3. My genre
• Our chosen genre is the crime genre. We believe this is a
good idea as we are all interested in the crime genre. We
believe we will be able to make a successful crime
oreintated film opening genre.
4. Characters
• In a crime film there are usually three main types of
characters. These characters consist of;
• A detective or someone who is trying to solve a crime
such as a police officer.
• A criminal who commits the crime.
• A victim or victims who the crime is acted upon. For
example getting murdered, robbed and mugged.
• For example in ‘Se7en’ these are the 3 key characters.
Detectives Criminal Victim
5. Mise-en-scene
• Costume – In crime films the characters usually wear dark clothing as
this is a convention and can be associated with crime. Also hoodies
and very casual clothes like joggers can be associated with crime as
these clothes are likely to be worn by the working class. For example
in Kidulthood the youths wear clothing such as:
• However, in a different type of crime film, such as public enemy,
where the criminals are more white collar crime orientated they are
more likely to wear more classy, upper class clothing such as in
Oceans 11 and Public Enemy.
•Lighting – To establish a crime genre, crime films usually have dark
lighting and maybe street lights to set the scene in an urban setting,
where most crime occurs such as in Adulthood.
7. Mise-en-scene (2)
• Actors – The type of actors may also help to show the
genre of a certain film as most actors are associated with
certain genres such as Danny Dyer is usually associated
with crime films.
• Make up – can help to establish a genre as such things
as cuts, gashes, bruises and blood is usually associated
with film genres such as crime films and also horror films.
For example in the crime film Greenstreet:
8. Mise-en-scene (3)
• Props – Props are also used in crime films as it is a key feature
throughout the whole of crime films. For example the props used can
be from drugs to weaponry e.g. Props used in films like Harry Brown
help to show the audience it is a crime film.
• Setting - The setting in a crime film is usually an urban setting set in
the streets as this is stereotypically were the majority of crime
happens, in big cities, for example in Trainspotting.
9. Iconography
• Iconography in a crime film is also a key feature. For
example in practically every crime film graffiti can be seen
in the setting as iconography as this is associated with
crime worldwide. For example in a typical crime film like
Harry Brown.
10. Narrative
• Todorov – in Todorov’s theory he believes there is 5 steps
almost every single film has. The stages are as followed;
• 1) A stable beginning to a film.
• 2) Disruption by a certain event, something happening.
• 3) Recognising the disruption.
• 4) An attempt to fix the problem/disruption.
• 5) The restoration of stability at the end of a film.
11. Narrative (2)
• Propp – Believed that in every film there is 8 key/main
characters in every film. These are as followed;
• 1) The Hero (protagonist)
• 2) The Villain (antagonist)
• 3) The Donor
• 4) The Dispatcher
• 5) The False Hero
• 6) The Helper
• 7) The Princess
• 8) Her Father
• These Narrative theories are used throughout almost every
single film making Propp and Todorov massive known figures in
the media industry.
12. Themes
• A typical theme of a crime film would stereotypically have
an antagonist and a protagonist. This can vary from a
group of protagonists and antagonists. For example in
Greenstreet you will see the West Ham fans as the hero’s
(protagonists) and the millwall fans as the
opposite, villains (antagonists.) Or you can have a
detective character playing the protagonist and a criminal
or murder as the antagonist for example in Se7en film.
Protagonists (detectives) Antagonist (villain)
– Se7en. - Se7en
13. Sound
• Within crime films sound is used to help establish the
genre and help promote what type of genre it is towards
the audience watching it.
• Non diegetic – Music in the background of a crime film is
usually slow and tense music. This is because the film is
trying to create a setting in which the audience are going
to expect something to happen, such as a fight, or
shooting in a crime film.
• Diegetic – could be the way the actors are speaking, for
example if the actors were portraying a leader of a gang
they will want to speak with authority. This will help the
audience recognise who and what kind of characters the
actors are playing.
14. Conclusion
• In conclusion, I have found that all crime films are
relatively similar to each other. They all use non diegetic
sound in the same way in the film opening. Also, they all
follow the same sort of themes and use the same mise-
en-scene to help connotate and signify the type of genre
the film is, crime. Also the iconography is similar in each
film i have looked at for my generic conventions research.
The characters in the majority of crime films do consist of
the 3 characters stated in slide four.
