1. SUPERHEROES Genre Conventions Audience

2. Learning Objective SWBAT = “Students Will Be Able To” SWBAT discuss the audience elements of narrative SWBAT use their understanding of genre to make predictions about The Dark Knight.

3. What we know about genre. How do you understand genre? What are the three elements that genre often includes? Category of text (what sort of thing is it?) Audience expectation (what do we think is going to happen?) Marketing (How are we going to sell it to you?)

4. Create a table like this in your books Die HardKnocked Up Genre: Symbolism: Conventions: Expectations: Genre: Symbolism: Conventions: Expectations:

5. Genre includes Conventions (the rules for media products – eg: the elements that make a film an action film) Symbolism (what does a white dress mean?) Themes/motifs (repeated ideas, stories and concepts) Character Influences/history The stars

7. Now: What do you know about superheroes? Conventions? Symbolism? Themes/motifs? Character? Influences/history? The stars?

9. In pairs Q. What are five elements (things we know) of the superhero genre? Q. what effect does it have on us as an audience?

10. What effect does the genre have on us as the audience? The textbook says “it is the familiar that fills cinemas” Is this true?

13. Superheroes DC/ Marvel Supervillains Secret identities Comic book death Continuity

14. Predictions Using what we know of genre, can we predict what will be in The Dark Knight? What are our expectations? Conventions Characters Plot? (storylines) Motifs? (repeated signs, batman symbols or roses in American Beauty)

15. Glossary Term Intertextuality: The process of drawing on, even unconsciously, other texts to provide a structure of meaning (its what we do all the time when we watch or listen to just about anything.)

16. Narrative Notes: Narrative: A constructed story, usually in a novel, film, radio drama or television program. The narrative progression is the way a story is established, developed and resolved. The opening sequence establishes the narrative The closing sequence resolves the narrative.

17. The Dark Knight Christopher Nolan (2008) Starring: Christian Bale (Bruce Wayne) Heath Ledger (The Joker) Maggie Gyllenhall (Rachel) Michael Caine (Alfred) Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox) Aaron Eckhardt (Harvey Dent) Gary Oldman (Commissioner Gordon)

18. American Beauty Sam Mendes (1999) Starring: Kevin Spacey (Lester Burnham) Annette Benning(Carolyn Burnham) Thora Birch(Jane Burnham) Wes Bentley(Ricky Fitts) Mena Suvari(Angela Hayes) Chris Cooper(Colonel Fitts) PeterGallagher(Buddy Kane)