Psychological Thriller Conventions

Props:
Props are used in psychological thrillers to keep the audience involved. They do this by using props that give hints to what will be key aspects of the film.
One of the most stereotypical props found in a psychological thriller movie is a mirror. This is to show the character's own representation of themselves, while also showing the "darker side" of said character. An example of this is in Black Swan, where the main character gains a split personality. Her reflection turns to look at her, showing her darker side and that everything is not what it seems.

Costumes:
The costuming used in this genre will differ between each character, often depending on the context or storyline of the film. Often, in a psychological thriller film, an antagonist will wear clothing that makes them appear as just a regular character. This means that they will wear more casual clothing such as jeans and a t-shirt to allow themselves to blend in with society and not stand out. In other situations, the antagonist will wear more formal clothing, such as a suit. This presents them as being more in power and controlling, as suits or formal clothing will often connote that a person is in the upper class. In most situations, an antagonist will wear monochrome colours, as this represents their 'inner darkness.'

The costuming of the protagonist also depends on the time period and location. They will often wear the opposite colour scheme than the protagonist, mostly much lighter colouring. In many situations, the protagonist of the film is a detective, such as in Se7en. In this case, they will often wear a stereotypical detective outfit, which is a suit with a long, brown coat over the top and then a trilby hat. Other outfits for a typical protagonist include general, casual clothing, and formal work clothes.

Setting:
The setting of a trailer sets the mood for the film. The setting of psychological thrillers depend on the storyline, but are often either in an urban city, or in an abandoned forest somewhere. By setting a film in an urban city, it allows for storylines including a threat to a wide range of people, as a city often has a high population. This makes the antagonist pose as a threat to society as a whole. On the other hand, if the film is set in a more rural enviroment, it means the antagonist is a threat only to the protagonist and perhaps a few people that are emotionally linked to them. This also evokes fear in the audience as it makes them feel empathy towards the main character.