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Deadly Shadow

Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Genre research

Here some research into our two main genres from Wikipedia:

Thriller
Thriller (also Suspense) is a broad genre of literature, film, and television programming that uses suspense, tension and excitement as the main elements. Thrillers heavily stimulate the viewer's moods giving them a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety and/or terror. Thriller films tend to be adrenaline-rushing, gritty, rousing and fast-paced. Literary devices such as red herrings, plot twists and cliffhangers are used extensively. A thriller is villain-driven plot, whereby he or she presents obstacles that the hero must overcome.

The primary elements of the thriller genre:

  • The central protagonist(s) faces death, either their own or somebody else's.
  • The force(s) of antagonism must initially be clever and/or stronger than the protagonist's.
  • The main storyline for the protagonist is either a quest or a character who cannot be put down.
  • The main plotline focuses on a mystery that must be solved.
  • The film's narrative construction is dominated by the protagonist's point of view.
  • All action and characters must be credibly realistic/natural in their representation on screen.
  • The two major themes that underpin the thriller genre are the desire for justice and the morality of individuals.
  • One small, but significant, aspect of a thriller is the presence of innocence in what is seen as an essentially corrupt world.
  • The protagonist/s and antagonist/s may battle not just on a physical level, but on a mental one as well.
  • Either by accident or their own curiousness, characters are dragged into a dangerous conflict or situation that they are not prepared to resolve.
Action
Action genre is where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases. They occasionally have a resourceful character struggling against incredible odds such as, life-threatening situations, an evil villain, and/or being chased in several ways of transportation (car, bus, truck, etc.), with victory achieved at the end after difficult physical efforts and violence. Story and character development are generally secondary to explosions, fist fights, gunplay and car chases.

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