Main film genres;
Conventions of;
Action
Typical conventions;
Here is a clip from Pierre Morel's film Taken. This clip features a highly energetic chase scene between a good guy and a bad guy. It has a lot of high energy and quick pacing camera shots which makes the chase scene exciting but also intense at the same time.
I really like this genre because it has a lot of energy and it's exciting. It's non-stop which makes the clip interesting as it keep the audience alert as it switches from shot to shot.
Crime
Typical Conventions;
Here is a clip from Quentin Tarantino's film Reservoir Dogs. This clip features the typical violence and kidnapping of a person, in this case a police officer, which suggests that the kidnappers are the villains in this clip. The cop has his hands tied together and is being beaten up by the gang. There are various long shots and medium shots of the cop being beaten up. The long shot shows the cops full body when he's on the ground being kicked and the mid shot shows the top half of his body being punched.
I really like this genre because it creates a different atmosphere to the film. It keeps the audience engaged because they will want to find out what happens to a character if they were kidnapped for example.
Thriller
Typical Conventions;
Here is a clip from Oliver Megaton's film Taken 2. In this clip, there are various quick pacing camera shots which reflect on the speed which the two characters in the taxi are going in order to try to escape the bad people. There are also various gun shots and near misses. This helps to build tension which automatically makes the audience sit on the edge of their seat.
I really like this genre because it keeps the audience hooked as they want to find out what is going to happen next. It is exciting and is very interesting as there is a lot going on in a short space of time.
Horror
Typical Conventions;
Here is a clip from Alfred Hitchcock's film Psycho. Just like a typical horror film, this clip invokes people's hidden worst fears of some unknown person creeping up on them whilst they are doing normal day to day things. It features the typical naive woman as she is totally oblivious to what is about to happen to her.
I like this genre because it can scare the audience. It invokes people's hidden worst fears and give the audience a negative emotional reaction. They often feature scenes which startle the viewer and usually include fantasy and supernatural elements.
What I don't like about this genre is that the majority of the film is negative. They rarely end with a happy ending and although they may be interesting, they don't give the audience a feel good factor.
- Action
- Horror
- Drama
- War
- Crime
- Science Fiction
- Comedy
- Adventure
- Epics/Historical
- Westerns
- Musicals
- Dance
- Romance
- Thriller
Conventions of;
Typical conventions;
- Chases
- High energy
- Adventurous
- Good guy vs Bad guy
- Fights
- Non-stop motion
Here is a clip from Pierre Morel's film Taken. This clip features a highly energetic chase scene between a good guy and a bad guy. It has a lot of high energy and quick pacing camera shots which makes the chase scene exciting but also intense at the same time.
I really like this genre because it has a lot of energy and it's exciting. It's non-stop which makes the clip interesting as it keep the audience alert as it switches from shot to shot.
Crime
Typical Conventions;
- Murder
- Kidnapping
- Drugs
- Weapons e.g. knives, guns
- Violence
- Police
Here is a clip from Quentin Tarantino's film Reservoir Dogs. This clip features the typical violence and kidnapping of a person, in this case a police officer, which suggests that the kidnappers are the villains in this clip. The cop has his hands tied together and is being beaten up by the gang. There are various long shots and medium shots of the cop being beaten up. The long shot shows the cops full body when he's on the ground being kicked and the mid shot shows the top half of his body being punched.
I really like this genre because it creates a different atmosphere to the film. It keeps the audience engaged because they will want to find out what happens to a character if they were kidnapped for example.
Typical Conventions;
- Suspense
- Tension building
- Mystery
- Escape
- Edge of seat
- Tension built on the main problem as the film goes on
Here is a clip from Oliver Megaton's film Taken 2. In this clip, there are various quick pacing camera shots which reflect on the speed which the two characters in the taxi are going in order to try to escape the bad people. There are also various gun shots and near misses. This helps to build tension which automatically makes the audience sit on the edge of their seat.
I really like this genre because it keeps the audience hooked as they want to find out what is going to happen next. It is exciting and is very interesting as there is a lot going on in a short space of time.
Horror
Typical Conventions;
- Scary
- Invoke people's hidden worst fears
- Monsters
- Deranged humans
- Aliens
- Murder
- Blood
Here is a clip from Alfred Hitchcock's film Psycho. Just like a typical horror film, this clip invokes people's hidden worst fears of some unknown person creeping up on them whilst they are doing normal day to day things. It features the typical naive woman as she is totally oblivious to what is about to happen to her.
I like this genre because it can scare the audience. It invokes people's hidden worst fears and give the audience a negative emotional reaction. They often feature scenes which startle the viewer and usually include fantasy and supernatural elements.
What I don't like about this genre is that the majority of the film is negative. They rarely end with a happy ending and although they may be interesting, they don't give the audience a feel good factor.
Romance
Typical Conventions;
- Lovers
- Passion
- Emotion
- Love
- Marriage
- Dating
Here is a clip from David Cameron's Titanic. This clip features two lovers who show their love and passion for one another by their body language. It's a typical romantic scene with it being set during the sunset. The sky in the background is a pink/orange colour which connotes passion. In this clip there are various mid shots and close ups of the two lovers. This is so that you can easily see their facial expressions which portray their love for one another.
I like this genre because it has a wide range of different sub-genres off the main genre. For instance, romance drama, chick flick, romantic comedies, romantic action comedies and romantic thrillers. Each and every one of these different genres portrays romance in a different way whether it's love at first sight or an over obsessed lover.
Drama
Typical Conventions;
- Realistic story lines, characters, settings and real life situations
- Realisation at the end
- Emotionally moves the audience
- Conflict
- Climax
In this clip, you can see a horse running scared through the violent and devastating trenches during the first world war. This clip will automatically emotionally attach the audience as it has the realistic war approach. The scene is fast moving and intense. It immediately hooks the audience into watching more.
I really like this clip because of range of camera shots used such as a low angle shot on the horse to suggest its a powerful creature and long shots to suggest vulnerability when the horse is out in no mans land. I also really like the drama genre because of the realist values which are portrayed.
