This document provides an analysis of the war film genre based on the film Braveheart. It identifies some common conventions of war films such as having a muscular, tall male leader and portraying violence and brotherhood among soldiers. The document analyzes several scenes from the Braveheart trailer that exemplify these conventions, such as using low camera angles to portray the main character William Wallace as a superior leader and showing the soldiers preparing for battle without armor to demonstrate bravery. It also notes that the film combines the war and romance genres by including a romantic storyline between Wallace and a woman.

1. Assignment 2: Genre Analysis

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBXBtORI7pE&safe=active

3. This genre is War.
Other films in the same genre are:
 Saving private Ryan (1998)
 Platoon (1986)
 The Expendables
The purpose of War/Historical Films regarding war have and will
continue to exist forever. Initially, these films were meant to inform the
people of facts, let people know what our country was going through.
They teach perspective and connect us to the human experience
behind war through the emotions of the individual. These films make
us question war and the government.

4. The main type of audience for the genre of War/Historical
in my opinion would mostly be dominated by males. This is
because not only the film in itself is dominated by males
,but War in general appeals more to males than films
because of its intense action scenes.

5. WAR CONVENTIONS EXAMPLES FROM FILMS
Leader is normally muscular, tall
and macho.
Violence
Romance

6. CONVENTIONS EVIDENCE EXPLANATION
Romance
Love is normally speculated
between the main character and
a beautiful woman back home.
The exterior portrays the
character as a hard, emotionless
man ,but his interior explores him
as a weakness for love. She is
then captured and the heroine
comes to save her.
Violence and
Brotherhood
As a leader the main character
must defend his country along
with leading an army to victory.
Leader is normally
muscular, tall and
macho.
The leader of the army is clearly
distinguish from the rest of the
troop by his distinctive
appearance. In the fight scenes
he leads the army into battle as
being the first to charge.

7. The subgenre of Braveheart is War/Historical and Romance.
Other films in the same subgenre are:
• In Love and War
• A Very Long Engagement
• Cold Mountain

8. Although it is not clear to
see the stallion that
William Wallace is riding,
you get the sense of his
authority and represents
as a born leader.
The camera shot (mid body) focuses on Wallace that portrays
superiority when he is speaking. The camera angle portrays
him on a pedestal from the rest of the troops and that the
audience feels as though they have been directly spoken to.
Character riding a horse with blue
paint on his facePatriotic- The blue painted on
his face outlines his heritage of
Scotland.

9. Danger/Violence
The close up camera angle is towards the end of the trailer. It
contrasts a level of seriousness. This screenshot is also a low
camera angle and intensifies the determination of victory.
Soldiers aiming fire arrows

10. The only scene throughout the trailer that he
is with a beautiful young lady. It shows he is
prepared to share his life with her by then
proposing to her.
During the fight scenes Wallace is
solitaire and solid. Shows him to be a
strong leader.
Positioning of characters

11. A lot of history is portrayed in the trailer.
The wall showed in the screenshot on the
left signifies as a defence. Preparing for
battle Wallace’s army does not show signs
of any armour for protection. This shows
bravery and courage. The camera shot
states who the enemies are and as
audiences we are obligated to take sides.
Rural area that only shows the battle
between both armies.

12. Stereotypically the leader/hero is a strong, macho
individual.
Camera shot shows Wallace looking down-
religiously as God looking down (background of
clouds supports this) as though his surroundings as
heaven like.
The stereotype in the shot above shows that the
romance between Wallace and the woman has its
consequences. She is shown to be a vulnerable
woman and her expression of being scared is shown
above. As she is about to captured Wallace the hero
comes along and rescues the damsel in distress.

13. STEREOTYPE RE-INFORCED CHALLENGED
Hero
X
Low camera angles often
used to portray superiority.
Religious connotation
Damsel in Distress
X
Vulnerable
Captured and the hero is
expected to save the day.