Genre Conventions

Genre	Conventions	Film Titles
Action	Hero, villain, guns, fights, explosions, car chases, love interest	Transporter, Die Hard, Expendables
Superhero	Super powers, hero, villain, fights, tight costumes, bright colours	Avengers Assemble, Batman Begins, Thor
Romance	Romantic, couples, drama, love	If I Stay, The Notebook, Love Actually
Sci-fi	Robots, lasers, spaceships, aliens, hero, villain	Terminator, Star Trek, Blade Runner
War	War, drama, battles, action, death	Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List, Apocalypse Now

Fantasy Films

Deciding my favourite genre of film was not an easy thing to do, there are so many good films that cannot be classified into a single genre, and a majority of my favourite films do not come under one genre. However of all the possible choices, I don’t think any appeal to me in quite the same way as the fantasy genre.

The biggest appeal of fantasy films is the fact that they are able to build off a completely unique and hand crafted universe. Fantasy films do not need to be bound by the rules of the real world, and can therefore create a unique movie experience. Having a unique universe also allows for a huge amount of diversity, from the deep and magical medieval world of the Lord of the Rings, to the alien and technologically advanced world of Star Trek.

Some of my favourite fantasy films are the Star Wars trilogy and the Lord of the Rings. Star Wars is one of, if not the most well-known series of fantasy films ever made, and for good reason. At the time they were made, the original trilogy was ground-breaking and iconic, so much so that many of its phrases, characters and moments are ingrained into pop culture to this day.

On the other hand, the Lord of the Rings probably the most well-known fantasy book series, and to say that the films are also popular would be an understatement. The appeal of the series is its high fantasy elements. No other book or film has been able to bring such complex and unusual elements to the general public the same way the Lord of the Rings has.

Though both drastically different films, they are both, at their hearts, the same thing; epic, vivid and complex stories in equally deep and interesting universes.

Guillermo del Toro

Born and raised in Mexico, Guillermo del Toro has been an avid fan of films and filmmaking his entire life. In his early teens, del Toro began making short films, and later learned makeup from ‘The Godfather of makeup’ Dick Smith. From there del Toro made a name for himself, directing films such as Blade II and Hellboy. His most notable films include Hellboy and Pan’s Labyrinth. As well as being a director, he has also been a successful writer, producer, and worked on makeup and special effects.

What I like about Guillermo del Toro’s films most are the iconic sense of style and cinematography. Having always been interested in special effects and ‘monster makeup’, I find his films incredibly fascinating. His ability to tell a story and create a beautiful fantasy world on camera is due to his background in special effects. That is why del Toro is my favourite director.

Cinematography in 'Pan's Labyrinth'