There\u2019s a very common thread among films in the thriller genre<\/strong> that don\u2019t succeed: they sell the steak and not the sizzle. In other words, they\u2019re so focused on the payoff of the idea and the delivery of the film\u2019s premise, that the buildup and suspense<\/strong> of the whole piece falls short. A great thriller<\/strong> is far more concerned with the anticipation of an event than with the payoff moment, yet time after time directors seem to make poor choices when working in this genre. So if you\u2019re gearing up to direct your next thriller<\/strong>, consider the three tips below for adding real suspense<\/strong> to your next film:<\/p>\n Many poorly executed thrillers<\/strong> wind up feeling more like action films once they eventually hit the screen. And the reason why often has to do with pacing above all else. Directors without a lot of experience in the genre are often fearful that their stories aren\u2019t moving quickly enough, and wind up flooding their scripts with unnecessary action sequences that are designed to \u201cthrill\u201d the audience but really just take away from story\u2019s pensiveness. Thrillers are all about anticipation<\/strong>, and when you take away an audience\u2019s breathing room to bite their nails or sit on the edge of their seats, you\u2019re left with an action film – not a thriller.<\/strong><\/p>\n1. Be Selective With the Action<\/h3>\n
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\nImage: Cary Grant<\/a> in North by Northwest<\/a> via IMDb<\/em><\/p>\n2. Don\u2019t Overdo the Music in the Edit<\/h3>\n