WHAT IS GENRE?

Genre is based on the many similar narrative elements which build the typical structure of an individual group of films. A genre consists of a particular theme which the viewers expect and recognise the film by. These generic codes are what creates a genre.

Genre helps to group different types of film through the uses of setting, theme, narrative and character types.

GENRE EXAMPLES:

Action films typically involve a hero who is challenged by a variety of physical tasks in order to save the world. These are normally shown through fast paced chaotic scenes and the main character tends to have super powers which help them to overcome impossible situations.

Drama can seem very closely linked to action but is generally more realistic with everyday scenarios which must be fought with everyday skills. Dramas are normally set in everyday locations such as hospitals and workplaces so an everyday audience can relate further to them. Crime films also tend to be an average person solving a problem with knowledge rather than powers and typically involves one main detective or investigator.

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WHAT IS GENRE?

Comedy films are generally light hearted but may contain “dark humour” or “tongue in cheek humour”. Comedy's normally follow a group of people rather than one person who normally have bad luck and are unsuccessful as they make a mistake which they try to fix in a variety or humorous ways.

Horror films are designed to make an audience feel anxious and scare them. Horrors are normally set in dark isolated areas which the characters are unfamiliar with and as the film goes on the characters are each killed or go missing in worsening ways. Many horrors end with a girl fighting for survival by herself and can be paranoid or secure horrors.

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GENRE EXAMPLES:

Romance films focus on a couple who face a problem in their relationship leading to them fighting to overcome it or abandoning it. The male is normally played by a “heartthrob” star actor and is full of long dialogued scenes which appeal more to a female audience.

Science films are aimed at the more critical horror fans who want science and logic to back the film up. This leads them to be linked mainly with aliens and the science behind how they exist or include exaggerated diseases which humans try and fight. Many are set in the future where science is further ahead and the films can include even further exaggerated creatures.

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WHY IS GENRE IMPORTANT TO AUDIENCES?

Genre helps an audience to define their taste in films and to be able to base how much they would enjoy a film on its genre. This is very useful today as the film industry creates many films and without a sorting process for viewers, it would be impossible to sort through the vast amount of films being released at a time.

An audience is able to understand what the film narrative will consist of before they even watch it so will know whether they will enjoy it and will understand its context at a far quicker pace.

WHY IS GENRE IMPORTANT TO PRODUCERS?

Genre is a very useful tool for film producers when working out how popular the film could be and how to market it well to increase its success. A huge part of marketing a film is its genre as the producers are able to specifically target their advertising to the group of fans who appreciate and like the genre of the film.

Genre is also helpful to producers when looking for what film to make. Since genres categorise films, producers are able to look at what type of film is most popular at the moment and can estimate its success.

Genres also come with generic codes and narratives which the audience expect so the producers know how to please and surprise their audience.

WHAT ARE HYBRID-GENRES?

A hybrid genre is when two or more genres are blended together to create a new genre. These genre normally have similar audiences which join together to make one bigger audience but in some cases the original genres can contrast. (e.g. Romantic-Horror)

ROMANCE + COMEDY = ROM/COM

SCIENCE + FICTION = SCI/FI

HORROR + FANTASY = DARK/FANTASYHybrisgenre successfully allow two audiences to join together to join into one bigger audience and help to create a more interesting narrative. With a bigger audience, a producer can also have a bigger budget for the film and marketing to overall make a better film.HOWEVERMany film fans may be dedicated to the one genre and may dislike the second genre it has been merged with so the film could loose out on fans it would have as a single genre. The narrative may become to confusing and could contrast and not make sense.

WHAT ARE SUB-GENRES?

Sub-genres are when a genre branches out to create further types of its original genre. For example:

A comedy has darker humour in it so can be referred to as DARK COMEDY

A comedy with cheesy comedy can be called a SLAPSTICK COMEDY

A comedy which mocks something is called a PARODY

(Although intended to be funny, included themes of death and fear)EXAMPLE: SHAUN OF THE DEAD

(Physical, clean family humour which is normally over exaggerated.)EXAMPLE: NATIONAL LAMPOONS VACATION

(Mocking a group of people or another film for a humorous effect)EXAMPLE: SCARY MOVIE

ARE GENRES FIXED?

Genres are not fixed and over time they may change based on what their audience wants. As more films of the genre are made, more genre concepts are challenged as each film is likely to cross “genre boundaries”. Very few films of a genre all conform to the same conventions and rules leaving the genre unfixed. This also

Genres may also change as social context does or could become “old fashioned” and unused until someone reproduces the genre with modernised genre conventions which suit a modern audience.

Sub-genres have different conventions to the main genre also meaning it would be impossible to fix them.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://www.filmsite.org/genres.html

http://en/Wikipedia.org/wiki/film_genre

http://www.Glyndwr.ac.uk/rdover/mediastud/genre.htm