in. If a director uses a derelict, spacious set, this usually means they don't want to give anything away about the location to create confusion for the character and the audience. These kinds of sets are used mostly in spy and crime thrillers. They could have as little as just four walls, a window, a light and a chair in the corner. The costumes worn are usually smart, formal clothes i.e suits, hats, and overcoats, worn especially in crime, spy and action thrillers to hide and protect identities. The props can be anything but are mostly weapons however can be books, briefcases, papers, etc.

Action thriller in detail

I think one of the most well known sub-genre, action and its elements are in almost everything we view today. They are fast paced and contain alot of violence. Explosions, guns, fast vehicles and a large area for this to all happen in are always present. These films can also contain elements from the mystery and crime genre.

Thriller sub-genres?

Thrillers are sometimes hard to define because of the many sub-genres they include, with even these having other more elements from other genres. These could be action thriller, crime thriller, religious thriller, spy thriller, sci-fi thriller and many more. Perhaps the most popular are crime and action, which have spawned films and books such as the James Bond franchise, Bourne films, Seven and The Godfather.

Prelim Task

This is our final piece after editing. It was really fun filming and editing this. We used extras to add to the atmosphere of a prison visitor's room.