Research into Genre- Settings.

Thriller Research
Codes and Conventions: Settings/Location.

The setting & location in a Thriller film is one of the key elements. A thriller film's main aim is to keep the audience on the edge of their seat and keep the audience questioning themselves. A thriller film uses suspense and tension, therefore the setting must match the aim. Most typical thriller films are set in a Suburban town, usually a quiet town so it is easier to create suspense. In a suburban area it would be easier to hide a villain which is also an idea to create tension as the villain uses different hiding places to be a threat to the victim. Other films sometimes use settings like abandoned houses/factories/warehouses, however they're more typical with Horror movies. The setting may vary depending on the subgenre. For examplple a crime thriller may take place in a main city or a bank etc.

Examples:

The Silence of the Lambs

There are two key loctions in the popular thriller film. The film begins in 'Baltimore State Forensic Hospital' and the second key location is a house in a suburban area. Both of these locations are perfect settings for a thriller as the hospital adds a psychological twist that makes the audience question the well being of the characters and the house makes the film seem more realistic and adds a shocking/suspense factor to the film. Even though our film 'Saving Grace' is a thriller film, our film has aspects of the Drama genre, and doesn't include spooky looking settings. The locations used are more lively and nightclub-like.

The Woman in Black:

The Woman in Black is a british thriller movie starring Daniel Radcliffe.  The main location used in this film is an abandoned mansion in England, haunted by previous owners of the house. The setting is very old and clearly presents the film as a thriller, however with a horror twist.