2. Lacey’s Repertoire of Elements In his book Narrative and Genre:
Key Concepts in Media Studies, Nick Lacey defines genre
elements as constituting the 5 key areas below:
- setting
- character
- narrative
- iconography
- style
When analysing texts, use Lacey’s repertoire of genre elements
as a guide.
3. SETTING
➤ Setting is the location of a specific
scene as well as the Mise-en-scene in
it.
➤ The noir genre is known for being set
in an urban setting during the night.
This adds realism within the piece, it
also adds a cynical atmosphere
because its filmed during the night.
➤ In the introduction to our trailer, there
is an establishing shot of an urban
town. This can be seen in the picture
to the left, the establishing shot has
already provoked a chaotic
atmosphere because of the fire and
the police sirens. The fact that it was
dark added character to the shot which
made it cynical and scary.
6. UTILISING GENDER
IN OUR TRAILER
➤ In our trailer, we conformed to the noir
genre through the character types
within the media production.
➤ We wanted to pay homage to the
classic femme fatale and therefore we
got a female to play a lead role within
our trailer.
➤ Heterosexuality was especially
prominent in classic noir, we wanted to
conform to this by displaying a
heterosexual relation between the
protagonists. If we wanted to
challenge the stereotypes, we could
have had the narrative follow the
relationship between homosexuals
which could show a progression in the
neo noir genre.
7. SEXUALITY
➤ Sexuality was also a component of the femme fatale character
as well as the gender. In films such as Brick (2005), Rian
Johnson and Double Indemnity (1944), Billy wilder, they over
sexualise the femme fatale to manipulate the protagonist.
➤ In our trailer there are times where we wanted to express our
femme fatales sexuality, we did this to so that the audience
would think that Scarlett (our femme fatale) was manipulative.
However, later in our plot the audience discovers that she was
innocent and vulnerable which subverts the role of classic
femme fatales where they get their way.
8. Examples of sexuality in “The Abyss
Scarlett rubbing her hand on Malcom the
first time they meet.
Intimate scene with both our protagonists
9. MALCOM -
PRIVATE
DETECTIVE
➤ The private eye detective was
such a conventional character in
the noir genre.
➤ To conform to this, in our
narrative, i came up with the idea
that Malcom’s chief suspends
him which brings up the private
eye aspect of the film.
➤ We also wanted to pay close
attention to a strong masculine
figure with a disorientated moral
compass, we did this by having
be the best detective yet not
being able to figure out the case.
10. NARRATIVE
➤ The narrative in the noir genre can be very complex for example
Chinatown, 1976 Roman Polanski there are many plot twists and complex
narratives which laves the audience always guessing.
➤ The narrative in the noir genre differentiates it from other genres and can
be easily identified. Below is a blog that i have created which shows our
plot:
➤ https://alfra016a2media.wordpress.com/2017/10/19/plot-the-abyss/
➤ In our trailer we wanted the audience to think that our femme fatale was
mysterious and sinister. We did this by having the dialogue say “You
locked up hendrix to cover your tracks” and “this is your fault”. However, in
our plot, she was the one that was framed and the real antagonist was the
chief that had initially suspended him, we show hints of this by having the
chief shoot at someone in a shot consisting of lowkey lighting.
11. ICONOGRAPHY
➤ The iconography is something recognisable to that genre
within the shot.
➤ Iconography can essentially be anything, for example, we
filmed in an urban setting during the night time and this can
conform and relate to the shots of other films within the noir
genre.
➤ We also used our femme fatales sexuality which is iconic
because the femme fatale character is known to be over
sexualised.
➤ We used props such as guns and police tape to connote crime
and that is a common theme within the noir genre.
12. STYLE
➤ Style in the repertoire of
elements is the technique we
used to achieve the shot.
➤ Chiaroscuro lighting is
commonly used within the noir
genre. The picture to our left
shows us using this which
connotes chaos and conforms
to the noir genre.
➤ To achieve this, we had a key
light above the actor and used
a web like filter to vary
13. ANOTHER
EXAMPLE➤ Within the first few seconds of
our trailer, we used a lot of
diabetic noise. This was to
connote ideas of crime as the
audience are first greeted with a
disequilibrium.
➤ In this shot, we used multiple
layers to achieve this. The
picture shows us using 12
different sound files which may
disorientate the viewer. I also
created an eerie and omniscient
sound effect which can provoke
ideas of more mayhem and
crime further within the trailer.