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Superhero Film Codes and Conventions

This document provides an overview of the codes and conventions found in superhero films. It discusses typical elements like the setting usually being in a major American city with crime, themes that separate public and private aspects, common character archetypes of heroes, villains and damsels, expected props like macguffins and iconic weapons, and a typical narrative structure of good vs evil. It also mentions analyzing clips from The Avengers film.

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Shane Edge
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257 views18 pages

Superhero Film Codes and Conventions

This document provides an overview of the codes and conventions found in superhero films. It discusses typical elements like the setting usually being in a major American city with crime, themes that separate public and private aspects, common character archetypes of heroes, villains and damsels, expected props like macguffins and iconic weapons, and a typical narrative structure of good vs evil. It also mentions analyzing clips from The Avengers film.

Uploaded by

Shane Edge
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Introduction
  • Session Overview
  • Exam Information
  • Codes and Conventions
  • Conventions Question
  • Codes and Conventions Details
  • Example Analysis

GCSE – Film Studies

CODES AND
CONVENTIONS OF
SUPERHERO FILMS
In this session, we will…
 Consider CODES AND CONVENTIONS
of superhero films
 Look at the trailer for The Avengers
 Analyse a scene from The Avengers
 If we get time, look at the closing scenes
from The Avengers
Exam – Paper 1
 Exploring Film – Superhero Movies
 1.5 hours
 4 questions
 Clip from Film (analysis) – 2 questions
 Print Resources (creative task) – 2
questions
 Total 50 marks (10,10,10,20)
What are CODES &CONVENTIONS?
 The detailed rules of the genre (type
of film). Things we come to expect

 Codes and Conventions make it


easier to understand the film and
easier to make it
Question 2 – Conventions
 Asks you to identify one convention from
the sequence
 You have to relate this to another
Superhero film
 Explain why the convention is used in
other films
Avengers Trailer

superhero montage

Avengers Final Scene


CODES AND
CONVENTIONS
 Setting
 Themes
 Characters
 Props
 Narrative & Plot
 Style
Conventions Often a major American
city. Lots of crime. Hero
What is the typical setting will have secret
of a superhero film? hideout/HQ

How do we separate the


Public / Private
themes in superhero
movies?

Which character types  Hero


typically feature in the  Villain
superhero genre?  Princess
Question Answer
Setting
 Often American
city
 Place where crime
happens
 Big locations
where things can
go wrong!
 Secret base or HQ
Themes
 Public –
things that
affect
everyone
 Private –
things that
affect the
main
characters
only
Characters
 Must be heroic
 Or a villain
 Or a damsel
 Or a victim/general public
 Hero’s are often
recognisable as normal
people
 Hero’s are also something
people aspire to be – are
cool
 Hero’s always want to do
good, fight for truth and
justice (and the American
way?)
CONVENTIONS
What term do we use to MacGuffin
describe a significant object
that the plot revolves Gadgets (Iron Man’s
around? suit, Batman’s utility
belt), Iconic Superhero
What props would we
weapon (Thor’s
typically expect to see in a
Hammer, Captain
Superhero film?
America’s shield)
What is the typical
narrative of a Good vs Evil, Todorov
superhero film? (equilibrium,
disequilibrium,
equilibrium)
Props
 Significant
items that we
expect

Macguffin = a significant object


around which the plot revolves
Narrative & Plot
 At its simplest;
Good V Evil
 Often a
franchise
(series of films)
 Often starts with
heroes origin
story
 Often High
Concept (simple
plot, big SFX
and budget)
Style
 Includes
micro
elements to
build up a
specific
‘look’ or ‘feel’
 This may link
to original
comics, or
stay
throughout
franchise
Marvel’s
Avengers
Question 2 – Example
 [Link]
zP7qoEcHEd4 (The Avengers)

 Identify one typical convention of the


Superhero film used in this clip
 Describe how this convention is used in
another Superhero film
 Explain why this convention is used in
superhero films that you have studied

CODES AND CONVENTIONS OF SUPERHERO FILMS GCSE – Film Studies
In this session, we will… Consider CODES AND CONVENTIONS of superhero films Look at the trailer for The Avengers Analys
Exam – Paper 1 Exploring Film – Superhero Movies 1.5 hours 4 questions Clip from Film (analysis) – 2 questions Print
What are CODES &CONVENTIONS? The detailed rules of the genre (type of film). Things we come to expect Codes and Convention
Question 2 – Conventions Asks you to identify one convention from the sequence  You have to relate this to another Sup
Avengers Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPoHPNeU9fc) Avengers Final Scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xemvuM-uav
CODES AND CONVENTIONS Setting Themes Characters Props Narrative & Plot Style
Conventions Question Answer Which character types typically feature in the superhero genre?  Hero  Villain  Princess
Setting Often American city Place where crime happens Big locations where things can go wrong! Secret base or HQ
Themes Public – things that affect everyone Private – things that affect the main characters only

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