This document provides revision materials for an exam on action adventure films and genres. It includes tasks to analyze character types, narrative theories, and film clips. It discusses conventions of the action adventure genre like protagonists, antagonists, sidekicks, exotic settings, and fight sequences. Students are asked to analyze how characters fit genres based on appearance, personality, and role. The document also covers narrative techniques, theories by Todorov and Propp, and scheduling content to appeal to target audiences.

1. GCSE
EXAM
REVISION
SECTION A

2. CHARACTER
TASK
Write a bullet point list or create a spider-diagram to show
what characteristics you think each of the following
character types have:
a) The protagonist (main character)
b) The antagonist (villain)
c) The side-kick
d) The female lead
You should focus: what they wear, how they speak, their
personality, their appearance (their looks), their role in the
film (what do they typically want/do?)

3. RECAPPING NARRATIVE
THEORIES
Vladimir Propp’s character types
1. The villain
2. The donor (or provider)
3. The helper
4. The princess and her father
5. The dispatcher
6. The hero
7. The false hero
Levi-Strauss’ binary oppositions
Good vs Evil Men vs Women
White vs Black East vs West
3

4. TASK 2
Watching the clip discuss how characters fit the Action
Adventure genre.
Remember to consider:
a) The protagonist (main character)
b) The antagonist (villain)
c) The side-kick
d) The female lead
You should focus: what they wear, how they speak, their personality, their
appearance (their looks), their role in the film (what do they typically
want/do?)
Use the
media
terminology
to describe
the
characters
Characters – Identify the key characters, their role in the scene, how they
impact the scene and apply theory such as Propp’s character roles and
Yvonne Tasker (1993) in explaining how they “fit” the genre.

6. NARRATIVE TASK
Typical narrative
features of the
Action Adventure
genre

7. Action Adventure Revision Session
Objectives: To revise the action adventure topic, and understand the qualities of effective exam answers.
Action Film Conventions Sort of Bingo
Strong protagonist (usually male)
Explosions
Antagonist
Stunts
Love interest
Weapons
Gadgets
Chase sequences
Powerful villain
Underdog hero
Dangerous setting
Ticking clock scenario
Exotic setting
Fight sequences

8. TODOROV

9. CHARACTER CLIPS
Die Hard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mEUTq6R2oU
Casino Royale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAPzMrEXIyA
Harry Potter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haZEcPbF1T0

10. NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES:
ANSWERS
Closed narrative Where the narrative has a definitive ending and all problems are solved.
Open narrative Where the narrative is open to be added on to; this could be in the form of a sequel. There isn’t
a definitive ending.
Cliffhanger Where the narrative is left open with the audience not knowing what will happen next. This is
used to keep the audience interested, in the hope that they will watch on.
Red herring A technique where the audience or the characters are led to believe something different; they are
tricked or ‘led up the garden path’.
Suspense Where a text builds up a feeling of anxiety and uncertainty about the outcome among the
audience. This could be through music, editing or the characters’ actions.
Multi-strand Where there are a number of different stories within one media text.
Circular narrative Where the narrative goes full circle and the ending/resolution is the same as
beginning/equilibrium.
Montage A type of editing whereby a mixture of different shots/images, usually over time, are edited
together to give the effect that time has passed.
Binary oppositions A theory thought up by Levi-Strauss whereby opposites are used to create conflict and drive the
narrative forward.
Ellipsis A technique used to miss out big chunks of time.
10

11. RECAPPING NARRATIVE
THEORIES
Tzvetan Todorov
• Equilibrium – A sense of normality, the calm before the
storm.
• Disruption – The point where the story changes; a
death, an event, a situation.
• Restoration – Where normality is restored; they all live
happily every after.
11

12. NARRATIVE CLIPS
Casino Royale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAPzMrEXIyA
Hot Fuzz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6TYFLevmAc

13. QUESTION 2
Look at the different technical elements
below. Explain how each of the follow
elements is used to create a particular
effect in action/adventure films. For
example: An arc shot could be used to
create tension and signify something bad is
going to happen, which would build
adrenaline for the audience. You should try
to think of an example from an
action/adventure film to support your ideas.

14. a) Camera
a) Close-up
b) Tracking shot
c) Low angle
d) Dolly Zoom
b) Editing
a) Fast-paced editing
b) Cross-cutting
c) Jump cuts
d) CGI
e) Slow motion
c) Sound
a) Diegetic sound
b) Non-diegetic sound
c) Sound effects
d) Asynchronous sound
d) Mise-en-scene
a) Costume
b) Sets and location
c) Casting choices
d) Props
e) Lighting

15. a) Camera
a) Close-up
b) Tracking shot
c) Low angle
d) Zoom
b) Editing
a) Fast-paced editing
b) Cross-cutting
c) Jump cuts
d) CGI
e) Slow motion
c) Sound
a) Diegetic sound
(natural)
b) Non-diegetic sound
(added)
c) Sound effects
d) Mise-en-scene
a) Costume
b) Sets and location
c) Casting choices
d) Props
e) Lighting
Discuss the
effect of
each of
these
techniques

16. QUESTION 2 CLIPS
Pirates of the Caribbean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNj8mJq65i4
Indiana Jones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guKUR-2rEIA
Casino Royale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAPzMrEXIyA

17. Low-angle shot of Batman walking towards the
antagonist.
Effect:
Close Up shot in Kill Bill.
Effect:
Wide Tracking shot in The Fast and The Furious.
Effect:

18. QUESTION 3

19. REPRESENTATION
REVISION
http://www.slideshare.net/belair1981/action-adventure-
revision-pt2

20. REPRESENTATION
CLIP
Rocky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVP1wO_E4yk
Lara Croft
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnhW2iYL25k
Hancock
How are super heroes represented?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIW3jcKZVi8

21. GCSE
EXAM
REVISION
SECTION B

22. INSTITUTIONS AND
AUDIENCES
Consider…
 Do certain institutions
schedule certain types of
programmes?
 Are specific audiences
targeted by different
institutions (or channels)?

24. QUESTION 4A
SCHEDULE TO APPEAL
Have I Got News for You
A mixture of news and comedy
Long running series – popular
Shown on Friday night at 9pm – target audience are at home on a Friday
night (possibly older generation)
Target audience are middle aged, middle class. They follow the news
and pride themselves on knowing about current affairs and therefore
‘getting’ the political jokes on the programme
Panellists are people the target audience would recognise, such as
politicians, established comedians and people who work for BBC Radio
DJs
BBC wish to inform and educate as well as entertain – this programme
combines news (information) with comedy (entertainment)
No offensive language or jokes – appeal to mass audience. Paid for by
licence fee so needs to appeal to ‘middle England’

25. QUESTION 4A
THE INBETWEENERS
TASK
1. How do the characters in the show link to the
Target Audience?
2. What is a Niche audience?
3. Why can Channel 4 have more freedom in the
programmes they air?
4. Why is The Inbetweeners scheduled late at
night?
5. What is the benefit of ‘stacked’ scheduling of
The Inbetweeners (several episodes shown in a
row) – helps new viewers get into the plot

26. SCHEDULE TO
APPEAL
The Inbetweeners
Aimed at a teenage target audience (reflected by the
characters of the show)
Scheduled on E4 – E for entertainment
Niche channel aimed at younger audience. Paid by
advertising – can be more ‘edgy’ humour – no need to worry
about offence.
Scheduled late at night, people watching TV when they get
back from a night out
Show often ‘stacked’ (several episodes shown in a row) –
helps new viewers get into the plot

27. EXAM TASK

28. TASK
Now for some detail...
Pick two pleasures How Not to Live Your Life offers:
a)..............................................................................................................................
...........................................
b)..............................................................................................................................
...........................................
Pick two pleasures The Simpsons offers:
a)..............................................................................................................................
...........................................
b)..............................................................................................................................
...........................................
Pick two pleasures both comedies offer:
a)..............................................................................................................................
...........................................
b)..............................................................................................................................
...........................................

29. COMEDY
Scheduled day and time: ____________________________________________________
Channel: ______________________________________
Give three reasons below why you think The Inbetweeners is scheduled at this time and that
channel. Try to give clear examples to support your ideas either about the institution or from
the programme.
1.
________________________________________________________________________________
_____
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________
2.
________________________________________________________________________________
_____
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________
3.
________________________________________________________________________________
_____
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________

30. COMEDY
Scheduled day and time: ____________________________________________________
Channel: ______________________________________
Give three reasons below why you think Have I Got News For You is scheduled at this
time and that channel. Try to give clear examples to support your ideas either about the
institution or from the programme.
1.
___________________________________________________________________________
__________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________
2.
___________________________________________________________________________
__________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________
3.
___________________________________________________________________________
__________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________

31. QUESTION 4B
AUDIENCE PLEASURES
For this question you need you to know about two
TV Comedies to illustrate your answer. Typically,
the question will ask about what pleasures TV
Comedies offer their audiences.
You will be expected to not only be able to name
pleasures that all comedies offer but pleasures the
programmes you’ve chosen offer specifically,
depending on their audience.
For example a sit-com with a target audience of
‘family’ is going to have different pleasures than a
comedy quiz show about politics aimed at ‘adults’.

32. QUESTION 4B
AUDIENCE PLEASURES
1. Familiar setting
2. Characters / cast / presenters
3. Accessible themes
4. Representation of social issues.
5. Consumption of the familiar.
6. Generic conventions
7. Narrative resolution.
8. Comedy entertainment.

33. QUESTION 4B
MORE DETAIL
• Comedy entertainment (it’s funny)
• Simple conventions that are easily
understood (or new variations to create
interest)
• Familiarity – meeting the same people
regularly, we know their personalities
and can predict their behaviour – like
family and friends
• Identification with characters or
situations that occur
• Identification with themes, e.g. work,
family, relationships, getting on in life
• Important social issues may be
addressed
• Narrative resolution – the satisfaction of
the story ending and all loose ends tied
up

34. QUESTION 4B
AUDIENCE PLEASURES
Setting – audiences like to be able to relate to
a familiar setting
Characters / cast / presenters – how many
are there? Do we recognise any stereotypes?
Audience identification. Which characters are
most successful and why?
Accessible themes – identify them (eg
relationships, family, friendship…)
How important are these themes for
audiences?

35. Representation of social issues. Eg, social class,
culture, sexuality).
Consumption of the familiar. An important audience
pleasure. Audiences feel ‘comfortable’ dropping in and
meeting the same group of characters regularly.
Generic conventions – such as laughter track, live
studio audience, catchphrases.
Narrative resolution. How is the status quo disrupted
and resolved by the end of the episode?
Comedy entertainment. What is the main source of
comedy in the series? Cast, location, celebrity? What
is actually funny and who would the humour appeal to?
Consider scheduling here.

36. AUDIENCE
PLEASURES
a) List the different pleasures TV Comedies offer
their audiences.
b) Once you have completed the list
highlight/underline in different colours which
ones Gavin and Stacey offers and which
pleasures Benidorm offer.
Remember both programmes are sit-coms;
therefore they follow sit-com conventions. Try to
think of clear examples from the programmes to
support your ideas.

37. Audience pleasures of TV Comedy Revision
How many did you manage to remember? Read through the list below and
again highlight/underline which pleasures How Not to Live Your Life offers and
which ones The Simpsons offer. How many do the two programmes have in
common?
• Regular timeslot
• The narrative and problems are always resolved at the end of the
programme
• Intertextuality
• Use of celebrities
• Different types of humour
• Relatable characters and situations (so we can also laugh at
ourselves/friends)
• Audience escapism
• Audience feels superior to characters as they never learn from their
mistakes.
• Easy to watch (30 minutes long and self-contained episodes mean audience
can ‘dip’ in and out of series).
• Pleasure gained from resolution at the end of episode
• Social and family issues often used (audience can relate to)
• Themes are easy for audience to understand
• Warm mode of address - everyone can watch and enjoy.
• Familiarity (e.g. Catchphrases)
• Predictability – For example: audiences know character well and know how
they will react.
• New variations of the genre create interest

38. AUDIENCE
PLEASURES
Benidorm
Typical working class holiday destination – familiar to
working class audience
Regular, relatable characters
Characters main source of comedy
Social class as a theme – makes fun of in an affectionate way
Generic conventions, i.e. laughter track

39. AUDIENCE
PLEASURES
Gavin & Stacey
Familiar settings – house, nightclub etc
Regular characters – can relate to them (Smithy is an
‘Everyman’, Vanessa is a source of comedy as is Uncle
Bryn). Same characters mean audience familiarity
Accessible themes – friendship (Gavin & Smithy have a very
familiar, relatable friendship), romantic relationships (Gavin &
Stacey)
Representations of social issues – social class (Essex/
Wales), community cohesion

40. EXAM TASK