Genre research

Genre Research: Police crime thriller

Police crime thriller is a hybrid genre. The genre is known to create intense elation and suspense. Audience members often feel a rush of adrenaline and highly anticipate the plot. This creates anxiety and tension. Furthermore, this genre usually builds towards a climax and uses the theme of enigma to create questions for the audience.

The conventions of this genre include; fast pace editing such as zooms and fast cutting (a film editing technique which refers to several consecutive shots of a brief duration e.g. 3 seconds or less).Police Investigation, antagonists and protagonists, high Intensity action scenes such as fighting or car or on foot chases. In addition to this someone usually perishes in a police crime thriller whether it is the antagonist or protagonist.

Characters in this genre commonly include; criminals, stalkers, people involved in twisted relationships, assassins, innocent victims (often on the run), menaced women, sociopaths characters with deep dark pasts, terrorists,psychotic individuals, cops and escaped cons, psycho-fiends and more. Themes of the genre frequently include terrorism, political conspiracy, pursuit or romantic triangles leading to murder.

The sound in a police crime thriller film is mostly used to frighten and startle the audience. The music also helps build up the climax when approaching a scary scene. Non diegetic sounds are generated by a computer and helps create the dark eerie sounds which suggests the mood in the scene. Additionally, the music starts slowly and gradually speeds up helping promote nervousness.

Se7en and Gone Girl are excellent examples of police crime thriller. In the trailers fast cut scenes are used to help build enigma for the audience and draw their attention to the synopsis. Low key lighting is used in both trailers to put emphasis on the dark and dramatic plot and create a mysterious effect. Back and under lighting is also used to create shadows which creates a sinister and menacing tone.