1. Daniel Bradley
Introduction
Whilst analysing films there are many different important aspects
involved which all need to be put together to create the best quality film
analysis. Film analysis is based mainly on being able to notice which genre
the film is (whether it’s a comedy, horror film or sci-fi etc). The two main
contrasts in film analysis are genre analysis and auteur theory. Mainly you watch a film and within
the first five minutes you can selectively place the film into a specific genre, it’s when the film is
created by an auteur that the genre’s turn into a hybrid film.
An auteur is basically the French word for ‘author’ and when used in film it is where the director,
producer or studio is the main creator of the film and it is where that certain individual puts their
own ‘fingerprint’ on the film. Whether this means they mix several genres together to create their
own genre or if it’s creating a film which cannot fit a specific genre where they sway the
conventions.
Genre analysis is split into seven main sectors:
Codes and conventions
The codes and conventions of specific genres are normally the same throughout a
genre, it’s when an auteur creates a film the codes and conventions change. The
generally codes and conventions are the certain things you can expect to see in a
film, these could be from a big knife in a horror film to a car chase scene in an action
film; you will normally see these in every film to the specific genre. You can normally
tell what genre the film is within the first five minutes of the film
because the codes and conventions of that genre will set the scene
via the mise-en-scene and camera shots used. Examples of these
are: ‘cowboys and aliens’ which is in fact a hybrid film between
two genres but within the opening of the film there is an
establishing shot of the main character in the desert with tumble
weed etc, so you instantly know that it’s a western film. Also, the first props we see
and characters are dressed in boots and on horses with guns in holsters and these
are some of the main conventions of a western film. As the film is a hybrid film the
genre it is mixed with is sci-fi and the conventions of a sci-fi film are space,
spaceships and aliens. These conventions are made very clearly in ‘cowboys and
aliens’ so we are aware of which genres are being used to create the hybrid.

2. Setting
The setting of a film is very important because that is how you can tell which genre the film is.
Usually the setting of the film is made from the very first shot of the film, usually by using an
establishing shot as the opening shot so that you can clearly see where the film is set. The locations
of specific genres are normally all the same sort of places for example; the action film ‘quantum of
solace (dir. Marc Forster 2008)’ the first shot shows the location which is a very busy town with lots
of traffic and pedestrians around as this hectic chase scene erupts through the traffic, also it is set in
Italy and we know this because in action films they will normally say where it is set because the
characters often travel all over the world.
The settings of action films are normally set in exotic busy places to show that they are high up in
the world and not like low petty thieves. Another setting which is always used in the specific genre is
that western films are always set in the desert and the majority of times this is made clear by the use
of an establishing shot of the desert or a panning shot to show the surroundings. This is used in the
film ‘cowboys and aliens’ very efficiently as we instantly know that it is going to be a western
because of the establishing and panning shots of the desert, also this adds to show isolation in the
character.
Character
Characters which are used in specific genres normally have similar characters they are just used in
different ways; you can notice this in all sorts of genres. Horror films normally have the same
characters, they have the killer whom will have a horrible past or will be evil etc, then there is the
handsome guy and girl who are maybe bullies to other characters and they will be probably having
sex at the time that they get killed and most times they will die first, there will be the geeky boy and
girl which are segregated from the group and they normally know about the killer or ghost but
nobody believes them until the end when they turn out right (they normally survive), there is the
person whom the audience never know whether to trust or not but they usually end up helping the
killer and then there will be the innocent bystanders which we never really find anything out about

3. because there not really important in the
film and they usually die around the middle
of the massacre. The characters in action
movies normally you would have the
handsome trained professional good guy
whose fighting off the bad guys and the
majority of times he is on his own, you have
the opposite to him the sort of bad guy boss
who they will end in an epic battle to the
death, then there are the sexy women on
either side which are always there and are normally antagonists and are normally half naked, also
there will be loads of innocent bystanders that we never find anything about because there not
necessary.
Themes
The themes which run through specific genres change drastically depending on the genre but
sometimes they can be very similar. The main themes in a western film for example will be often
racism (between cowboys and Indians), there will be often poverty in the towns and the fighting
which occurs will often be over gold and money, also love runs throughout the genre because there
is always the dame whom the main characters loves or is loved by. All these themes run through the
film ‘cowboys and aliens’ and they are extremely visible throughout
the film by the use of story and camera shots. The themes which
usually run through the genre teen comedy are often the problems
which teenagers across the world face on an everyday basis such as;
love or a crush, isolation in a new school. Francis Ford Coppola themes
of anti-war in the film apocalypse now, although the film contains a
lot of violence and scenes of war the theme of anti-war runs
throughout. Francis Ford Coppola is an auteur in his own right as he
creates films which are hybrid films or his own films, as you always
know when it is a Francis Ford film due to the violence but the
seriousness of the violence and the way it is portrayed in his films, for
example The Godfather. As there is a great level of violence in the film
but it is seen as horrific instead of humorous.

4. Quentin Tarantino in my opinion is the most prime example of an auteur as he really puts his
fingerprint on film by creating his own genres. The main genres for which he hits are crime, war and
action but the majority of his films hit almost all of
these genres as they are all unique. Tarantino films
create personality to which you recognise every
time you see one of his films which makes him an
auteur. His films usually consist of graphic violence
yet have a quirky twist to them as for one minute
you are looking away from the raw violence and
then the next you are in tears from laughter. A
prime example of this is in ‘Reservoir Dogs’ where
Mr Blonde chops off a policemen’s ear then dances
to Stealers Wheel! The majority of films which are
created in the genres that Tarantino cover usually tone down the violence or they tone down the
level of humour where as he used them all to create his films which makes him an auteur, also the
way all of the films are shot are just not like anybody else.
Another example of an ‘Auteur’ is Robert Rodriguez and his style of films is very authentic in the
action genre which usually involves a high level of unnecessary violence which is very entertaining to
watch but can be quite nerving for some viewers to watch.
The film ‘Machete’ shows how Robert Rodriguez
is an auteur and backs up my theory because the
level of violence and gore is ridiculous in this film
and is to the next level from people diving out of
windows using other people’s intestines to
people getting blown up. This level of violence
runs throughout the film and the way it is made
is incredible, only Rodriguez could have made
this film! His style differs from other directors
because he shows the gore, blood and guts and
in my opinion he does it to a degree which is like
no other.