1. MEDIA
FILM GENRES
Analysing different film genres and looking at the genre my group will take
further.

2. ACTION ADVENTURE
What are the key conventions of an action adventure film
• Sound – Action films normally have a lot of non-diegetic
sounds which are added after editing such as explosions. Also
fast tempo soundtracks are normally key for an action
adventure key conventions.
• Mise-En-Scéne – Uniforms, guns, cars, and
high technology equipment is normally used
in action adventures
• Camera – establishing shots are used to
show the exotic location while also many
long shots to show action.
• Editing – editing such as special
effects, and quick transitions are used to
make the action genre clear
• For example ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0948470/

3. COMEDY
What are the key conventions of a comedy film
• Sound – The soundtrack to a comedy is normally up beat
music which the audience can get involved with.
• Editing – editing such as fast transitions and explosions
are used but in a comical way depending on what the
comedy film is about.
• Camera – the camera uses close ups to show the comical
expressions on the characters faces.
• Mise-En-Scéne – props are used a lot in comedy
films, but sometimes not noticeable, such as a ‘banana
skin they slip on’ or a ‘gun that doesn’t shoot bullets’.
• 21 Jump Street
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1232829/

4. DRAMA
What are the key conventions of a drama film
• Camera – Dramas normally show location and also
many extreme close up to portray their emotion which
is key in a drama genre.
• Sound – an orchestra is normally used in dramas as
this can get emotion across to the audience, such as
a piano or violin when sadness is portrayed.
• Editing – Editing such as dissolve and blur transitions
are used to show time passing.
• Mise-En-Scéne– Props such as murder weapons, or
ways to show a natural setting would be used in a
drama as these are the key conventions
• The Shawshank Redemption
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111161/

5. SCI-FI
What are the key conventions of a sci-fi film
• Editing – Special effects that add ‘alien’ characters or super natural beings are normally in sci-fi films.
• Sound – weird sounds which are diegetic although added after the film was set are normally used to get the
audience to wonder what this alien thing is.
• Mise-En-Scéne – lightening is normally saturated but
made to pick out certain colours such as
blue or green.
• Camera – abnormal shots are
used to give the audience a confusion
or disorientation.
• Super 8
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1650062/

6. THRILLER
What are the key conventions of a thriller film
• Sound – orchestral sounds such as out of tune violins or metal scrapping together are used to
make the film feel haunted.
• Editing – special effects are used to make a ‘supernatural being’ maybe things moving or
objects disappearing.
• Camera – close ups of peoples faces show their emotion while also
long shots are used to show the ‘weird’ things that are happening.
• Mise-En-Scéne– props are used a lot in thrillers, these help set the
era the film was set and also unusual props are used to set the scene.
• Insidious
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1591095/

7. HORROR
What are the key conventions of a horror film
• Camera – many extreme close ups are used to show characters facial expressions, such
as pain and fear. Also the camera is sometimes used so that you feel as though you are
there, such as when they are running the camera is bouncing as if you are running too.
• Mise-En-Scéne – weird props, mainly for torture. Lightening such as grim dull saturated
look. Also fake blood and make up is used to make the characters look in pain.
• Editing – fast paced transitions and cuts are used to show
panic.
• Sound – sound effects are used so that things that are
portrayed in the film sound worse than they are.
• Hills Have Eyes
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454841/

8. WESTERN
What are the key conventions of a western film
• Sound – Old fashion country and western music is normally played as the soundtrack.
• Editing – editing such as explosions are normally used in a
western genre film.
• Mise-En-Scéne – old fashioned props and
clothing is used to set the era.
• Camera – the camera mainly focuses on mid
-shots to show the character and their old
fashioned clothing
• Lawless
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1212450/

9. WAR
What are the key conventions of a war film
• Sound – orchestral music is normally used to portray
different emotion and different scenes in the war
genre.
• Editing – editing such as dissolve transitions are
normally used to show passing time in war genres.
• Mise en Scene – old fashioned clothing and props
are used throughout to portray this old fashioned
genre and the era it is set in.
• Camera – the camera uses high and low angles to
show power.
• The kings speech
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1504320/

10. ROM-COM
What are the key conventions of a rom-com film
• Sound – romantic soundtrack using harps, violins and pianos
are used to set a romantic setting.
• Editing – editing such as transitions which dissolve or blur
portray time passing which is normally a key connotation in
rom-coms.
• Mise-En-Scéne – clothing such as red is normally word to
portray love and romance as these are key connotations.
• Camera – the camera normally shows two shots of a couple
which also show the setting and location of which they are at.
• P.S. I Love You
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0431308/

11. CRIME/GANGSTER
What are the key conventions of a Crime/Gangster film
• Sound – sound editing is used to make gun shots and explosions sound more in depth. Also the
soundtrack is normally recent music which is used well with this genre.
• Editing – special effects such as explosions and cars screeching are used to show action
scenes.
• Mise-En-Scéne – props such as guns and drugs may be used, while also costumes used such
as uniforms, gold chains, leather jackets.
• Camera – the camera normally uses establishing shots to portray where the film is set.
• The Sweeny
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0857190/