What is Genre?

What is Genre?

Genre is a type or category of film. It is a way of classifying a film to help us to identify it so we can.

·         Thriller: Leon: The professional (1994)

      ·         Horror: The Conjuring (2013)
      ·         Science fiction: Star Trek: into darkness (2013)
      ·         Romantic Comedy: The proposal (2009)
      ·         Comedy: The Worlds End (2013)
      ·         Romance: Amélie (2001)
      ·         Musicals: Les miserable (2012)
      ·         Documentary: One direction movie: This is us (2013)
      ·         Adventure: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
      ·         Family film: Monsters  University (2013)
      ·         Animation: Pocahontas (1995)
      ·         Fantasy: The Grinch (2000)
      ·         Action: Elysium (2013)

 

Three Types of Genre…

Major Genre

A dominant, important category, it should be obvious and easy to define.

 

Subgenre

A minor category or subdivision that is closely related to its major genre by being a specific type in its own right, e.g. James Bond films

 

Hybrid genre or generic hybrid

Combinations of major genres that sometimes create another type of film e.g. horror/western.

 

How do we use Genre?

·         Particular audiences like certain genres

      ·         They help us to analyse films and see how they have been marketed and constructed
      ·         It gives the film an identity
      ·         It will attract a mainstream audience
      ·         To Sell the film
      ·         To inform the audience of the types of characters or storyline of the film
      ·         To give audience what they expect
      ·         We can track films historical progression through the genres

 

How do we recognise genres?

We identify genre by looking at:

·         Generic codes and conventions, these are signifies that have been established through time and should be recognised in the mese- en- scene, the characters and the storyline.

 

·         Signifiers are the physical aspects that we see or hear in a film, such as the clothes or props. We interpret these signifiers to create meanings.