TEXTUAL

ANALYSIS

Title: American Heist

Director: Sarik Andreasyan
Staring: 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 Language
The 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

Media Language
The 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. Nondiegetic 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

Representations
The 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.

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.

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
Thisviolence.
image shows
and
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

Narrative
The 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 Todorovs theory called the disruption.
The main film (after opening scene) does apply to Todorovs
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.