Character: Secret Agent

Introduction

I have chosen to study secret agents. This is because secrets agents are going to be our protagonist in our film and we will need more extensive knowledge on this type of character. Also we want to make our protagonist look and act like a secret agent. I have chosen 6 types of secret agents which are all quite well known, all are original in there own way and each have differences and similarities, I want to explore how they different and similar and use this information.

Famous Secret Agents in Spy Films

• James Bond: Appears in the James Bond films

• Jack Ryan: Appears in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

• Agent Kay: Appears in the Men in Black films

• Agent 99: Appears in Get Smart

• Nick Fury: Appears in various Marvel films

• Ethan Hunt: Appears in the Mission Impossible films

Gender
Most of the secret agents I have chosen to study, show that the majority of films use the stereotype that females are not powerful and are seen as vulnerable, for example in James Bond the woman is often vulnerable, weak and is unable to defend herself. However in Get Smart, though a comedy, it contains secret agent characters in which one is a female who is seen as desirable in the film and is capable of defending herself from danger, this helps defeat the stereotype of women in spy films and makes them appear more independent.

Costume

Most of the secret agents often wear dark clothing. This could be because that the identity of these people could try to be hidden to make them blend in the silhouettes. Also some films add there own uniqueness for there secret agent, for example in Marvel films, Nick Fury wears a black eye patch, this helps make the secret agent more memorable for the audience and adds mystery for the character. Also some secret agents from these films wear black glasses, this helps keep there identity secret and makes them appear more intimidating and powerful to the audience. In Mission: Impossible, Ethan Hunt who plays the secret agent often wears clothing which has pockets containing advanced technology and dangerous weaponry. Also belts containing grapples and ropes are often used. However not all secret agents wear military looking outfits, for example James Bond is well known for wearing a tuxedo, this helps him still look superior but helps him blend in with the rest of societies wealthy. Furthermore when the secret agents are not wearing military clothing and are in public areas, they will often still wear dark clothing to help keep hidden, but at the same time blend in with crowds to appear less conspicuous. 

Props
Most of the secret agents are commonly known for handling a pistol. However not all these secret agents have the exact same pistol or weapon for that matter, for example Agent Kay is handling a large silver metallic weapon which looks very futuristic and highly advanced, but this isn't a pistol and because it is a unknown weapon, the audience doesn't know what damage it can cause. But not all secret agents handle futuristic weapons, James Bond handles the most basic weapon secret agents are commonly associated with, which is a standard black, metallic pistol.

Personality
All the secret agents listed above all act confidently and don't show any shyness towards the people they work for or there co-workers. Also many of the secret agents often have hidden pasts and are very cautious when discussing there past to others. Also they are all very independent and sometimes dislike having to be working in a team with others.

What I have learnt
From these characters I have learnt useful information about genders that often are used for secret agents, however when we began thinking ideas for the narrative we knew as a group that secret agent roles were normally dominated by males. However I have learnt a lot about costumes. This is very important as we need our protagonist to look like a realistic secret agent to make our film look professional. Also this has helped because there are numerous costumes which can be associated with agents and not just a smart black suit. Furthermore the props has helped identity certain props that are often used. I focused on the weapon props as this will be the most easiest prop to access when we come to filming. Lastly the personalities of secret agents also helps us identity which of our friends or people willing to volunteer themselves into our film, has a personality similar to an agents.

Including a Female Protagonist
We have chosen to use a female protagonist because we want to defeat the stereotypes of women in spy films. This is because women are often seen as weak and vulnerable people and play the 'damsel in distress'. However not all films portray women this way, for example in Salt, Angelina Jolie is seen as a strong independent woman. Also in other films such as The Avengers Assemble and The Dark Knight, the woman is strong and possesses power.

Our Female Protagonist
Below is a quick sketch of what we imagine our female protagonist to look like: