Genre Research

I completed some research on the genres I felt I could most effectively use for my trailer. These include romance, action and thriller. I used horror for my AS project and so I wanted to steer away from horror for my A2 project. For this reason, I tried to think about different genres that would work just as well. 

Romance

Romantic films usually include many conventions and the narrative usually follows a similar path - two opposites falling in love, with a disruption throughout that ultimately is resolved and they end up together. Romantic films are generally feel-good films that attract a predominantly feminine audience. Directors use high-key lighting, paces affected by characters emotions, upbeat music and a lot of close-ups to hint at emotions, to create a feel-good romantic film. The main purpose is to create a happy relationship, but one that also mirrors reality to make it easy for audiences to relate to.  The most common sub-genre for romantic films is romantic comedies. Other sub-genres include, romantic thrillers, historical romances and romantic dramas. Some examples of famous romantic films are, Dirty Dancing (1987), The Notebook (2004) and Love Actually (2003). 

Action

Action films commonly follow the same narrative - where one or more heroes/heroines are thrown into a series of challenges, requiring physical and mental strength. Often action films include extended fight and chase scenes, where the main character usually achieves a victory at the end. Action films usually include special effects, involving explosions and makeup, to make the fighting and action look as realistic and exciting as possible. Action films are predominantly aimed towards a male audience with them being able to relate to  the main protagonist. As well as unrealistic car chases and explosions, action films are generally set either in quite exotic locations or a city - something that might be very relatable to the audience. Some examples of famous action films are, The Dark Knight (2008), Die Hard (1988) and the James Bond films (1962-present).

Thriller

The main purpose of a thriller film is to leave the audience in suspense - the film should give them a sudden rush of emotions which makes them want to watch the film further. Directors and producers do this by including tense music, low-key lighting, fast paced editing and mysterious locations in their films. Most thrillers also have a tense but gripping and powerful plot, leaving the audience on the edge of their seats for the entirety of the film. There can be many sub-genres of thriller, such as psychological thrillers, action thrillers and romantic thrillers. Some examples of famous thriller films are, Psycho (1960), The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Black Swan (2010). A few famous thriller directors are Alfred Hitchcock and Terence Young, who were found in competition with each other in the 1960s.