10: What is Genre?

10: What is Genre?

Genre is a specific style  or category of art, music, or literature. 

e.g.

Crime

Western

Horror

Drama

Comedy

Action

Adventure

Scientific fiction

Romance

Musical

Thriller

Documentary

Family

War

Sub-Genre is a subdivision of a genre of literature, music or film.

e.g.

Romantic Comedy (Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You and The 40 Year Old Virgin)

Hybrid Genre can also be known as a cross genre which incorporates themes and elements from two or more genres.

Codes and Conventions are systems of signs, which create meaning and generally accepted ways of doing something.

Genre Tropes are cliches or conventional themes for a certain genre.

My Three Favorite Genres:

1. Thriller:

A Thriller Genre focuses anticipation and suspense.The aim is to keep the audience alert and anxious.

The main character is usually set to fix a problem e,g, an escape, a mission, or a mystery. 

The tension and danger is increased as the film goes on and leads to a highly stressful climax.

They can end in a good or bad way.

Example: Taken is based on a former government operative who is trying to reconnect with his daughter, who feels that he wasn't involved with her childhood because he was always at 'work', which caused her parents to split up. She doesn't know that her dad was actually a spy.

Then sex slavers abduct his daughter and her friend shortly after they arrive in Paris for vacation. He has only four days before she is auctioned off. In Taken 3 his family is yet again abducted.

(Taken 3)

In this still the main character is shown interrogating a man and showing a picture of his daughter. His eyes are sharp and shown to intimidate the man. Always delivering on his promise that he 'will find them and kill them'.

2. Comedy/Action:

An Action film is a genre where physical action takes place in the story-line, which includes continuous use motion and action including physical stunts, chases, fights, battles, and races. 

It centers on a hero that has set out to achieve a goal, but is facing incredible odds to obtain it, destroying anything in their way. I prefer the genre that combines action with humor. 

Action-Comedy has the characters to bring out the humor, and the action is less intense than in a normal action movie.

Example: Rush Hour is based on Detective Lee who is a Hong Kong cop that has been assigned to investigate a case in Los Angeles with a brash and trouble-seeking US detective named Carter. 

(Rush Hour)

In this still both detectives are seen 'play-fighting', this shows the comedy side to the film, they are wearing normal smart clothing as they are under cover,

3. Romance:

A Romance Genre focuses on a relationship or romantic love between two people, although it could include a love triangle. The film will usually end with an optimistic ending.

Example: The Notebook is based on on old man who visits an elderly invalid woman and begins to reads a love story to her. As the film progresses you come to realise that the film centers around two lovers life and the elderly women is actually his wife but suffers from Dementia. The movie shows flashbacks of events that have happened and is narrated by the main character. The film ends with a quite tearful but happy ending.

(The Notebook)

In this still the couple are shown in a flashback. The scene is set in the past so the mise-en-scene is dated clothes. The main character is dressed in a plain shirt as they are on a date but his shirt sleeves are rolled up and his hair and facial hair are quite scruffy as he is of a lower class then his lover. His lover is wearing a form fitting and classy dress with pearls and her hair is done up. They are in a boat for a summer date and his lover is shown smiling and quite surprised meaning that even though he is of lower class she still finds his company enjoyable.