L4 - Action Adventure –
Narrative Themes & Issues
Thursday 7 th March 2013

Aims & Objectives
• Re-cap prior learning
• Introduce some of the common narrative themes & issues presented in the genre.
• How does important Narrative and
Representation theory apply to the genre.
• What impact does this representation have on a viewer?
• Deconstruct an example 3-5 minute sequence from the genre.
• Review the learning.
Why?
A02 –
Assess candidates’ ability to analyse and respond to a short, unseen moving image extract using media key concepts and appropriate terminology.

Re-cap what you know already – Starter
3 minutes
YOU MUST fill in the gaps for the areas/key terms/theory we have covered so far – YOU
SHOULD be learning these in preparation for the exam on June 6 th !
Extension:
YOU COULD give examples of Action-
Adventure texts/characters (where relevant) to back up your understanding.

Nick Ro _ _ _ ck:
(20 __ ):
“Technology is not only changing the business of film making, but also the importance of s _____ ”

Wise Guy
Name the character roles according to Yvonne Tasker (1993)
Tough Guy

‘Monstrous Characters’ (Neale & Krutnik) -
Examples

CLUE!
In Action-Adventure films the characters usually embark on a….
Quest
What does that “ Quest ” usually involve?

Narrative Theory – Action Adventure Genre
• Action Adventure texts follow a typical Hollywood structure – this is known as
Linear structure.
This means there is a Beginning – Middle - End
• Single stranded (Focuses on one theme/storyline/character)
• Involves a QUEST – for example race to find something or save someone.
• The narrative tends to be CLOSED – this denotes how the issues are resolved and everyone lives happily ever after.

Todorov’s 3 part narrative
• Beginning – Middle - End
‘Disequilibrium’ ‘New equilibrium’
‘Equilibrium’

On your white boards, YOU MUST name x1 character role you would expect to see in an Action-Adventure movie according to Propp .
YOU COULD name more than x1 and give examples from your own knowledge and exposure to the genre.

‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’
(2001)
Dir. Simon West
You are going to watch the same scene from last lesson.
YOU MUST :
Identify x1 example (Verbal, non-verbal, technical code) of where EACH of
Todorov’s 3 part narrative applies.
YOU COULD consider what impact this has on the audience.
Stick the worksheet into your exercise book!

How and Where was Todorov’s 3 part narrative represented?
How and Where was Propp’s character roles represented?

‘The Matrix’ (1999) Dir. Wachowski Brothers
You are going to watch a scene where Todorov’s 3 part narrative and Propp’s character roles theory applies.
YOU MUST complete the work sheet you have been given
(A3) in pairs in identifying the following areas that YOU WILL have to analyse in the exam:

Temporal Verisimilitude – Fictional and exaggerated?
What impact do the 4 Technical areas have on the audience?

Prove what you have learnt– Plenary
3 minutes
YOU MUST write down x2 theories you have learnt today.
YOU SHOULD stick this on your screen.
YOU COULD give examples of the 4 technical areas you need to know for the exam!