Genre

Classification of media texts into groups with similar characteristics

Activity

What kind of storyline would this film have? Who might the villains be? Which actors might appear in this film? Where might this film be set? What else can you expect?

What kind of storyline would this film have? Who might the villains be? Which actors might appear in this film? Where might this film be set? What else can you expect?

1990 American Crime Film directed by Martin Scorsese.

Type-casting

Genre

Classification of media texts into groups with similar characteristics, governed by a set of codes and conventions.

Comes from the French (originally Latin) word for ‘Class’.

What are the benefits of a genre?

Genre

Genres are categories of media that should be easily recognisable to anyone.

What are the benefits of a genre?

Easily recognisable to anyone.

Allows audience to choose whether or not they want to

engage with the media text.

Activity:

Name as many genres as you can.

Subjects: Horror/thriller Chick flick Fantasy Action/adventure Romance Western Comedy Gangster Sport Fairy tale Musical Reality

Genre We look for the signifiers of genre that lead us to the signs that we associate with particular genres. These signifiers are; dress of actors, settings, tools of trade, etc. This is Iconography.

Genre

Genre is a formula that can be repeated again, and again.

Just like in Goodfellas, we expected to see the following signifiers;

car chases, guns, urban setting, mafia, heroes, villains, violence, Italians, beautiful women.

Genre If genre is repeated, it can cause reassurance for the audience.

It is part of the reason they select texts.

Why is it important in relation to the audience’ choice?

Genre If genre is repeated, it can cause reassurance for the audience.

It is part of the reason they select texts.

Why is it important in relation to the audience’ choice?

Censorship!

Activity

List codes and conventions for horror genre.

• Dark colours, backgrounds

• A number of scenes in the dark

• Creepy music

• Silence to build suspense

• Heavy breathing sounds

• Shadows

• Volatile weather (mist, storms, thunder etc)

• Screaming

• Isolation or someone alone

Genre: Considerations & Limitations Is genre Gender specific? Can it be applied to all media texts? What about changes in time? (post 9/11) Is it too generalized? (What about sub-genres) Hollyoaks later? Brokeback Mountain? Moulin Rouge? Breaking convention?

Genre: Considerations & Limitations

Those that could be seen to break convention could be

categorized as Genre Hybrids.

This is when the conventions of two genres meet and

expectations of both genres are fulfilled.

Functions of genre Descriptive approach Functional approach

Genre: Conclusions Is genre the best way to communicate the ‘type’ of media to the audience? Is there a finite taxonomy of genres or are they, in principle, infinite? 'the number of genres in any society... depends on the complexity and

diversity of society‘ Carolyn Miller

Activity:

Watch Hollyoaks Later trailer.

Highlight the signifiers of that genre.

What kind of storylines will it have?

Homework: Extra Reading

See the VLE for Further Reading resources on Genre!