Conventions of Action

Setting:
Typically, action film openings are introduced in one of two ways:

• As calm and tranquil with very little happening, in an area that seems safe and familiar, so as to provide an equilibrium.
• As more intense with quite a few action scenes and dialogue, so as to immediately tell a story and provide the audience with the kind of action they will be watching for and want more of.

Technical:

• Tend to use a lot of CGI or special effects so that they can show advanced and unusual things, but to also stay up to date and modern. They can also help to create a bigger impact on the audience watching though, as these effects can show realism.
• Lighting is used to show many different things such as danger; being very dark and mysterious, and happiness; being very light and bright.
• Camera shots used show different points from many different perspectives and angles and can be included in ways such as emphasising power, showing importance or focus and showing expression or action/movement.
• Sounds in action films can also be used to create equilibrium; being very peaceful and relaxing, but can then change to create tension; being very loud and sudden.

These features show how technical effects can affect the mood and engagement of audiences while watching the film.

Iconography:
Action films conventionally use a wide range of things for iconography. Some examples of these features are fast cars, guns, the police/army, some form of fighting as well as many other things.

Narrative:
The narrative in action films usually follows the life of a person, or a group of people, who are living a normal life until something changes everything and must go on some form of mission in order to help solve the problem. They typically manage to solve the problem, while picking people up and engaging in chases/fights in the meantime.

Themes:
The themes that conventionally appear in action films involve an injustice that needs to be resolved, So usually the protagonist will go about solving this problem, with themes of violence and sex throughout. A moral justice is typically reached by the end of these action movies.

Characterisation:
Characters in action films typically feature a strong man as the protagonist who may appeal to female members of the audience, as well as a sidekick who may provide comedic elements. There are usually attractive young females who may end up helping or dating the protagonist, and may appeal to the male members of the audience. These means it can help appeal to a wide audience.
They also typically include the policed or army, who may or may not be good and a protagonist who is the main instigator for the trouble that occurs in the plot.