My chosen genre is Thriller. There are many types of Thrillers. For example you have:
- Psychological Thriller
- Crime Thriller
- Police Procedural
- Mystery Thriller
- Suspense
- Action Thriller
These are all sub-genres of a Thriller. Our chosen sub-genre is a psychological thriller. In a psychological thriller, the characters are exposed to danger on a mental level rather than a physical one.
- Action and psychological aspects both are used to add to the suspense.
- With a psychological thriller the conflict (battle!) is through the mind, skills, and wit of main characters, reversing the more normal thriller “plot over character” expectations i.e. a psychological thriller reader needs to understand the character, character can (sometimes) be slightly more important than plot (although I prefer both in equal measures).
- Characters shouldn’t win using physical talents or efforts, but rather using their mind, wits or smarts.
- Elements of drama, mystery and horror can often find themselves in the psychological thriller due to the emphasis on motivation and the mind.
- There are Life and death situations and certainly at the end (climax) but this could well involve death or danger to the mind or intrinsic identity or values of the hero rather than a physical threat.
- Psychological thrillers often deal with common themes such as death, reality, perception, identity, existence or purpose, and one or two of these themes should be wound through the novel.
- Motives and intentions are more important than technical aspects of how a crime is done.
- Readers expect the story to focus around both the hero and the villain, via changes in point of view and scenes involving each separately.
http://hunterswritings.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/elements-of-the-psychological-thriller-mystery-suspense-andor-crime-fiction-genres/
These are two example of psychological thriller that did really well in the cinema and both won multiple awards.
Examples of Psychological thrillers:
The silence of the lambs:
Young FBI agent Clarice Starling is assigned to help find a missing woman to save her from a psychopathic serial killer who skins his victims. Clarice attempts to gain a better insight into the twisted mind of the killer by talking to another psychopath Hannibal Lecter, who used to be a respected psychiatrist. FBI agent Jack Crawford believes that Lecter, who is also a very powerful and clever mind manipulator, has the answers to their questions and can help locate the killer. However, Clarice must first gain Lecter's confidence before the inmate will give away any information.
Black swan
Nina (Portman) is a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her obsessive former ballerina mother Erica (Hershey) who exerts a suffocating control over her. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side - a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.
http://www.imdb.com/list/quPHa6B-Ehc/
The silence of the lambs: Young FBI agent Clarice Starling is assigned to help find a missing woman to save her from a psychopathic serial killer who skins his victims. Clarice attempts to gain a better insight into the twisted mind of the killer by talking to another psychopath Hannibal Lecter, who used to be a respected psychiatrist. FBI agent Jack Crawford believes that Lecter, who is also a very powerful and clever mind manipulator, has the answers to their questions and can help locate the killer. However, Clarice must first gain Lecter's confidence before the inmate will give away any information.
Black swan
Nina (Portman) is a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her obsessive former ballerina mother Erica (Hershey) who exerts a suffocating control over her. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side - a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.http://www.imdb.com/list/quPHa6B-Ehc/
These are two example of psychological thriller that did really well in the cinema and both won multiple awards.
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