Blog task: genre
Genre: notes
Genres may be identified by the following:
Narrative structures
Plot
Typical situations, characters and relationships
Visual iconographyMise-en-scene: props, costumes, locations etc.
Cinematography
Ideology and themes
Representations, values and ideologies
Daniel Chandler suggests definitions of genre tend to be based on the notion that they constitute particular conventions of content (such as themes or settings - iconography) and/or form (including structure and style) which are shared by the texts which are regarded as belonging to them.
Genre: institution and audience
Tolson (1996) suggests that genre “mediates between industry and audience”.
Abercrombie suggests that “television producers set out to exploit genre conventions... It... makes sound economic sense.”
Abercromie adds: “Genres permit the creation and maintenance of a loyal audience which becomes used to seeing programmes within a genre.”
Genres of order and integration
Some theorists (including Schatz) have suggested there are only two genres:
Genres of order: western, gangster, action, sci-fi etc. Identified by hero (dominant; male), setting (contested, unstable), conflict (external; fighting), resolution (death).
Genres of integration: comedies, musicals, rom-coms etc.
Identified by heroes (couple or collective); setting (civilised space); conflict (internal; emotional); resolution (love).
Neale: “Repetition and difference”
Steve Neale declares that “genres are instances of repetition and difference” (Neale 1980). He adds: “Difference is absolutely essential to the economy of genre” - mere repetition would not attract an audience.
Buckingham (1993) agrees, suggesting contemporary theory sees genre as dynamic: “Genre is not... simply "given" by the culture: rather, it is in a constant process of negotiation and change”.
Schatz develops this idea that genres are dynamic and suggests they go through a cycle:
Innovation: genre codes are established
Classical: conventions are repeated
Parody: codes become clichéd and are mocked
Deconstruction: the genre is experimented with to establish new or different conventions
Genres may be identified by the following:
Narrative structures
Plot
Typical situations, characters and relationships
Visual iconographyMise-en-scene: props, costumes, locations etc.
Cinematography
Ideology and themes
Representations, values and ideologies
Genre: institution and audience
Tolson (1996) suggests that genre “mediates between industry and audience”.
Abercrombie suggests that “television producers set out to exploit genre conventions... It... makes sound economic sense.”
Abercromie adds: “Genres permit the creation and maintenance of a loyal audience which becomes used to seeing programmes within a genre.”
Genres of order and integration
Some theorists (including Schatz) have suggested there are only two genres:
Genres of order: western, gangster, action, sci-fi etc. Identified by hero (dominant; male), setting (contested, unstable), conflict (external; fighting), resolution (death).
Genres of integration: comedies, musicals, rom-coms etc.
Identified by heroes (couple or collective); setting (civilised space); conflict (internal; emotional); resolution (love).
Neale: “Repetition and difference”
Buckingham (1993) agrees, suggesting contemporary theory sees genre as dynamic: “Genre is not... simply "given" by the culture: rather, it is in a constant process of negotiation and change”.
Innovation: genre codes are established
Classical: conventions are repeated
Parody: codes become clichéd and are mocked
Deconstruction: the genre is experimented with to establish new or different conventions
Read Media Factsheet 03 - Genre: Categorising texts and answer the following questions:
1) What example is provided of why visual iconographies are so important?
"the mise en scene of deep space, usually indicates the genre of sci-fi." Visual iconographies indicate what the genre is.
2) What examples are provided of the importance of narrative in identifying genre?
"Visual and aural iconographies are not the only way that genres can be identified. Genre can also be indicated in the way the story is told via its narrative (the structure of the story telling) and plot (the events and occurrences within the story)." The example is a soap opera.
"Visual and aural iconographies are not the only way that genres can be identified. Genre can also be indicated in the way the story is told via its narrative (the structure of the story telling) and plot (the events and occurrences within the story)." The example is a soap opera.
3) What is the difference between character representation in action movies and disaster movies?
The character in a action movie is presented to be a lone wolf and gets the job done with little or no help whereas in disaster movies, there is more likely a group of people who have particular attributes that contribute to the story.
The character in a action movie is presented to be a lone wolf and gets the job done with little or no help whereas in disaster movies, there is more likely a group of people who have particular attributes that contribute to the story.
4) What are the different ways films can be categorised according to Bordwell?
Period or Country, e.g. US films of the 1930s
Director / Star, e.g. Ben Stiller Films
Technical Process, e.g. Animation
Style, e.g. German Expressionism
Series, e.g. Bond; • Audience, e.g. Family Films
5) List three ways genre is used by audiences.
The audience uses their prior knowledge to think if they like the text or not.
The audience compare other texts to explain to others what kind of text it is.
They also use their knowledge of genre to reject a text because they think of the genre and they don't like the genre.
6) List three ways genre is used by institutions or producers.
Some producers have loyal fan-bases and their fan base will follow them even if it means watching a new genre.
Marketing Texts: producers set up codes and conventions in their trailers to attract the audience
producers uses genres as templates to make up a movie and follow what other successful movies have done.
7) What film genre is used as an example of how genres evolve? What films and conventions are mentioned?
Horror.
films and conventions mentioned:
vampire movies (Blade (1998: dir. S. Norrington))
psychological horrors (Saw (2004, dir. J. Wan))
gothic horrors (Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992: dir. F. Coppola))
ghost stories (The Grudge (2004: dir. T. Shimuzu))
the teen slasher (Scream (1996: dir. W. Craven))
haunted-house movies (The Amityville Horror (2005: dir. A. Douglas))
Period or Country, e.g. US films of the 1930s
Director / Star, e.g. Ben Stiller Films
Technical Process, e.g. Animation
Style, e.g. German Expressionism
Series, e.g. Bond; • Audience, e.g. Family Films
5) List three ways genre is used by audiences.
The audience uses their prior knowledge to think if they like the text or not.
The audience compare other texts to explain to others what kind of text it is.
They also use their knowledge of genre to reject a text because they think of the genre and they don't like the genre.
6) List three ways genre is used by institutions or producers.
Some producers have loyal fan-bases and their fan base will follow them even if it means watching a new genre.
Marketing Texts: producers set up codes and conventions in their trailers to attract the audience
producers uses genres as templates to make up a movie and follow what other successful movies have done.
7) What film genre is used as an example of how genres evolve? What films and conventions are mentioned?
Horror.
films and conventions mentioned:
vampire movies (Blade (1998: dir. S. Norrington))
psychological horrors (Saw (2004, dir. J. Wan))
gothic horrors (Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992: dir. F. Coppola))
ghost stories (The Grudge (2004: dir. T. Shimuzu))
the teen slasher (Scream (1996: dir. W. Craven))
haunted-house movies (The Amityville Horror (2005: dir. A. Douglas))
Read Media Factsheet 126 - Superheroes: A Genre Case Study and answer the following questions:
1) List five films the factsheet discusses with regards to the Superhero genre.
The X Men Franchise (7 Films since 2000 – 4 more planned)
The Avengers and its franchise including: Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Hulk etc. (11 Films since 2000 – 3 more planned)
Spiderman (5 Films since 2000)
Guardians of the Galaxy
Agents of Shield (TV Series)
2) What examples are provided of how the Superhero genre has reflected the changing values, ideologies and world events of the last 70 years?
At each period of time we can see the superhero offers slightly different narratives. He faces different villains, has to overcome different obstacles and has different types of relationships with the women in his life. The superhero genre has to fit in with the dominant values of the day if audiences are going to be able to relate to such a fantastical story. Genres replicate cultural myths and fears and by addressing them within stories a culture is able to play out those fears and concerns. Genres offer ideological reassurance when the narratives offer a resolution that addresses these fears and especially when the fears are overcome. Conventional superhero texts tend to show the hero defeating the enemy so this is often seen as one of the more reassuring of genres.
In the 1940s, Superman was shown needing to battle European bad-guys who threatened the peace and security of Metropolis. Even though he only wanted to live a quiet life, he was forced into conflict for the greater good. WW2 began in 1939 and the US people saw it at first as a European issue. As the war got underway, the US government saw that they might have to get involved – even if many of their population did not want to. Episodes of the early Superman serials can often be seen reinforcing the need for America to be prepared to fight to protect its culture and values
Superman battles against Lex Luther who is a wealthy businessman and media magnate. This character appears first in the 1930s and then again in the 1978 film. It is also significant that Superman was raised in the rural community of Smallville. This sets him up in conflict with greedy, city values. Both timeframes suffered economic depressions. In the 1930s, the blame for the Great Depression was put on the greed of capitalists and the media was identified as being untrustworthy as wealthy capitalists ran it. This anti-corporate feeling was also around at the end of the 70s as industrial disputes put managers and workers in conflict and the West continued the process of industrialising agriculture and de-industrialising manufacturing... both leading to unemployment in the working classes.
One of Batman’s enemies in the 1995 film Batman Forever is Two-Face and the on-going internal battle for the superhero is the tension between his light and dark sides. This binary plays out in a number of ways in the 80s/90s series. The latter half of the 20th Century saw the secure knowledge and understanding of previously stable binaries become eroded. Ideas of good and evil/hero and villain/ right and wrong become less clear and less certain. Comparing the 80s/90s Batman to its 60s version or the 70s version of Superman shows that the idea of ‘hero’ and ‘villain’ was being challenged and questioned in the later films
In X Men (2000), Mutants are outsiders who are seen as freaks by ‘normal’ people - so much so that many mutants seek to hide their difference. Some join with other mutants to react violently to discrimination whilst others try to work with humans in an attempt to fit in. Superhero films are often seen as reactionary and conservative. The first X Men film has quite progressive values and foregrounds tolerance, community and communication. The series is based on a collective rather than an individual so will inevitably deal with problems differently to the more conventional ‘lone wolf’ superheroes. The problems the mutants face are often seen as metaphors for the intolerance of racism and/or homophobia. Although things for non-white/straight groups were improving in the 00s discrimination of all types was (and is still) an issue in western culture.
Spiderman 3 (2007) gives Spiderman several different enemies – Sandman - a man made of sand and Venom, created by an oily substance that infects from within and turns people into monsters. Like Batman Forever, it also deals with the duality of a hero being both ‘light’ and ‘dark’.
The film offers a not too hidden metaphor for the conflict the US found themselves in during the 00s. Wars had been fought in desert regions with the main prize being the control of oil. The binary opposition between good and evil is still a theme that is present in the genre.
3) How can Schatz's theory of genre cycles be applied to the Superhero genre?
1) List five films the factsheet discusses with regards to the Superhero genre.
The X Men Franchise (7 Films since 2000 – 4 more planned)
The Avengers and its franchise including: Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Hulk etc. (11 Films since 2000 – 3 more planned)
Spiderman (5 Films since 2000)
Guardians of the Galaxy
Agents of Shield (TV Series)
2) What examples are provided of how the Superhero genre has reflected the changing values, ideologies and world events of the last 70 years?
At each period of time we can see the superhero offers slightly different narratives. He faces different villains, has to overcome different obstacles and has different types of relationships with the women in his life. The superhero genre has to fit in with the dominant values of the day if audiences are going to be able to relate to such a fantastical story. Genres replicate cultural myths and fears and by addressing them within stories a culture is able to play out those fears and concerns. Genres offer ideological reassurance when the narratives offer a resolution that addresses these fears and especially when the fears are overcome. Conventional superhero texts tend to show the hero defeating the enemy so this is often seen as one of the more reassuring of genres.
In the 1940s, Superman was shown needing to battle European bad-guys who threatened the peace and security of Metropolis. Even though he only wanted to live a quiet life, he was forced into conflict for the greater good. WW2 began in 1939 and the US people saw it at first as a European issue. As the war got underway, the US government saw that they might have to get involved – even if many of their population did not want to. Episodes of the early Superman serials can often be seen reinforcing the need for America to be prepared to fight to protect its culture and values
Superman battles against Lex Luther who is a wealthy businessman and media magnate. This character appears first in the 1930s and then again in the 1978 film. It is also significant that Superman was raised in the rural community of Smallville. This sets him up in conflict with greedy, city values. Both timeframes suffered economic depressions. In the 1930s, the blame for the Great Depression was put on the greed of capitalists and the media was identified as being untrustworthy as wealthy capitalists ran it. This anti-corporate feeling was also around at the end of the 70s as industrial disputes put managers and workers in conflict and the West continued the process of industrialising agriculture and de-industrialising manufacturing... both leading to unemployment in the working classes.
One of Batman’s enemies in the 1995 film Batman Forever is Two-Face and the on-going internal battle for the superhero is the tension between his light and dark sides. This binary plays out in a number of ways in the 80s/90s series. The latter half of the 20th Century saw the secure knowledge and understanding of previously stable binaries become eroded. Ideas of good and evil/hero and villain/ right and wrong become less clear and less certain. Comparing the 80s/90s Batman to its 60s version or the 70s version of Superman shows that the idea of ‘hero’ and ‘villain’ was being challenged and questioned in the later films
In X Men (2000), Mutants are outsiders who are seen as freaks by ‘normal’ people - so much so that many mutants seek to hide their difference. Some join with other mutants to react violently to discrimination whilst others try to work with humans in an attempt to fit in. Superhero films are often seen as reactionary and conservative. The first X Men film has quite progressive values and foregrounds tolerance, community and communication. The series is based on a collective rather than an individual so will inevitably deal with problems differently to the more conventional ‘lone wolf’ superheroes. The problems the mutants face are often seen as metaphors for the intolerance of racism and/or homophobia. Although things for non-white/straight groups were improving in the 00s discrimination of all types was (and is still) an issue in western culture.
Spiderman 3 (2007) gives Spiderman several different enemies – Sandman - a man made of sand and Venom, created by an oily substance that infects from within and turns people into monsters. Like Batman Forever, it also deals with the duality of a hero being both ‘light’ and ‘dark’.
The film offers a not too hidden metaphor for the conflict the US found themselves in during the 00s. Wars had been fought in desert regions with the main prize being the control of oil. The binary opposition between good and evil is still a theme that is present in the genre.
3) How can Schatz's theory of genre cycles be applied to the Superhero genre?
Innovation: The visual codes for the superhero genre were largely established via the comic books. As soon as film and TV began to use the comic book characters other codes and conventions regarding the presentation of the genre in moving image were set. This can be seen in the early superhero shorts of the 1940s.
Classical: By the 1950s the superhero genre could be seen to be in its classical stage with the codes and conventions being replicated in the film and TV programmes of the time.
Parody: Batman (1966) was intentionally funny and camp and wouldn’t let its audience take the superhero too seriously. It had an ironic tone that flagged up the daft nature of the genre and allowed the audience to enjoy the awareness of that. After Batman, the classical and parodic versions of the genre were largely located in children’s animation, from Spider-Man whose animated adventures were on TV from the late 1960s, to the less than serious versions of the genre in Mighty Mouse (a perennially popular cartoon first made in the 1940s), Atom Ant (from the late 60s), Capta,
Finally, carry out your own genre analysis using the model provided by media theorist Daniel Chandler. Choose a film or TV text and answer the following questions:
General
1) Why did you choose the text you are analysing?
2) In what context did you encounter it?
I found it on Netflix
3) What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of the text?
At first I thought it would be a really bad because Netflix doesn't produce the best of series but I still watched it and it was worth it.
4) To what genre did you initially assign the text?
5) What is your experience of this genre?
I don't watch a lot of drama/horror movies or tv shows but I do occasionally watch a mystery-type movie.
6) What subject matter and basic themes is the text concerned with?
7) How typical of the genre is this text in terms of content?
Stranger Things is sort of cliched but it brings back nostalgic feelings from the audience which they enjoy.
8) What expectations do you have about texts in this genre?
I feel like horror type movies contain a lot of jumpscares and scary looking monsters/villains. They also contain usually a lot of deaths.
9) Have you found any formal generic labels for this particular text (where)?
What I did find generic is that when they showed the flashlight panning across the room and a face pops up which is pretty generic for when a character in a horror/thriller genre shows their flashlight across the room.
10) What generic labels have others given the same text?
11) Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the text?
I recognized that there was a jumpscare which is now pretty much what you expect in a horror movie.
12) To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre?
I think Stranger Things didn't stretch out horror too far because there wasn't any big moments of tension or any repetitive jumpscare.
I think Stranger Things didn't stretch out horror too far because there wasn't any big moments of tension or any repetitive jumpscare.
13) Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?
14) Which conventions seem more like those of a different genre (and which genre(s))?
I think the monster from Stranger Things made the series kind of feel like a disaster movie.
I think the monster from Stranger Things made the series kind of feel like a disaster movie.
15) What familiar motifs or images are used?
A boy searching for his friend.
A boy searching for his friend.
Mode of address
1) What sort of audience did you feel that the text was aimed at (and how typical was this of the genre)?
I think Stranger Things was aimed for a mature audience from around 16+
I think Stranger Things was aimed for a mature audience from around 16+
2) How does the text address you?
Stranger Things does not address the audience.
Stranger Things does not address the audience.
3) What sort of person does it assume you are?
Stranger Things doesn't assume what type of person I am.
Stranger Things doesn't assume what type of person I am.
4) What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity?
Stranger Things is a tv series and doesn't assume anything.
Stranger Things is a tv series and doesn't assume anything.
5) What interests does it assume you have?
Stranger Things assumes that I like sci-fi, drama, horror.
Stranger Things assumes that I like sci-fi, drama, horror.
Relationship to other texts
1) What intertextual references are there in the text you are analysing (and to what other texts)?
2) Generically, which other texts does the text you are analysing resemble most closely?
3) What key features are shared by these texts?
4) What major differences do you notice between them?
The biggest difference i noticed is that the monster in "The host" lives underwater and was killed by fire.
The biggest difference i noticed is that the monster in "The host" lives underwater and was killed by fire.
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