TEXTUAL ANALYSISTitle: American Heist

Director: Sarik AndreasyanStaring: Hayden Christensen, Adrien Brody and

Jordana Brewster.Date: 24th July 2015

Genre: Action, Crime & Drama

Media Language

The film begins with 3 establishing shots of a city. The mood of these shots is dull and mysterious in the

sense that the streets are very dark which could also suggest that the area is a place of crime and scandal.

These shots set the scene for the whole film and creates the idea that the film is going to involve this

type of action.

Meanwhile there is non-diegetic dark, cryptic, gloomy music which enforces the ideas of mystery, crime and

that it is a dangerous place. The audience can use these communications from the media language to assume these things but also from the genre, action and crime, which helps them make these quick ideas

about the film and its content.

Media LanguageThe scene then transitions to a high angle side shot of a

man in a car. The mood is still very dark and from this shot the audience cannot see his face which reflects

the mysterious feel given off by the non-diegetic music throughout.

There is the a side profile shot of the man which shows him to have quite a stern, harsh look on his face. The character then becomes very fidgety by tapping the

steering wheel and looking around behind him.

The next shot shows the character to have a black eye which gives the idea that he has been in a fight of some

sort and is involved with dangerous types people.

These shots create tension as the audience do not know who he is, where he is and why he is there. The dark mood and his actions create the atmosphere that

he is involved In some sort of criminal occasion.

Media LanguageThe character then gets out the car and walks into what looks like a multi-storey car park. Shallow focus camera is used here to emphasise the character walking into an

unknown place.

The character then turns round which again suggests this fear of the unknown and that he is constantly on

edge looking around his surroundings.

The non-diegetic music builds tension and suspense as volume gets louder until the music is broken by the

sound of diegetic gun shots. In the shot the audience also sees flashing lights in the background synchronized

with the gun shots.The gun shots represent the genre of the film as it conveys the sense of danger, crime and violence.

Media Language

Once the gun shots are fired in the opening scene it goes to a black

out where the title appears. Non-diegetic loud bag sound effects occur at the same time which

enhance the title.

I particularly like this title page as it is bold and loud which conveys

the content of the film. The image has a dirty and rugged look to it which can also reflect the rough

area in which the film takes place and also the content of the film.

RepresentationsThe representations of the place in which the

film takes place given off in the opening scene is that it is a rough area. This image shows a dark street which could convey

maybe a drug deal or some type of criminal offence.

This character looks around to see if anyone is coming several times in the

scene which represents to be mysterious and on edge or even also the idea that he is doing something he is not supposed to

be doing.

Audience• Who is the primary target audience and how will they be attracted to the product?

The primary target audience for this film are adults. However I would say young adults who enjoy films involving crime and danger would

really like this film. The rating of ‘American Hesit’ is a 15 which ensures that the content of the film is not family friendly. The generic

conventions from the poster, film title and even the trailer would attract the audience as shows the elements of robbery, drugs, gangs,

guns etc. all things of a criminal nature.

These are two screenshots from the trailer which communicates the genre of the film. The gang

running out of a van wearing masks and holding weapons convey these criminal actions. Also the picture below showing a car crash portrays the

thrill, adrenaline and the dangerous content of the film

Genre• What is the genre and how is this communicated to the audience through generic

conventions.

The gun communicates to the audience that the film will contain

violence.

Bold red writing conveys blood, danger, death,

wrongdoing. All things that can be linked to the genre

of this film, action. The fact that it is used on the word ‘HEIST’ which is a noun for a robbery portrays that the film is coming to involving heavy crime and violence.Image shows man

wearing mask and carrying a black sack

which can be linked to a word in the title, ‘Heist’ as the man

looks like the stereotypical

intimidating criminal with dark clothing,

weapons and his face unidentifiable.

This image shows some type of gang, all of which are holding weapons which tells

the audience that the film is will include a

vast amount of violence and action.

NarrativeThe opening of the film is not linear to the whole narrative. The opening scene

takes place one day earlier than the rest of the film. Therefore the opening scene cannot be linked to either Todorov or Levi-Strauss’ narrative theory.

However once the film title appears the words “ONE DAY EALIER” appear and the character from the opening scene is seen to be at the equilibrium stage. This

communicates to the audience that the action and meaning behind the opening scene will be shown and told through the narrative of the film. The characters brother is then released out of prison and goes to visit the him which becomes

the next stage in Todorov’s theory called the disruption.The main film (after opening scene) does apply to Todorov’s theory however the opening seen is midway through the actual plot of the film and cannot be classed

as linear.

Institution

Glacier Films produced the independent action film ‘American Heist’ with a budget of $10 million. Saban Capital Group, Inc. is a private investment firm

based in Los Angeles, California focused on media, entertainment, and communications investments. This organisation was also involved in the

distribution of the film. Enjoy Movies is another one of the production teams of this film. It is Russian production company, which was founded in 2010 by the

director of this film, Sarik Andreasyan.