The action genre offers a high-octane thrill and provides the audience with all the fighting and explosions they need. How can you make use of the tropes and lessons from action in your own writings?
Great action television and movies are like riding on roller coasters. They make us feel exhilarated and take us to places that we can only imagine. They are entertaining, exciting, and not easy to write. Action movies have to keep the pages moving, but also provide brilliant set pieces that are unique in an otherwise crowded genre.
Today we’ll discuss the action genre and look at examples on film and TV. We will also talk about how other genres can be combined and how you can get ready to tackle your own movie or TV series.
What is the Action Genre, you ask?
Action movies and TV have their main characters and antagonists. They are often very clear and have no margin for error. The stakes can be enormous; the fate and fate of the world or even a building’s fate like in Die Hard.
What was the original action movie?
Many people remember The Great Train Robbery (2003,) as their first action film. It also established many of these tropes, expectations, and the foundations for the action genre.
Action films and TV are defined by the stars who return to perform, from Chuck Norris to Bruce Lee to Arnold to Sly Vin Diesel to Ronda Rondey. The fans love to see the same actors. If you can become an action superstar like The Rock you can almost crossover to be the biggest star on screen.
Through the decades, the history and evolution of action films has been fascinating. CGI and other special effects have made stunts easier. However, action movies are defined by performers who risk their lives in order to capture something amazing.
Common tropes used in action movies and TV
Action movies and series often feature heroes who are forced to face challenges such as gunplay, swordplay, and other extraordinary feats. They make sure their heroes’ lives are under threat at all times and stack the odds against them. The villain is usually defeated and the hero wins.
These tropes can be subverted depending on the story and the genres.
Mash-up possibilities
People return to action because it’s so easy for them to match it with other films and television genres. The best way to keep your story fresh and move your characters forward is with action. Let’s take the action comedy The Nice Guys, one of my all-time favorite movies.
The Nice Guys is a mix of humor and action that will keep you entertained with shootouts, close calls, and other fun activities.
Adventure and science fiction are also possible with action, such as in Avengers Endgame. We’ve already discussed making blockbuster movies and the process of writing action movies. So that we can understand the stakes for the world and the people involved, it is important to emphasize the character of the protagonist.
Many cool scenes can occur when dealing in the future and technology. Or time travel.
