Genre conventions

Tamara Trengove.

Genre Conventions.-Zombies.

Tamara Trengove.

S.T.I.N.C.T

Setting

Technical

Iconography

Narrative

Characterisation

Themes.

Tamara Trengove.

Setting. You can have a variety of settings, for different films, but the gene of

film is important to take in mind when choosing a film setting.

With a zombie film, the setting would need to be something that resembles or once resembled a place where people once lived.It’s important to show that human life is not what it once was, so through using abandoned area’s, which look rough through litter and abandoned vehicles and homes it can show the break down of society.

This can include places like large or small cities, an abandoned shopping centre, the underground or train stations, abandoned road sides or motorways, the country side, farms or woodland areas.However there are many possibilities for settings within a zombie film.

Woodbury, an abandoned town made to accommodate people during the apocalypse. (The Walking Dead.)

Tamara Trengove.

Technical.

The camera work from zombie films is usually used to create tension in a scene where the main character, or main group are using stealth to make their way past either zombies or groups that can pose a danger to them. Shots can include close-ups of individuals face to show expression and perhaps their feet if a character stands on something like glass to create noise.

Shaky camera shots give the audience the perspective that they are in the scene, and adds fear as the audience can feel disorientated by the fast pace movement of the camera.

The use of silence can keep an audience on edge, and the use of ambient diagetic sounds such as footsteps can add tension to a scene where a character, for example could be hiding from a zombie and tension is needed.

Tamara Trengove.

An example of shaky camera movement in a zombie film: World War Z

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Iconography.

The lighting of a piece can be used to show the movement of shadows, as a low-key lighting can help to show unfamiliar figures in the darkness. An example is through using torches in the darkness, where only limited things can be seen or through flickering lights.

Props help identify with a zombie film, common objects within the film such as guns and crowbars add a normality to the lives of the characters.

The iconography of the zombies help connote disgust and fear, through blood, and their actions against humans.

Merle (Zombie): The Walking Dead.

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Narrative Structure.

Within the narrative structure there is always the hero, or the main protagonist who helps to keep the action moving throughout the film, the helper? [fish] who helps the protagonist to solve problems within the group, there may also be the princess, for example Liz from Shaun of the Dead, or Sophia from The Walking Dead.

Some of the narratives are structured, the main hero is generally a male, and fights for the survival of his family, which is noticeable in World War Z with Gerry Lane trying to protect his wife and two girls. There is also generally a character who puts everyone else in danger to save themselves of which a good example of this comes from 18 Weeks Later.

28 Weeks Later. Sophia:

The Walking Dead.

Gerry Lane & family: World War Z

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Characterisation. (Character Types) The main protagonist.

Often the father to a family being affected by the apocalypse.

The villain.Within the case of zombie films, it would be the zombies, but it can also be other people trying to survive. (This can be shown from the Governor and Gareth from The Walking Dead TV show.)

The stupid adults/children who get killed during the apocalypse. Often a young child who someone failed to protect or someone who believes their safety is what comes first.

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Themes.

People vs the dead.

Death.

The dead come walking.

Bible references.

Suicide.