1. Reece Leonard
Action Codes and Conventions

2. D.I.S.T.I.N.C.T
 Don't
 Ignore
 Settings
 Technical
 Iconography
 Narrative
 Characterisation
 Themes

3. Settings
 Action films are often set in busy areas such as
towns or city's., often well known places such as
new York, London etc. They are usually set in
very modern places but if it was based from a
different time period.
 Action films can be filmed pretty much anywhere.
 Examples of action films
 -Inception
 -Pirates of The Carribean.
 -The A Team
 -Batman

5. Codes And Conventions
 An action adventure film is essentially one long
quest with a succession of different chase
sequences, each one more death defying and
seemingly impossible than the one before. The
trick for the producers is to ramp up the tension
as the film progresses to a storming end
sequence. Will our intrepid explorers make it, or
will the evil antagonist get there first.

6. Typical Action Films
 12/15 certificate, maximising youth audiences
 Often hybridised with Sci Fi/Adventure/Romance
 Major Hollywood studio produced and distributed
 High production values including CGI FX. Fast paced editing
 Classic Hollywood 3 act narrative structure
 Predictable chain of events – cause and effect
 Single stranded, linear, closed narrative
 Dramatic non-diegetic sound
 More narrative action codes than enigma codes
 Clear binary oppositions
 Star Marketing: Audience identification/expectations
(Cruise/Pitt/Willis/Thurman/Jolie/Stallone/Craig/SchwarzeneggeDi Caprio…). Generic
Typecasting and Secondary Persona apply
 Romantic sub-plot, Humorous dialogue
 Relationships with new technology (youth audiences)
 Use of close up/Insert shots/High Key Lighting
 Dominant representation of gender: male/female action hero. Mulvey’s male gaze and
contemporary female gaze can apply...