Research into Thriller Conventions

 Propplan Character types

 Vladimir Yakovlevich Propp was a Soviet formalist scholar who analyzed the basic plot components of Russian folk tales to identify their simplest irreducible narrative elements

Propp developed a character theory for studying media texts and productions, which indicates that there were 7 broad character types in the 100 tales he analysed, which could be applied to other media:

·         The villain (struggles against the hero)
·         The donor (prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object)
·         The (magical) helper (helps the hero in the quest)
·         The princess (person the hero marries, often sought for during the narrative)
·         The false hero (perceived as good character in beginning but emerges as evil)
·         The dispatcher (character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off)
·         The hero [AKA victim/seeker/paladin/winner, reacts to the donor, weds the princess

The villain

Also known as the antagonist, villains can either be male or female, however antagonists are mainly associated with male characters as they are seen as the more dominant sex, therefore they have the power to be more intimidating and dominating. It is very much a rarity to see villains of a younger age this may be common in animated films. Villains can, visually, be split either two ways, they can be extremely unattractive and scary looking which is probably more common in horror thrillers. Or they could be extremely attractive and deceiving with their looks referring to the “femme fatale” a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. 

The donor

In fairy tales, a donor is a character that tests the hero (and sometimes other characters as well) and provides magical assistances to the hero when he succeeds. The fairy godmother is a well-known form of this character. Many other supernatural patrons feature in fairy tales; these include various kinds of animals and the spirit of a dead mother.  

The helper

The Hero is supported in his or her quest by a Helper, often a wise old man or magician, who appears at critical moments to provide support. Thus Obi Wan Kenobi appears to help Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, even after Kenobi's death.

The Helper may also be found in a support role, such as Sherlock Holmes' Dr. Watson or Don Quixote's Sancho Panza. The contrast between the limitations of this person and the hero may provide a further elucidation of the hero's defining characteristics such as intelligence, determination, courage, etc.

Other helpers appear along the way as friends or random people who act pro-socially to support the Hero.

The princess

The Princess may take two forms. First, she may be the object which is deliberately sought by the Hero, perhaps finding where the Villain has taken her. Secondly, she may be the reward, such that after completing some other mission, he gains her affections or hand in marriage.

The Princess may be seen very little in the story, perhaps appearing only at the end, or may be an integral character, for example where she accompanies the Hero on his mission, where he may win her heart by the courage and determination of his actions.

The Princess may be wooed by many, in particular by the False Hero. When we see the Princess being won by the False Hero we may rail and rant in frustration as we see her falling unwittingly into her clutches.

The false hero

A variant on the villain and a potential complication within the plot is the False Hero, who appears to act heroically and may even be initially mistaken for the real Hero.

The False Hero will try to steal the Hero's thunder, grabbing the credit and perhaps trying to marry the princess instead. The False Hero is thus an usurper, a thief perhaps of the worst kind, who plays on people's good nature to boldly steal in broad daylight.

The False Hero may also gain the respect or other control of the Princess's Father, thus frustrating the Hero's ability to gain the hand of the Princess.

The dispatcher

An early role in the story is that of the Dispatcher who sends the Hero on the mission. This may be a family member such as a mother or father. It can also be the Princess's Father, who gives the Hero a set of quests to be completed before he gains the hand of the Princess.

The Dispatcher may also be combined with another role, for example the False Hero who then trails along behind (perhaps disguised as a Helper).

 The Hero

In every story there is a major character with whom the reader will normally associate most strongly and who is the key person around which the story is told.

Although this person is often a hero in some sense, they may also take another form, such as a victim or a seeker after some treasure or knowledge. Or maybe they are all of these.

Other character types

The villain- a monster, a jealous man, someone evil, intelligent

The donor- someone of authority so with relation to a thriller; someone in the police/member of the government, well respected member of society, highly regarded, height of their profession

The helper- someone in the police force, generally on a par or lower in the hierarchy than the hero, for example in seven Brad Pitt was Morgan Freeman’s helper

The princess- perhaps who the film is orientated around, in the case of thrillers the princess may not always be female it could just be who the hero loves and is trying to protect or perhaps someone who was killed by the villain e.g. Face off John Travolta’s son.

False hero- someone good looking but deceiving.

The dispatcher- generally a friend or family member of the hero, someone who is trustworthy.

Binary opposites within thrillers

·         Day and night
·         Good and evil
·         Light and dark
·         Psychopathic and sane
·         Villain and victim
·         Law enforcer and criminal
·         Chiaroscuro and high key Hollywood lighting
·         Life and death
·         Clean reputation and shady