2. • There are three main purposes which categorise texts into
genres. They are:
• to influence production in order to fit into a particular genre
• to give insight into ways audiences consume texts
• to help consider texts from an academic perspective.
This creates a chicken and egg effect, asking which comes first?
Do they all happen at the same time? Do the directions shift?
And if they do, what causes them to shift?
3. Theories
• Todorov said: ‘All media production takes place in the
light of other media production and represents partly
a response to the pre-existing world of production’
• So does this mean there can never be any originality?
Are we doomed to experience the same text over
and over again?
4. How do we define a genre?
• We can break texts into genres and sub-genres to show the
groups of texts that share common features and the relation
of the groups to one another.
• The truth is that there is no single perfect way to trace the
relationships between these categories and any graph made
will be far too simplistic to reflect the complex interactions
media texts have. It is the chicken and the egg but on a grand
scale with lots of chickens and lots of eggs.
• If we recognise that genre is a flawed idea, then perhaps the
way forward is the hybrid, the text that mixes genres and is
therefore, original.
5. • If we recognise that genre is a flawed idea, then perhaps the way forward is the hybrid, the
text that mixes genres and is therefore, original.
• There are two types of hybrid:
• Regressive
• This is when a text attempts to take on elements ‘original’ to a genre by resisting change that
has already happened within the genre and attempting to go back to an earlier state.
Inevitably, this is difficult because the audience’s expectations are often based on these
changes, so although they are not used in the text, these elements can be conspicuous by
their absence.
• Progressive
• This is when a text is created by melding aspects of different genres. This is generally an
attempt at originality, but typically all the elements used have been used before, so all that is
original is the blending of them, and often this is nothing new in itself.
• But what if a text is attempting to be entirely different and innovative? What if it defies
categorisation? These texts are the Mavericks, and there are few true ones as most texts
have some affinity with a genre.
6. • Conventions
• This is a broad term for any element
associated with a particular genre. This
includes media language, narrative style or
anything else really associated with it.
• Iconography
• These are the visuals associated with a genre.
What scenery, lighting or mise-en-scene
makes a genre?
7. • So how do you apply all this theory within the exam? It is no
good just writing a theoretical essay, it needs to be firmly
based in texts. We have studied a range of texts in lessons
and these are a good place to begin tracing the development
of and definition of a genre. But you need to do your own
personal viewing to flesh out your response. Watch texts on
the net, look at new or upcoming programmes or films that fit
into the genres we’ve studied.
8. SALT
• The film Salt is within the genre of action,
however it has the subgenre of suspense,
mystery and thriller.
• It is a progressive film as the text is created by
melding aspects of different genres.
• Salt has the typical conventions of an action
thriller such as fight scenes, chases, a mission,
and destruction.
9. • How does this text build on the traditions set out by earlier
genre texts?
• What conventions and iconography that you expect from
this genre appear in this text?
• Who is the intended audience of this text? What impact do
you see this having on the text’s production and reception?
• What predictions would you make about the future of this
genre based on this text?
10. How does this text build on the traditions set
out by earlier genre texts?
• Salt builds on the traditions set out by earlier
genre texts as it follows the typical
conventions of an action/thriller, however, it
has a big twist near the end. This can also be a
typical feature within this genre.
11. What conventions and iconography that you
expect from this genre appear in this text?
• The typical conventions of an action film
appear in this text such as fights, chase
scenes, destruction and a mission.
• Salt is set in a large city and then travels, this
is typical iconography for an action/suspense
thriller.
12. Who is the intended audience of this text? What
impact do you see this having on the text’s production
and reception?
• Salt is a 12A which suggests it is aimed at
anyone older than 12, it is most suited to
young adults onwards as there is violence and
a confusing story.
13. What predictions would you make about the
future of this genre based on this text?
• I would predict that action thrillers will
continue to do well as the equipment keeps
improving, for example in Salt, many stunts
would have needed certain equipment and
that is what attracts viewers to action films.
