Film noir conventions

The main conventions of film noir are typically dark plot and dark setting, typically colour corrected in black and white. The story is always led by a single male protagonist, who is often attacked and tested and either comes out stronger or often killed. There is a femme fatale as opposed to the male protagonist who plays the antagonist, who is usually presented as a sexy, sleazy woman who attempts to seduce the main characters of the film.

The film is always about crime and a loss of morality in society, often in a made up city. For example in Sin City it is based in 'Basin City' resembling the city of New York. The main plots motives are usually unexpected presenting the audience with twists in the story. The main plot is often narrated by the main character, narrating about himself in a confessionary style. This creates a first person outlook for the audience.