Media work

2. GENRE CONVENTIONS
• THIS IS A TERM USED TO DESCRIBE THE FEATURES OF FILM THAT RELATES TO THE GENRE, THEME,
SETTING, CHARACTERS AND THE PLOT ITSELF. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE ACTION MOVIES AS THEY
INCLUDE SUSPENSE AND DIFFERENT ACTION SCENES.
• THESE QUALITIES OF A FILM HELPS THE AUDIENCE RECOGNIZE THE GENRE OF THE FILM. IT ALSO GIVES OUT
A CERTAIN MOD THAT THE PLOT IS TRYING TO CONVEY TO THE AUDIENCE.

3. ACTION/THRILLER GENRE CONVENTIONS
• ACTION THRILLER GENRE ARE EASY TO IDENTIFY DUE TO THE STYLE THAT IT IS REPRESENTED IN. A LOT OF
ACTION FILMS CONTAIN A LOT OF MURDERS AND DRAMA WHICH GIVES A SENSE OF SUSPENSE WITHIN
THE AUDIENCE. ONE GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS, IS THE MOVIE “JOHN WICK”. THE PROTAGONIST HAS A
DARK PAST AND IS VERY MYSTERIOUS, HIS WIFE IS DECEASED AND LEFT HIM A DOG AS MEMORY OF HER.
THIS MAKES THE AUDIENCE FEEL SYMPATHY FOR HIM AND HAVE A CONNECTION WITH HIM. THE
ANTAGONIST OF THE FILM MURDERS HIS DOG AND JOHN GOES OUT OF HIS WAY TO FIND THE KILLER AND
TO GET REVENGE BY MURDERING HIM. THIS CREATES SUSPENSE WITHIN THE AUDIENCE.

4. REPERTOIRE OF ELEMENTS
• THESE ARE THE KEY FEATURES OR CHARACTERISTICS OF A FILM THAT ARE CONSTANTLY SEEN OR
REPEATED THROUGHOUT THE GENRE. EACH GENRE HAS ITS OWN REPERTOIRE OF ELEMENTS THAT MAKES
IT DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE. THESE ELEMENTS FALL UNDER SEVEN CATEGORIES:
• PROPS, STYLE, ICONOGRAPHY, SETTINGS, NARRATIVE, THEMES

5. ICONOGRAPHY, PROPS AND STYLE
• THE GENRE I CHOSE FOR MY FILM IS ACTION THRILLER AND THE ICONOGRAPHY IN THIS PARTICULAR GENRE TYPICALLY
INVOLVE WEAPONS, BLOOD, SILHOUETTES, SHADOWS ETC. ICONOGRAPHY IS THE USE OF IMAGES AND SYMBOLS TO
PORTRAY A SUBJECT. IT CAN ALSO BE THE USE OF CERTAIN SYMBOLS TO CONVEY GENRES.
• PROPS INCLUDE OBJECTS SUCH AS GUNS, DAGGERS, BLOOD, DARK CLOTHING, KNIVES, LAPTOPS, AND SHADY LOOKING
CARS TO CREATE A SINISTER LOOKING SCENE.
• FOR STYLE, THE GENRE USES THINGS THAT ARE PORTRAYED AS DARK, SHADOWY, AND USES LOW KEY LIGHTING AS WELL AS
INTENSE MUSIC. CLASSICAL SLOW MUSIC PLAYS IN THE BACKGROUND FOR SUSPENSE. THERE WILL BE LOADS OF CLOSE UP
SHOTS OF THE PROTAGONIST TO SHOW THE AUDIENCE THE PROTAGONISTS EMOTIONS, BUT IT CAN ALSO BE USED TO
FOCUSON CERTAIN PROPS TO AID THE NARRATIVE. THE SHOTS OF THE ANTAGONISTIC CHARACTER WILL BE CUT QUICKLY
AND THIS IS TO HIDE THEIR IDENTITY TO CREATE THE THEME OF MYSTERY.

6. Close up shot to show the
audience the characters
emotionsMasks can be used to hide the
antagonist identity to create
mystery.
The extreme close up shot of an eye
could deeply show the audience on
how the character feels this could be
sadness, fear, or happiness.

7. SETTING
• THE ACTION THRILLER GENRE IS USUALLY SET IN EITHER AN ISOLATED AND SHADY LOOKING AREAS. OR IT
COULD BE SET IN A MODERN CITY TO SHOW THE CLASS OF PEOPLE AND THEIR HIGH PAYING JOBS. THIS IS
WHERE WEALTHY BUSINESS MAN WALK IN. PATHETIC FALLACY IS USED TO FORESHADOW THE
MISFORTUNES F THE CHARACTERS SUCH AS THE PORTRAYAL OF DARKNESS, THUNDER, AND RAIN.
• THE COLORS USED IN ACTION THRILLER FILMS ARE TYPICALLY BLACK AND RED AS THEY PORTRAY
DANGER AND DEATH.

8. NARRATIVES AND THEMES
• THE NARRATIVES IN ACTION THRILLER USUALLY INVOLVES FIGHTING, COMMITTING A CRIME, AND
GETTING REVENGE.
• THE THEMES WHICH ARE EXPLORED IN THE GENRE USUALLY INCLUDE DEATH, FEAR, SADNESS, SIN VS
PURITY, AND KNOWN VS UNKNOWN.
• IN MY OPENING SEQUENCE THE NARRATIVE WILL INVOLVE FIGHTING AND GETTING REVENGE AND THE
THEME WILL INCLUDE KNOW VS UNKNOWN, SADNESS, AND DEATH.

9. CHARACTERS
• CHARACTERS WHICH CAN BE SEEN IN THE GENRE INVOLVE POLICE, FBI AGENTS, THE VILLAIN, HITMAN, A
VICTIM, UNDERCOVER AGENTS, SOLDIERS, AND A MYSTERIOUS CHARACTER. DEAD RELATIVES OR
FRIENDS USUALLY APPEAR IN THIS GENRE AND THIS GIVES A SENSE OF SYMPATHY AND DARKNESS AS
WELL AS MYSTERY ON HOW THEY DIED.
• I PLAN ON USING A MYSTERIOUS CHARACTER WHO’S WIFE HAS PASSED AWAY WITH UNKNOWN CAUSE
OF DEATH TO THE AUDIENCE, SO IT KEEPS THEM QUESTIONING AND WATCHING THE FULL MOVIE TO KNOW
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE WIFE. I WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE VILLAIN WHICH IS GOING TO BE HUNTING
THE MYSTERIOUS CHARACTER IN ORDER TO MURDER HIM.

10. THE AUDIENCE
• MY AUDIENCE WILL MOST LIKELY BE MEN AND TEENAGERS AGED 16 TO 35. THIS IS BECAUSE MALES
USUALLY FAVOR ACTION THRILLER FILMS DUE TO THEM BEING VERY EXCITING AND THRILLING. THEY ALSO
WANT TO WORK OUT THE MYSTERIES THEMSELVES.
• YOUNG ADULTS WILL BE INTERESTED BECAUSE IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO COME IN AN
EVERY DAY LIFE SO THE ACTION THRILLER FILMS TAKE THEM AWAY FROM THE REAL WORLD AND SHOW
THEM THAT ANYTHING CAN BE POSSIBLE.