1. Analysis of Genre: Lacey’s Repertoire of Elements
In hisbook Narrative andGenre: Key Conceptsin MediaStudies,(Palgrave,Macmillan),NickLacey
definesgenre elementsasconstitutingthe 5keyareasbelow:
setting
character
narrative
iconography
style
Whenanalysingtexts,use Lacey’srepertoire of genre elementsasa guide.Fill inthe boxesbelow,
makingnotesonthe genre conventionsthatyousee
Genre elements Conventions
Setting- mise enscene/
location
The firsttrailershowsa panningshotof WashingtonHeightsNew York
whichinstantlytellsyouthe filmisgoingtobe basedthere.Alsonew
York has a representationof beingaquite roughcityinmost filmswhere
a lot of crime happenssoit relatestothe kidnapingandkilling.
Characters –
representations,
stereotypes,behaviour,
bodylanguage,specific
actors/stars
Ex-cop(LiamNeeson) whoisthe goodguy or protagonistthroughoutthe
filmkillsbadpeopleasfavours.InstantlyyoususpectthatLiamNeesonis
goingto be the good guybecause he has a representationof playing
similarrolesinamajorityof films, andbeinganex-copisa stereotype of
an actionhorror.
The womanthat gets kidnappedisabeautifulwomanastereotype
character for someone whousuallygetsabductedinaction horrortype
films.
Narrative events–how
isthe narrative ordered
and structured?
Is itelliptical/enigmatic
(elementsleftoutto
intrigue/entice the
audience)
There wasa lotof scenesduringthe trailerwhichmakesyouwantto
knowmore,forexample ittellsyouaboutaman’swife beingkidnapped
but she wasn’tchose at randombut theytookher fora reason.Sothat
instantlymakesyouwanttoknow why…
Alsothere wasa clipof man throwinghimself of abuildingwhichiskind
of intense andeye catchingbutalsomakesyouwantto see the movie to
findoutmore.
Iconography –Well
knownor recognisable
people/objects/buildings
mise enscene/props,
costume,setting,
symboliccodes
An iconicscene Inoticedinthe firsttrailerwasthat the goodguy usually
doessomethingbadtomake himlose or to quithisjob,inthe trailerhe
accidentallyshootsaninnocentbystanderwhilsttryingtosave the day
whichthenexplainswhyhe’sanex-cop. Anothericonicpropusedin
mostaction thrillermoviesisthatthe goodguy alwaysseemstoweara
bigblack coat as a type detective stereotype.
2. Analysis of Genre: Lacey’s Repertoire of Elements
Name of text: Genre:
Target Audience
I thinkthe targetaudience forthisfilmismore appropriate formiddle agedteensuptoolderadults,
preferablyaroundthe age of 15-35 year olds.Ithinkthisbecause itstense andthrillingwhichmost
people betweenthatage enjoywhenviewingthe trailer,whatIfoundintense andwanttoknow
more was whenthe suspiciousmanthrowshimself of the buildingwhenaskedthe question“Where
can I findthem”whichimmediatelymakespeople wanttogoand see it.
STYLE: Technical and
audio codes– camera
use,editing,
diegetic/nondiegetic
sound,sfx.Mise en
scene/lighting,colour
Duringthe trailerI noticeda secret hiddenbehindthe storyof the film,I
noticed itrelatestothe fairytale ‘Little redridinghood’ byhavingthe
womangettingkidnappediswearingabloodredcoat whichrepresents
the little redridinghoodcharacterand the people whokidnapandkill
herare the big bad wolfs.
Summarise how the above helpsto define genre inthe text
What I’ve wrote above definesthe genre of the filmasanactionthrillerhow Imentionedall the
specificthrillingstuffwhichleadsyouwantingtowatchmore duringthe trailer.Firstof all the start
off the trailerinstantlytellsyouthe filmwillbe thrillingbyhavingviolence,guns,alcoholall shownin
the first15 secondsoff the trailer.Theyshow mise enscene inthe first5 secondsof the trailerby
havingtall buildingsinacitywise areaand darkmorbidcolourswhichdescribe tothe viewerthat
the filmwill be acolddark killingthrillingmovie.
