This document analyzes the genre conventions used in a movie trailer through applying Nick Lacey's framework of genre elements. It identifies the settings, characters, narrative structure, iconography, and style presented in the trailer that conform to expectations of the action thriller genre. These include having the story set in New York City, featuring a vigilante protagonist played by Liam Neeson known for action roles, employing dark lighting and tense music, and including guns, violence, and a complex plot involving kidnapping and death. The analysis concludes the trailer effectively uses stereotypical elements to define itself as an action thriller.

1. Callum Wallace 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 conventions thatyousee
Genre elements Conventions
Setting- mise enscene/
location
In the beginningwe hearthe firsteventhappenedinabar in Washington
Heights,New York(We hearthisthoughexpositioninthe formof the
maincharacters voice over).WhichIsa conventionof crime action
thrillermovies because quite afew actionthrillersare setinnew York
and otherbigcities andis usedinthisand we know fromthe get go what
the genresare. But there isno clue to where he isafter the event;we
assume it’sthe same place. Alsointhe trailerwe see the protagonistina
graveyardmultiple timestosignifydeathandit’sobviouslyasuitable
settingforan actionthriller,butwe know throughthe graveyardthe
protagonistisgoingto be dealingwithdeathinmanyways.
Characters –
representations,
stereotypes,behaviour,
bodylanguage,specific
actors/stars
ProtagonistisconventionaltoActonthrillers.A strongcoldfigure that
reallyissofton the inside. Whoishuntingafterthe unknownantagonist
or groupsof antagonists.The antagonists have killedone of his client’s
wiveswhoplaysthe role of the victim. The husbandof the victims
character isoriginallyshownascaringbutthenseemsmore shadywhen
we hear thathe doesn’twantthemkilledhe wantsthatbroughtto him.
Thissuggestshe isa more complex characterandmaybe involvedinthe
plotmore than originallythought andhasthe potential eventobe a
secondaryprotagonistorantagonist,we don’tknow yet.
Narrative events–how
isthe narrative ordered
and structured?
Is itelliptical/enigmatic
(elementsleftoutto
intrigue/entice the
audience)
Expositionof the manbeingaformerpolice officerbyanunknownman
and thenitsswitchedtohimbeinga private detective trackingdowna
kidnapperwhohe’scome acrossbecause of hiswork as a newlyformed
vigilante/private detective butistoldnotto turnthemin bythe husband
of the victimandbringthemto himinsteadwhichsuggestsbad
intentions. There isalsosome narrative enigmacodesusedinthe formof
a pastiche reference tothe child’sstorylittle redridinghood andanchors
us into the plotline of kidnapthroughthe reference and makesus
wonderif there will be similaritiesinthisfilmsnarrativeandif itwill be
so bluntas to copythe plot.It’s usedtomake people wonderandthink
aboutthe filmmore the essence of enigmacodesinfilm.
Iconography –Well
knownor recognisable
people/objects/buildings
Empire state buildinginbackground.Typical shadybarforaction
thrillers. New Yorkshowntypical locationforactionthrillermovies.
Liam Neesonhimself isaniconfor the actionthrillergenre because he

2. Callum Wallace Analysis of Genre: Lacey’s Repertoire of Elements
Name of text: Genre:
I thinkthe producerstargetedacertainaudience thattheyknew isoutthere because of previous
filmssuchas takenwhichhasa similarplotandsame leadactor soit had the same target audience
whichwasabout 15-35, Middle classto workingclass,C1- E, ProbablyMale wouldbe the majority
but Womenare a bigtargetaudience too. Theydidthisbecause itguaranteedtohave an audience
because of past films. Alsobecausewe see itisbasedonthe booksthere will be anaudience of
people whoreadthe bookwhoare prettymuchguaranteedtosee itbut the producersand directors
will have tostickto the source material to keepthataudience happyotherwisetheycouldface bad
reviewsfromdedicatedfansof the bookwhomaythinkit strayedfromthe source material.
mise enscene/props,
costume,setting,
symboliccodes
has beeninsomany actionthrillersSuchastaken).Theychose Liam
Neesontodraw the audience in usingstartheorybecause we know him
for beingsosuccessful infilmssuchasTaken andwe know there are
people whowill gotosee the filmjustbecause LiamNeesonisinit.Guns
are alsousedwhichare obviouslyamajorconventioninactionthriller
and there isa gun almostineveryshotso we know there will be alotof
action.
STYLE: Technical and
audio codes– camera
use,editing,
diegetic/nondiegetic
sound,sfx.Mise en
scene/lighting,colour
The editinggetsfasterandfasterpacedto buildtensionthroughoutthe
trailer. There ismultiplenondiegeticmusictracksusedinthe beginning
the musicbuildssuspenseandthenlater there isa more melodictune
played.The misenscene and lightingthroughoutisverydarkand
ominoustokeepintactwiththe genre of actionthriller.There isnota
single highkeylightingshotthroughoutthe traileruntil we see awoman
whoassume isthe victimthat the protagonististryingto save andit is
usedto try and conveyoverthe innocence of the victimbyusingthe high
keylightingandmakingherlook angelicespeciallycomparedtothe rest
of the shotsused.
Summarise how the above helpsto define genre inthe text
Overall thistrailerwasverystereotypical tothe genre itis;Actionthriller.Because of the actorused;
Liam Neesonwhoistypical of the Genre andthe location,New York,whichisconventionaltothe
genre.The plotisalsovery typical anex-copprotagonistwhoisstill tryingtodogoodalmostas a
vigilante. We expectthe misenscene onthe filmthroughouttobe verydark as well as the plotfrom
whatwe can see fromthe trailer.