Example - Clear establishment of 'cause & effect' plotting which established character motivations & helps tell an interesting story which proceeds logically & steadily.
Automatic use of 'continuity editing'
Enigmas
This refers to a puzzle, something mysterious, inexplicable, a riddle or difficult problem. in thrillers this is commonly something which the protagonist has to try to find out or solve before the narrative is resolved & the film finishes because it would ruin a film if you could guess the ending easily, we like to watch films to watch that last piece of the puzzle slide in place.
Red Herrings
The name given to a device which intends to divert the audience from the truth or an item of significance. This can also work with other devices such as enigmas to create suspense. For example in Saw II, two men are imprisoned in a room with an additional dead body, throughout the whole film we think we know who the murderer is. However the twist at the end reveals to us that what we thought was going was in fact something we didn't expect at all, as the dead person was actually the cause of the murders.
Cliff-hangers
Sometimes, although not always, used. Often features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation. This can entice the audience to return to see how the characters resolve the dilemma. The outcome is often uncertain up to the very end or can end in suspense.
About Thrillers
Thriller is a broad genre of literature, film & television that includes numerous and often overlapping sub-genres. Thrillers are characterised by fast pacing, frequent action, and resourceful hero's who must thwart the plans of the villain. Devices such as suspense, red herrings & cliff-hangers are used extensively. A thriller is a villain driven plot, whereby he presents obstacles which the hero must overcome. The genre is flexible and can engage the audience through a dramatic rendering of psychological, social and political tensions. Thrillers often take place in exotic settings such as foreign cities. The heroes in most thrillers are frequently 'hard men' accustomed to danger e.g. policemen, or ordinary citizens drawn into danger. Thrillers often overlap with mystery stories, distinguished, in thrillers you know the killer or villain, but in murder mystery you don't know who did it. Thrillers are often influenced by film noir and the compromised hero is often killed in the process. Thrillers are on a grand scale e.g. world domination and terrorism.
