What makes a good thriller?

If our thriller was going to be well done and interesting then we needed to know the key aspects of a thriller.

There are so many different components to a thriller that it’s one of the most difficult genres to succeed. If you consider some of the most successful thrillers, their storylines are often quite farfetched yet they must tell the story in such a way that the audience can perceive it to be real and become totally absorbed by it.

Creating a Sense of Danger
A thriller needs to have a central main character (protagonist) who finds themselves in danger. Often, the plot of a thriller will seek to isolate the protagonist from the world around them. To do this successfully, you need to be able to portray their sense of loss, betrayal, feeling as though they are on the edge and that their whole world is at risk of collapse.
The important thing is to get the viewer to actually feel that the problems the protagonist encounters could actually happen to them and to be able to instill a sense of fear, dread and worry into the audience.

The Importance of Pace
You’re thriller needs to ensure that it’s fast paced throughout. Very often, the beginning of a thriller wastes no time in putting the protagonist in a dilemma from the off and this enables the audience to relate to their situation immediately.

The Balance of Power
Another important aspect of thriller writing is to ensure that the villain or antagonist always has the balance of power shifted in their favour for the vast majority of the film. So the audience is certain that the protagonist cannot escape the danger.

Twists and Turns
Good thrillers try to lure the audience in to a false sense of security. They should be written from the point of view of taking the audience on a journey where they’re not sure where they are going. Scenes which build to a point where the audience thinks they know what to expect but then the scene dramatically switches to an unforeseen outcome will maintain the suspense and tension.