Purpose of This Research
Additionally, another main genre I researched was spy films. Spy films are well known for their element of secrecy, and given that this would only be a short film, I thought that choosing a film that featured secrecy as an element of suspense would be an intelligent choice. This genre includes the suspense element but does not necessarily require fear or action.
Why Spy Films Fit Thriller Suspense
Many films rely heavily on the uncertainty of the situation or information that is held from characters or audiences. This is the foundation of suspense in many films. However, for the majority of spy films, the audience knows that something is wrong. However, they do not know who to trust or even the full situation. This keeps the audience engaged.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy relies almost exclusively on quiet tension, suspicion and subtle dialogue.The Bourne Identity builds suspense through the mystery and unfolding of what is happening. And then, there’s the movie Skyfall, which makes evident the emotional and suspenseful elements spy films can generate. These examples show that spy films do not need constant action to be effective.
Industry and Audience Data Supporting Spy Thrillers
Looking at further data, spy films are not only considered to be creatively effective, but they are also supported through audience and industry data. When looking at statistics relating to the performance of different genres at the box office from 1995 to 2025, it is evident that thriller/suspense films generally have greater long term success than horror films.
Thriller and suspense films are responsible for 7.4 percent of all box office revenue worldwide, while horror films make up for 6.4 percent of all revenue. While action, drama, and comedy films tend to be among the highest earning genres, thriller suspense films actually have a slightly larger and more consistent following than horror films. In other words, audiences are willing to watch these types of films more often than others.
As spy films fall under the sub-genre of thriller/suspense, this shows how spy based stories are a safer and more effective genre choice.
Spy Film Conventions That Support Suspense
Through my research, I found out that there are several conventions of spy films that make them perfect for the suspense genre. One of the conventions of spy films is limited information. Unlike thrillers, spy films do not always explain everything. This leaves viewers wondering. Another convention of spy films is everyday settings with a hidden danger lurking about. The setting of spy films encompasses everyday places such as the office, the street, the hotel, and the home. Lastly, the last convention tied to intelligence has incredibly high stakes. The suspense comes from the high stakes of each mission. These are the conventions of spy films.
How this Helps My Project
A spy based thriller will allow me to have far more creative control over my project and margin for error than a horror story would. While I have to be mindful to create suspense throughout any story I craft, if suspense is not perfectly executed in any given moment in a spy story, the story can still be engaging.
For these reasons, I believe that the spy based thriller is the smartest and most realistic option for my project.
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