GCSE Media Studies, Action Adventure, SOW, Yr 11, OCR

2. 
Which of the following films are action
adventure films?
Pirates of the Caribbean
Bridget Jones Diary
Superman Returns
Rambo
Platoon
Jaws
Die Hard
Pretty Woman
Troy
Harry Potter

3.  To
understand what is meant by ‘action
adventure’ and identify sub-genres
 To begin identifying the codes and
conventions of the different sub-genres

4. What do you associate with Action film? List all the things
you have come to expect in Action films.






A hero
Chases
Fighting/combat
Explosions
Weapons – guns
Lots of killing
Now list all the things for Adventure genre films




Exotic locations
Treasure
Humour
An element of danger – but not as violent or threatening
as Action films
THESE ARE KNOWN AS THE GENRE
CODES OR ICONOGRAPHY

5. Action Films - the story is largely told through
physical action rather than dialogue.
 The action typically involves individual efforts on
the part of the hero.
Adventure Films - are exciting stories, with new
experiences or exotic locations. They are similar
to the action genre as they provide an actionfilled, energetic experience for the film viewer.
 However there is less emphasis on violence and
fighting

6. 
Action Adventure Films are a combination of
the two genres
◦ emphasis on travels,
◦ conquests,
◦ explorations,
◦ struggles and
◦ situations that confront the main
characters or actual historical figures

7. 




Buddy – Men in Black
Team - Red
Superhero – Spiderman/Superman/Thor, etc
Historical - Gladiator
Rom/Com and action adventure – Romancing
the Stone

8. A specific type of genre that has very distinct codes
and conventions:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Fantasy
Disaster
Historical
Quest
Thriller
Swashbuckler

9. FANTASY
DISASTER
HISTORICAL
QUEST
THRILLER
SWASHBUCKLER

10. FANTASY
DISASTER
HISTORICAL
The setting is usually a
world which bares little
reality to our own, very
imaginative containing
strange creatures and
landscapes.
Society is faced with a
large scale disaster that
looks like the end of
mankind such as a
plague or hurricane.
May be based on a real
story or legend, but is
usually based in a real
historical time period and
place.
QUEST
THRILLER
SWASHBUCKLER
An expedition or trip
undertaken by one or
more characters in order
to achieve a particular
goal.
A tense film which is full
of suspense. It is often
based around a crime or
deception.
Will involve swordfighting and usually set
in the past (though won’t
have any basis in
reality).

11. NARRATIVE CONVENTION –
 The type of storyline we would expect.
 Characterised by sword-fighting and
adventurous heroic characters, often set in
Renaissance Western Europe
EXAMPLES
• The Mask of Zorro
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• The Three Musketeers
COMMON CODES AND CONVENTIONS
 Male hero, damsel in distress, romantic
interest, clear morality (hero = good,
villain = evil) code of honor, pirates, swords
and swordfights, bows and arrows, lavish
costumes

12. NARRATIVE CONVENTION
 The characters deal with an impending or
ongoing disaster and its aftermath – this
can be man made or natural
EXAMPLES
• Armageddon
• Twister
• Independence Day
COMMON CODES
 ‘The world is going to end’ message.
Meteors, volcanoes, earthquakes, tidal
waves, tornados, fire, alien invasion, war,
crashes, sinking ships, large cast of
characters, multiple plot lines, usually a
happy ending

13. NARRATIVE COONVENTIONS

Heroic story set in an invented
world which is a more fanciful
version of our world or a
legendary, mythic past
EXAMPLES

Clash of the Titans

Star Wars

Avatar
COMMON CODES

Very varied but could include:
aliens, spaceships, wizards,
witches, ghosts, imaginary places,
fanciful plots, good versus evil,
happy endings

14. NARRATIVE CONVENTIONS
 The protagonist goes on an epic search
for an object of value or someone of
personal importance
EXAMPLES
• Indiana Jones films
• National Treasure
• Romancing the Stone
COMMON CODES
 Male hero, multi skilled, romantic interest,
sidekick, exotic locations, travel, villain
with same quest, danger, guns, grand
finale with moral – hero learns something
profound about themselves

15. NARRATIVE CONVENTION
 An exciting, suspenseful and tense plot
in which the hero usually overcomes a
series of distractions set by the villain
EXAMPLES
•
The Fugitive
•
Cliffhanger
•
Die Hard
COMMON CODES
 Male hero, villain/criminal with a
master plan, fight and chase scenes,
weapons, gunfights, information kept
from audience, mystery, police, hero
versus villain finale

16. NARRATIVE CONVENTION
 An epic story set in a recognisable
historical period or against the backdrop
of a famous historical event
EXAMPLES
• Gladiator
• King Arthur
• Braveheart
COMMON CODES
 Famous events, story based on fact or
real people, historical settings,
costumes, personal struggle, romantic
interest, battles, huge number of extras

17. Due this time next week:
 Write a 250 word analysis on any
action/adventure film of your choice. You
must explain what sub genre it belongs to
and the codes and conventions it uses