Mainly using the films: Psycho (1960), Fight Club (1999), Black Swan (2010) and Shutter Island (2010), I have gathered some notable features of the psychological thriller/drama.
Mise en scène
- Shadows and low key lighting
- Mirrors are commonly used
Sound:
- Eerie and suspenseful sound-score
Camera-work:
- Quick camera movement
- Hand-held camera movement
Editing
- Fast paced sequences
- Jump cuts
- Montage editing
- Frequent use of flashbacks
Other themes:
- Reality and illusion- The main character in the film typically tries to distinguish between what is real and what is not.
- Often there is a theme of the protagonists relationship with their parent. In terms of Psycho (1960) and Black Swan (2010), the role of the overbearing mother is important for influencing the development of their children.
- Death
- Focus on perception, often the protagonist, who is mentally distressed.
- A character has to overcome specific mental challenges
- Hallucinations
MY APPLICATION
Watching a wide variety of psychological thrillers/dramas has certainly helped me in terms of adding relevant details to my screenplay, regarding cinematography, art direction, sound, as well as bearing key themes in mind.
No comments:
Post a Comment