- The document discusses three genre theorists - Rick Altman, Steven Neale, and Christians Metz - and their approaches to genre theory. - It describes Altman's three point theory of genre consisting of the semantic, syntactic, and pragmatic stages of analyzing a film. It provides the example of the movie Saw to illustrate this theory. - Steven Neale's repetition and difference approach is explained as how genres contain both repetition of conventions but also differences to keep audiences engaged and prevent boredom. The movies Bridget Jones Diary and The Fault in Our Stars are used as examples. - Finally, Christians Metz's four stage theory of the experimental, classical, parody, and deconstruction stages of how genres develop over

1. Genre Development Theory
I’m going to describethree main genre theorists who we’ve been learningabout. All three theorists imposean
influential approach to my coursework, as their way of thinkingexplains why and how the world of genre
works and what impact this has on the audience and how this has developed throughout time, the theor ists
Rick Altman, Steven Neale and Rick Mitz’s approaches to the theory of genre proved important and their
influencewill impactheavily my work for the AS media coursework.
Rick Altman’s Three Point Theory Approach:
Altman is formally known for his three pointtheory where proposes that genre is broken down into three
categories of which he calls itthe Semantic, Syntactic and Pragmatic approach,usingbuildingblocks hestates
that to understand the genre you need to usehis three point approach to analysingitand then understanding
it.
The firststage is whatAltman defines as the Semantic stage where analysingthemain blocks in the films can
be fully established and recognised,so this would typically becostumes, settings, and characters allowing
audiences to make full interpretations of what they’re watching and can easily identify the genre from this,so
in the movie Saw (2004),directed by James Wan,the semantic stage in this filmis easily identifiablefromthe
opening scenes in the filmwhere central character Adam awakens in a dirty bathroom shackled in chains,with
a stranger in a similarposition on the other side, in this scene, audiences can denote the pool of blood and the
dead corpseholdinga cassette player that this is automatically a Thriller horror where the films opens straight
away with enigmas and the unknown, target audiences can instantly recognisethe initia l buildingblocks here
and can start to work their way up to the Syntactic stage by identifyingthemselves closer to the characters.
The second stage is whatAltman callstheSyntactic stage where audiences goes deeper into the meaning of
the films so the narrative,relationship between the characters and the themes, these are the things that hold
the filmtogether… so comingback to Saw, the syntactic shows a complex narrativestructure,with falsepaths,
clues and resolutions to the plot, the theme is evident throughout the entire filmas the audienceare left to
judge and make their own assumptions on what is aboutto happen, so they’re left to predictand guess about
the characters and plot, however these initial conventions isused in the making of a thriller, target audience
would watch this eagerly awaitingon what’s about to happen as the senseof the unknowing engages
audiences to watch further on.
The laststageto Altman’s approach to genre is called the pragmatic approach where he states that the genre
can be read and understood in different ways by different audiencemembers, so how they react to this,either
being passiveor active,so the pragmatic approach to Saw would have a wide range of different views by
different people, and can be viewed differently at another audience, so non-thriller fans would take a more
negotiated readingand not understand the plotlineat all,as thefilmis inlayed with torture, death and pa in
with a sad violentending with unanswerablequestions,these type of audience would not take this as active
and would not understand the concept of the filmat all, however if seen by a thriller target audience they
would view the text from Saw and take an active approach to how as how the story plottakes placeis which is
the sense of unknowing and being able to predict themselves amongst the plot twists throughout the film.
For me Altman’s approach is highly useful and proves a biginfluencefor my AS coursework, usingthe basic
foundation blocks I can work my way up to creatingmy media opening sequence usingthe Semantic, Syntactic
and Pragmatic approach.
Steven Neale’s Repetition and Difference Approach:
Steven Neale’s theory explains thatrather havingthe same plotevery time, genre can contain both repetition
and difference, so in order for the genre to be identified,the plot needs to take the same established
conventions so that’s its easily identifiablefor the audiences,without this than the audiences wouldn’t grasp a
hold of the filmand wouldn’t enjoy it as the audiences find enjoyment out of the genres that entertain them
and by expecting what happens makes more enjoyment for them as they know and can predictthe final
outcomes of the ending of their preferred genre, so for example in the movie, Bridget Jones Diary (2004),
directed by Sharon Maguire where all the expectations are met and is backed by a happy audience when they

2. watch hapless in loveBridget who struggles with the wrong man whilst experiencingembarrassingsituations
which can be seen as humorous and relatableto the target audience, till atthe end she gets her happy every
after with the perfect man, it has a happy ending with audiences being ableto predict the endings, takingit as
an active reading, however from this,Neale argues that being different and adaptingover time is also essential
to the success of the genre so audiences wouldn’t get bored of the same plot every movie however when 2012
movie The fault in our Stars, directed by Josh Boone, audiences were shocked at this ending, as a romantic
drama film,audiences made predictions on how the filmwould end and as central characters Hazel and
Augustus found love between one another despite recoveringfrom terminal cancer, audiences seen that Hazel
was in critical condition,and predicted shemay die leavingAugustus however when the opposites reversed
leavingHazel aloneaudiences took a more negotiated reading,despite knowing of the story plot involving
cancer,audiences believed that they would find their happy ever after, this promotes Neale’s difference
theory of how when expectations are not met for audiences and different story plots take placethat this leads
to a successful filmand can havethat ability of changingover time, so audiences would not get bored of the
predictableending. Different people will either agree or disagreewith Neale’s genre approach of repetition
and difference and will take different readings of it.
For me, different twists in the plot can provideexcitement for the target audiences and keeps their attention
focused with the unanticipated plots in the story, givingthem suspenseand climax needed to watch a film.
Neale’s approach outlines the target audiences for each genre and how this can be different and vary in ways
and how important itis for me to keep to the thriller plotfor the target audience so that they can take their
understandingof this so the genre is easily identifiableto them.
ChristiansMetz’s Genre Theory Approach:
Metz’s explains thathis genre theory approach takes placein four stages and this is how the genre develops.
The firststage is the Experimental approach where the original genre films began to give the basic initial codes
and conventions needed to be classed as a certain genre, so the foundations would be builtand the codes and
conventions are set.
The second stage is called the classical approach wherethe classical films encirclethe basic conventions and
codes of that particulargenre, so take the firstever thriller made Safety Last (1923) directed by Fred C.
Newmeyer and Sam Taylor.
The other stage of Metzs theorist approach is theparody where conventions have been deformed into
something comical for audiences to laugh at; however itmay not strictly appeal to the main audiencethat the
genre was originally aimed at,so an example of a parody can be Simon Peggs and Nick Frost movies which
normally consistof movies that have been altered into something humorous for their audience, so 2004 movie
Shaun of the Dead directed by Edgar Wrightwould be an excellent example where the main character
attempts to get some kind of focus in his lifeas he deals with his girlfriend,his mother and stepfather, whilstat
the same time, he has to cope with an apocalyptic zombieuprising.This parody filmis supposed to be a
humorous rewrite from 1978 film Dawn of the dead, directed by George A. Romero.
The laststageof Metz’s approach is thedeconstruction and that is how the original codes and conventions
have been used but has been refreshed and can be merged with other genres, an example would be 2011
movie Cowboys and Aliens directed by Jon Favreau, where genres have been merged creatinga sub-genre
consistingof Western, Action, Sci Fi, Thriller,Drama,Fantasy,Adventure and War.
So in conclusion to the three main genre theorists I’ve been researching,I’ve found out a great deal about each
one and how their work can influencemine a great deal, especially when itcomes to creatingmy coursework,
Altman’s approach to the genre theory is a particular interestto me as by usinghis main buildingblocksto
creatinga thriller openingsequence, I can work my way up to creatinga successful openi ngwith all thecodes
and conventions included allowingaudiences to have a full understandingof what they’re watching and can
easily predictthe ending, Altman’s theory slightly mirrors Neale’s approach of the initial codes and
conventions used to easily identify to audiences of the established conventions of the chosen genre, seeking
pleasurein the conventional texts presented to them. But also Neale’s argument of how the genre needs to be

3. different and adaptover time is also essential to the success of the genre to prevent audiences from getting
bored of the predictablestory endings,here Mitzs theory approach is importantas his four stages to
understandingthe development of genre is