Conventions of Genres

Purpose: -A) to show your understanding of the conventions of

your subgenre B) To you can identify and explain conventions in a film

PART A: Identifying Conventions

PART B: Conventions in a film

PART A: Identifying Conventions

What are conventions?

• Familiar or recognizable elements

• Things you expect to see

Link to Evaluation question 1

• In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products.

• Other words: Compare the forms and conventions of your media product to real media products; explain if they use/develop/challenge forms and conventions.

Use, develop or challenge?• Use = the convention is very apparent/clear/familiar/recognizable

Example: having a young, promiscuous, attractive blond as female victim and virtuous virgin as survivor …..setting: isolated/old cabin in woods (cabin in the woods) (parody films usually play on conventions)

• Develop = the convention is perhaps slightly different/changed/evolved and is recognizable but relatively ‘new’

Example: the unsuspected killer (scream)Example: not typical settings – caves (the descent)

• Challenge = when an author or institution breaks the ‘rules’ and applies conventions in a completely different way that is very innovative and not familiar or recognizable

Example: the villain is not so ‘evil’, revealing the complexities of their character or not adhering to typical ‘vampire’ conventions (don’t even know it’s a vampire film until ¾ way in) (Let the right one in)

Example: the resolution in the end (not resolved) (cabin in woods)Example: camera techniques (whole thing in POV) and unique theme of mannequins

(maniac)

•

Context with use/develop/challenge

• Psycho = 1960 - at this time was SCARY

• Now ‘slashing a victim in shower’ isn’t so scary, the level of torture and thrill is heightened

• Now = psycho = ‘use’

• About 10 years ago we started seeing a lot of children in horror films

• Now it’s conventional or expected/familiar

• Then = challenge• Now = use/develop

In 5 mins, make a list of films your subgenre

• As many as possible!!!!!!!!!• From all decades

• (you have to have seen them or know a bit about them)

Conventions of ____________(can do subgenre if you want)

• Write them down as a group

• (yellow paper)

Prompts…..Prompts Notes

Plot? The story, what happens

Narrative? The way the story is told, how the film is structured

Characters? Types of characters and how they’re represented

Setting? Where is it placed? What does it look like (how is it represented)

MES? Costume, props, lighting, colours, character details

Camera techniques Are there distinctive camera shots, angles, movementOr EDITING

Sounds? Sound effects (diegetic or non diegetic) or music

Anything else?

Complete on orange paper

Assignment 13: Conventions of _______________

Name 1Name 2Name 3Name 4

Try prezi for a change?

Initial mind map of conventions

Conventions of ____________Details Film Examples

Plot Use:Develop:Challenge:

Narrative Use:Develop:Challenge:

Characters Use:Develop:Challenge:

Setting Use:Develop:Challenge:

MES Use:Develop:Challenge:

Camera techniques

Use:Develop:Challenge:

Sounds Use:Develop:Challenge:

Other Use:Develop:Challenge:

If too much writing, separate in 2 slides

Details Film ExamplesPlot Use:

Develop:

Challenge:

Narrative Use:

Develop:

Challenge:

Characters Use:

Develop:

Challenge:

Conventions of ____________

PART B: Conventions in a film

2 scenes (work division)

• 2 scenes: from 1 film or 2 films as a pair

• You will identify the conventions• And explain if they use/develop/challenge

• (each pair has 2 slides)• ***** must choose ‘scenes’ that you can get screen grabs from*****

Film Name

Paste film poster / dvd cover

Description of Scene 1: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. (By _____ & ______)

Description of Scene 1: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. (By _____ & ______)

Film Name 1 Film Name 2

Paste film poster / dvd cover

Description of Scene 1: ………………………………………………………………………………………(By _____ & ______)

Description of Scene 1: ………………………………………………………………………………………(By _____ & ______)

Paste film poster / dvd cover

Scene 1Get 9 screen grabs from scene

Scene 1 Conventions

RED = 3 prompts

AMBER = 4 prompts

GREEN = 5+ prompts

Scene 1 ConventionsIdentify convention

Identify convention

Identify convention

Identify convention

Identify convention

Identify convention

Identify convention

By Jane & Sue

Scene 1 – Use/develop/challenge

Explanation of USE, DEVELOP OR CHALLENGE Photo Evidence

Plot

It develops the convention of _____________ because…

Narrative

It uses the convention of _____________ because…

Characters

It challenges the convention of _____________ because…