Action adventure films

Action pack

Activity 1
Watch the first ten minutes of Raiders of the Lost Ark and complete the following table

Presentational How it might make the

Example
device audience think or feel

Events: outline
the events in
this clip

Lighting
(including
colour,
brightness and
items in light or
shade)

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 Action adventure films
Action pack
Presentational How it might make the
Example
device audience think or feel

Distance of
camera to
object (close-
up, medium
shot or long
shot)

NB: Don’t try

to list ALL, just
note down
three that
stand out.

Editing (note
shots that linger
and those that
whip by as part
of a sequence).

NB: Don’t try to

list ALL, just
note down two
that stand out
and when they
occur.

Sound (including
music, sound
effects and any
other sounds)

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 Action adventure films
Action pack

Activity 2
Watch the first ten minutes of Cliffhanger and fill in the Venn diagram below. Use the area where the circles overlap to note any
similarities between the two.

Raiders of the
Cliffhanger
Lost Ark
Event
s

Sound

Lights

Shots

Editing

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 Action adventure films
Action pack
Activity 3
Discussion questions:
1. Why do you think both films begin with dramatic, exciting and dangerous events?
2. What events would you expect later in Cliffhanger based on the opening that you
have seen?
3. What events would you expect later in Raiders of the Lost Ark based on the
beginning?
4. Why do you think the makers would set up these expectations? What effect might
they have on the audience?
5. Can you think of another film that begins with an exciting action sequence?
Explain how it starts.
6. Which beginning do you find more interesting/exciting/captivating? What
presentational devices give you this experience?

Activity 4
Mini-essay question:
Is the action-packed opening characteristic of action adventure films well
structured to capture an audience, or is it a worn-out formula that no longer
delivers? Explain using specific film examples and refer directly to media
language.
Suggested plan:
• Begin by making your opinion clear. For example: I think the action-packed opening
is …
• Then write about three general reasons why you think this.
• Now think of a specific example from one of the two films you have looked at to
support each of those ideas.
• Lastly, sum up your ideas and relate them to action adventure films as a whole. E.g.
In conclusion, the action-packed opening is …

Remember that this is a Media Studies essay, so you can include stills from the films and
annotate them if you want to.

Activity 5
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 Action adventure films
Action pack
Have you ever heard the term ‘blockbuster’? What does it mean to you?
Consider following films that have recently been called ‘blockbusters’. List five traits
that most of them have in common. (You may need to do some research on the films to
complete this task!)
• Spiderman 3
• The Twilight Saga: New Moon
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
• Iron Man 2
• Shrek the Third
• Alice in Wonderland
• Toy Story 3
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Now add at least two other films to the list.

Look at the following criteria set out by the AQA exam board to help define action
adventure films. List films from the above list next to each quality.

The narrative is central to

defining the action
adventure genre. It is filled
with excitement and
danger, building up to a
dramatic ending. It
generally involves a conflict
between good and evil with
the former always
triumphing in the end.

At the centre of this

narrative is a heroic and
resourceful character
(usually male) that has
some sort of mission/task
to accomplish. Naturally,
the hero always overcomes
all kinds of perils and wins
against the odds.

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 Action adventure films
Action pack
The narrative involves
tense and exciting scenes
which often involve
spectacular action
sequences such as chase
scenes, fights, battles,
explosions, rescues etc.

Settings tend to be exotic

or on a grand scale.
Examples may include
deserts, mountain ranges,
underwater locations,
oceans and tropical islands,
glamorous cities etc.

Activity 6
Watch the trailer for Casino Royale and list any elements that you think might appeal to
the following groups:
Men Women

Teens Adults

British viewers American viewers

1. Look at your notes above – in which two categories do you have the most
annotations?

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 Action adventure films
Action pack
2. Which two categories have the least?
3. Do you think the makers of the film and trailer intentionally tried to involve the
top two groups you identified and alienate the bottom two groups? Why or why not?
4. Look at the following figures about Casino Royale. Do they support your ideas
above? Why or why not?

Location Gross
World Wide $594,239,066
United Kingdom $105,932,056
India $9,000,930
United States $167,445,960

5. The Bond franchise as a whole is often accused of sexist portrayals of women.

How might this affect its potential audience?

Activity 7
List ten things you think of when you hear the term ‘hero’:
Which of the following definitions do you agree with?
• wins against the odds
• heroic and resourceful character
• usually male
• has some sort of mission or task to accomplish
• overcomes all kinds of perils

One of the central features of an action adventure film is that the main character has
the qualities of a ‘hero’. Pick one of the films listed below that you have seen and
explain which hero qualities are used.

Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace Rambo

The Mummy Robin Hood
The Mask of Zorro Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Lost in Space The Dark Knight
The Fifth Element Iron Man
Stardust

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Is John McClane a hero?
As we watch the final scenes of the film Die Hard, think about the qualities you
associate with a hero. In the table below are listed the qualities set out by the AQA
exam board, by mythology and finally a quality you personally feel a ‘hero’ should have.
Write a couple of sentences about how the character, John McClane matches these
qualities.

According Quality of a Does this character match these qualities?

to … hero Why or why not?
‘heroic and
resourceful
character’

‘has some sort

of mission/task
to
AQA exam board

accomplish.’
‘overcomes all
kinds of perils’

‘wins against
the odds.’

‘usually male’

has qualities
that represent
their society’s
values
makes
Mythology

personal
sacrifices for
others
has a ‘foil’ or
villain who
contrasts with
the hero.
My own
opinion

Activity 8
Define each of the following terms, in your own words:
Man:

Male:

Masculine:

Manly:

Woman:

Womanly:

Female:

Effeminate

Feminine:

Girly:

• Which of the words above do you think have positive

connotations (meanings)?
• Which of the words above do you think have negative
connotations (meanings)?
• Are any of the words neither positive nor negative?
• Which of the above words might people associate
with the term ‘hero’? Why do you think this is?

Essay question:

Some critics argue that action adventure films feed into

sexist stereotypes about the roles and men and women.
To what extent would you agree or disagree?
 Activity 9
As a group, find copies of the film posters for the following using www.imdb.com
Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) The Fugitive (1993) Gladiator (2000) Avatar (2009)
For each, explain three things you see on the poster that would suggest it fits into the
genre of action–adventure.
Discussion questions:
• Which poster seems to fit most neatly into the genre? Why is this?
• Which is the hardest to define as action adventure? Why?
• As a group would you say these films appear to have more in common or more
that makes them different? Why?

Activity 10
Using these posters as a starting point, try and come up with three subgenres you can
identify within the action adventure genre. A subgenre is a smaller type within the
larger label of a genre. For example horror films can also be split into smaller subgenres
like slashers, creature features and gorno. Taking these four films as a starting place
and some of the other films we’ve discussed, make an argument for three subgenres
that you will name and define yourselves.
Name Major features of this subgenre Example films
Here is the list of subgenres as defined by the AQA exam board:
 Action adventure – Swashbuckler
 The Mark of Zorro, The Three Musketeers, Pirates of the Caribbean
 Action adventure – Disaster
 The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno, Airport, The Day After Tomorrow
 Action adventure – Fantasy
 Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Superman, Avatar
 Action adventure – Quest
 Raiders of the Lost Ark, Romancing the Stone, King Solomon’s Mines
 Action adventure – Thriller/suspense
 The Fugitive, The Thirty Nine Steps, Die Hard, Cliffhanger, the Bond franchise
 Action adventure – Historical: big adventures set against backdrop of history, legend
and folklore
 Braveheart

• To what extent do they resemble your own subgenre categories?

• Is there anything about this way of categorising films that surprises you or might be
unexpected?
• What about it seems logical to you?
• Some film theorists feel that this type of categorisation is not a helpful way to
understand films and the way audiences consume them. Would you agree or
disagree? Why?
Production task:
Pick one of the AQA’s subgenres and imagine that this genre of film has been very
popular in cinemas recently. You are a producer who owns the rights to a film that
would fall into that subgenre. Now all you need to do is create some materials to aid
your pitch to the studios to get the funding you need to get this picture off the ground.
Work in a group to produce the following three key items for your pitch:
1. A plot synopsis: This is a short piece of writing that will begin with the film title
and explain briefly what the film is about. Imagine it as being a bit like the blurb on
the back of the DVD. You will want to write about the plot and characters in some
detail, using description and positive terms to make it sound like an interesting film.
2. A storyboard of an exciting opening scene: This should establish character and
narrative. The storyboard will be a tool to demonstrate how you will bring that story
from the synopsis to life. It must show the kinds of media language expected from
your genre of film and an understanding of how the opening sequence sets up events
and characters to allow the audience to anticipate later events.
3. A teaser website: This should appeal to a clearly defined audience. While you
clearly want EVERYONE to come and see your film, you know it is more likely to be
popular with a certain group. Define this group and use what you know about their
likes and dislikes to appeal to them through the film’s website. Create a still image
of the website (preferably on a program like Microsoft Word or Publisher) that
includes images, links and information.