The document discusses Nick Lacey's framework for analyzing genre elements in narratives. It identifies five key genre elements: setting, characters, narrative, iconography, and style. An excerpt from the movie A Walk Among the Tombstones is then analyzed based on these elements. The summary identifies the main character as an ex-cop in a New York City bar where a shooting occurs. Iconography includes guns, dark shots, and a woman in a red coat. The trailer uses slow editing initially that becomes faster with more aggressive footage to draw in the target crime thriller audience.

1. Analysis of Genre: Lacey’s Repertoire of Elements
In his book Narrative and Genre: Key Concepts in Media Studies, (Palgrave, Macmillan), Nick Lacey
defines genre elements as constituting the 5 key areas below:
 setting
 character
 narrative
 iconography
 style
When analysing texts, use Lacey’s repertoire of genre elements as a guide. Fill in the boxes below,
making notes on the genre conventions that you see
Genre elements Conventions
Setting- mise en scene/
location
Big new York style city and the typical American dive bar is the opening
scenes to show it will be tense and some kind of violence will occur
throughout the film
Characters –
representations,
stereotypes, behaviour,
body language, specific
actors/stars
Liam Neeson (the protagonist) in an empty bar and one of the first things
mentioned Is about him being an ex-cop. This instantly brings the viewer
into the story, it’s tense but calm until two guys break in and shoot the
bar owner
We use the star theory with Liam Neeson by him being a start and him
having a well know repertoire of these films
We can see the antagonist but it’s blurred It’s possible he no longer
wants to be part of the group and is now going to try and help out this
again is some stereotypical of the drama action thriller style film
Narrative events –how
is the narrative ordered
and structured?
Is it elliptical/enigmatic
(elements left out to
intrigue/entice the
audience)
We ca hear throughout the trailer liam neeson talking about his previous
life in his reasonably vague however he does tell us he is no longer a cop
after some kind of assumed accident (shooting someone innocent)
Iconography –Well
known or recognisable
people/objects/buildings
mise en scene/ props,
costume, setting,
symbolic codes
Straight from the outset we see the guns and the long dark shot of New
York city, it’s all dark shots and some in black in white giving the effect
that this is some sort of retro detective film
The victim in the bright red coat while the rest of the shot is dark is the
film paying homage to like red riding hood

2. Analysis of Genre: Lacey’s Repertoire of Elements
STYLE: Technical and
audio codes – camera
use, editing,
diegetic/non diegetic
sound, sfx. Mise en
scene/lighting, colour
It beings with slow edits and long shoots of footage and once they have
dangled the hook line of the story and then it’s starts to become faster
cuts and he footage becomes more aggressive
Summarise how the above helps to define genre in the text
All of the things we see in the opening thirty seconds all of massively stereotypical of the action
thriller type film we fast pace
Name of text: Genre:
Target audience for a walk amongst the tombstones
The target audience for this film is quite a broad target possibly from 15-40 it’s also aimed at both
female’s and male’s but mainly males as from the outset It shows violence and bloodshed, there is a
also a distinct lack of a strong female character it would be probably aimed at social class d2 to B as
to incorporate working and middle class.
Summary
This movie trailer works well as it really captures the audience that it markets itself to the advert
starts out with a long landscape shot as to set the scene, then Liam Neesons voiceover starts he
starts to take us on a story of his past, the mise en scene shows codes and conventions of an action
thriller a dive bar and a one cop sat drinking, all of a sudden it uses fast motion to cut through the
scenes