1. How to write an analysis
Once you have recognised a generic convention, described where it appears
in the extract and explained its relevance you MUST say why it is
important.Remember that you are looking for secondary levels of meaning
from what you see, reasons why techniques have been selected.
A good (and simple) way of structuring each
of your paragraphs is to:
1.Write down what is denoted and what you
actually see/hear, recognise the technique or
device used.
2.Write down the connotations and what is
associated with or signified by the technique/
device used
3.Explain what impact this will have on the
audience.
If followed, these steps are simple and will
help you avoid falling into the classic trap of
simply describing what you see.
Key phrases to
use.You want to
impress the
examiners so use
the sort of words
they love to hear!
• Connotes
• Signifies
• Implies
• Suggests
• Symbolises

2. Writing Analysis of a genre...
What genre is it?
The King Kong trailer is typical of the
________________________ genre.
It provides the audience with the Binary
Opposition of ___________ Vs. __________.
This is shown through the_______________,
when________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________.
Signifying____________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________.
An opposition typical of the genre
and evident in the trailer.
What convention told you the
opposition was there? Mise-en-
scene, plot, characters etc.
Describe the part of the trailer
where the Opposition occurs,
using media language where
appropriate.
Analyse what this tells us about the
film and the genre – how does it
reinforce the themes and ideas of
the movie?

3. Writing Analysis of a genre...
What genre is it?
The King Kong trailer is typical of the
________________________ genre.
It provides the audience with the Binary
Opposition of ___________ Vs. __________.
This is shown through the_______________,
when________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________.
Signifying____________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________.
An opposition typical of the genre
and evident in the trailer.
What convention told you the
opposition was there? Mise-en-
scene, plot, characters etc.
Describe the part of the trailer
where the Opposition occurs,
using media language where
appropriate.
Analyse what this tells us about the
film and the genre – how does it
reinforce the themes and ideas of
the movie?
fantasy adventure
civilisation wilderness
camera and editing
The island ‘natives’ appear from nowhere
and overwhelm the city folk. The editing
is fast paced, yet slow motion has been
used, the camera is skewed.
the differences between so called
civilised society and the untamed
wilderness. The camera and editing
disorients the audience, positioning
them in a similar situation to the
characters. This ideology is often
central to the fantasy movie and is
repeated later in the trailer when
Kong arrives in New York