1. Heather and Steph
1

2.  It’s a method of categorisation
 Genre represents how texts are constructed,
as well as what’s in them
 Characteristics include: visual elements,
editing style, actors, props, costumes,
lighting, music etc.

3.  “Those particular signs that we associate with particular
genres – a pattern of visual elements common to a genre”
 These ‘icons’ are usually found within the mise-en-scene of a
text.
 “Icons are second-order symbols, in that their symbolic
meaning is not necessarily a connection established within the
individual text, but is already symbolic because of their use
across a number of similar previous texts”
 Horror Example – Young Girls, ‘Normal’ setting, use of high
key and low key lighting, blood, knives etc.
 These icons can be – Symbolic, Iconic or Indexical.

4.  Hybridisation is a term used to describe a type of media
convergence whereby a new mode emerges containing
elements of combined media.
 Hybrid media represent most modern media and the concept
that different media forms can work together to create new
media (http://newmedia.wikia.com/wiki/Hybridization)
 E.g. Romantic comedy and Horror thriller
 Sub-genre is a term to describe a subcategory within a
particular genre
 E.g. Action suspense-thrillers, film noir

5.  The structuralist film theory supports the notion of genre:
 It emphasises that films convey meaning through the use of codes
and conventions
 Each element within a cultural system derives its meaning from its
relationship to every other element in the system
 “With genre, Conventions are usual indicators such as phrases,
themes, quotes, or explanations that we expect to find in a certain
genre. They could be considered "stereotypes" of that genre. For
example, Science fiction is expected to be set in the future, and has
futuristic events, technological advances and futuristic ideas. Realistic
fiction is expected to contain a story about people who could pass as
real, struggling through real-life situations and/or real world events,
etc.” (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genre_studies#Conventions_of_a_genre)

6.  The genre theory was developed in the 60’s and 70’s. It is a continued
argument and debate about what it is and the actual existence.
 Early theories came from French cinema critiqe Andre Bazin –“The western
must be something else again than its form. Gal­loping horses, fights, strong
and brave men in a wildly austere land­scape could not add up to a definition
of the genre nor encompass its charms” - The Western, Andre Bazin
 Ultimately, Bazin believes that there is more to genre than just a list of
characteristics.

 On the other hand it can be argued that audiences are reassured by the
concept of genre as they like the “familiar patterns of representation and
variation”- AS Media Studies, Essential information, Rayner Et al Media Studies

7. http://www.mediaknowall.com/gcse/keyconceptsgcse/keycon.php?pageID=g
No — genres are described as dynamic, i.e. the boundaries are
constantly changing. Individual texts can challenge conventions,
and defy certain parts of the usual genre categorisation — for
instance, recent movies such as Superbad, Forgetting Sarah
Marshall and Knocked Up (all from the same producer, Judd
Apatow) have redefined the romantic comedy genre, making the
humour cruder, and telling stories from a male character's, rather
than a female's perspective. Genre texts would get very boring
and predictable if they all followed exactly the same conventions
— no audiences would want to consume new ones, they would
just keep on revisiting old favourites.

8. Theorist and critic Rick Altman (1999) came up with a list of points he found
problematic with genre classification.
 Genre is a useful category, because it bridges multiple concerns.
 Genres are defined by the film industry and recognised by mass audience.
 Genres have clear, stable identities and borders.
 He would argue that you can take a narrative theory, and apply it to any film – does
that make the narrative irrelevant to understanding genre?
 The genre is classified by the visual aspects: clothing, props, characters and mise-
en-scene.
http://www.slideshare.net/HeworthMedia/genre-t

9. But...
 Genre is more complex that that, it's not
merely a beginning, complication and
resolution
 It can be argued that the narrative plays a
huge part in the classification as seen in films
such as Lord of the Rings – the meaning is
derived from the narrative as well as the genre,
thus linking both narrative and genre together.

10.  Postmodernism suggests that everything is
copy and as a result there are no longer any
original ideas.
 As a result it can be argued that there will be
no new genres in film.
 Instead we see combinations of genres
coming together to form new ideas made of a
mixture of codes and conventions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-HuenDPZw0

11. But...
 It can be argued that genre is a tool.
 - audiences use genre to fulfil their
expectations.
 Genre is used to target a particular audience,
thus it can be considered a tool for institutions
when distributing their product.

12.  The idea of genre is that it helps the audience establish what
they are watching and different genres appeal to different
groups of people.
 The Inbetweeners for example. Could be established as a
comedy however to put it to any other genre would be
difficult.
 “The most important recent development in thinking about
familiar entertainment genres was to put them into the
context of audiences understanding and activities. Genres are
no longer seen as sets of fixed elements, but as working with
repertoires of fixed elements or fluid systems of convention
and expectation”(Gill Branston and Roy Stafford 2000)