SCI-FI: ALIEN INVASION FILMS
1. CODES AND CONVENTIONS:
TECHNICAL CODES Visual:
Shot Types - Long Shots, Close-Ups, Point-of-View Shots
Camera Angles - Low Angles, High Angles, Skewed Angles
Lighting - Low-Key Lighting - Chiaroscuro
Special Effects
Aural:
Sound Effects
Music
Editing:
Editing Tempo
Sequencing of Shots
Mise-en-Scene
Settings and Props
Costuming
SYMBOLIC CODES Characters
The Hero(es)
The Aliens (The Villain)
The Damsel in Distress (The Innocent(s))
The Saviour
Context
Technology - Human vs. Alien
The Media
2. DEVELOPMENTS IN THE GENRE OVER TIME Technical Developments
Special Effects
Narrative Developments
Characters - Character Archetypes
Thematic Concerns
3. KEY TEXTS 1950s - War of the Worlds ('53), The Day the Earth Stood Still ('51) 1990s - Independence Day ('96) 2000s - Signs ('02), War of the Worlds ('05), The Day the Earth Stood Still ('08)
SCI-FI: ALIEN INVASION FILMS
1. CODES AND CONVENTIONS:
TECHNICAL CODES
Visual:
- Shot Types - Long Shots, Close-Ups, Point-of-View Shots
- Camera Angles - Low Angles, High Angles, Skewed Angles
- Lighting - Low-Key Lighting - Chiaroscuro
- Special Effects
Aural:- Sound Effects
- Music
Editing:- Editing Tempo
- Sequencing of Shots
Mise-en-SceneSYMBOLIC CODES
Characters
- The Hero(es)
- The Aliens (The Villain)
- The Damsel in Distress (The Innocent(s))
- The Saviour
Context2. DEVELOPMENTS IN THE GENRE OVER TIME
Technical Developments
- Special Effects
Narrative Developments3. KEY TEXTS
1950s - War of the Worlds ('53), The Day the Earth Stood Still ('51)
1990s - Independence Day ('96)
2000s - Signs ('02), War of the Worlds ('05), The Day the Earth Stood Still ('08)