4. FILM GENRE
• Copy and complete…. (as many as you can)
FILM GENRE PURPOSE OF GENRE FILM EXAMPLES
Drama
5. Basic film genres (13)
GENRE EXAMPLES
DRAMA My Sister’s Keeper
COMEDY Bridesmaids
ACTION/ADVENTURE The Terminator
ANIMATION Monsters Inc
ROMANCE The Notebook
FOREIGN/WORLD Pan’s Labyrinth
SCI-FI Alien
HORROR Saw
THRILLER Paranormal Activity
MUSICAL Sound of Music
WAR/HISTORICAL Saving Private Ryan
CRIME The Godfather
DOCUMENTARY Catfish
FAMILY Mary Poppins
7. SUBGENRE
GENRES NEW SUBGENRE EXAMPLE
COMEDY ROMANCE/COMEDY
(ROM-COM)
Bridget Jones
Something about Mary
DRAMA DRAMA + ACTION =
DISASTER
2012
Day After Tomorrow
HORROR COMEDY/HORROR Piranha
Shawn of the Dead
THRILLER THRILLER/SUPERNATURAL Paranormal Activity
The Others
When you combine 2 genres together
8. Hybrid
• Word?
• What do you think this means in terms of
film?
9. Hybrid
• Word = mixture or fusion
(example hybrid cars are a combination of petrol/electric)
• What do you think this means in terms of
film?
3 or more genres or mixtures of subgenres
10. HYBRID
GENRES NEW SUBGENRE HYBRID EXAMPLE
COMEDY ROMANCE/COMEDY
(ROM-COM)
ROMANCE
COMEDY
BRITISH
Bridget Jones
DRAMA DRAMA/ACTION =
DISASTER
DRAMA
ACTION
NATURAL DISASTER
Sweeney Todd
Rocky Horror
Picture Show
HORROR COMEDY/HORROR COMEDY
HORROR
ZOMBIE
PARODY
Shawn of the Dead
FAMILY FAMILY/ROMANCE FAMILY
ROMANCE
SCI-FI
THRILLER
Avatar
ACTION ACTION/KUNG FU ACTION
KUNG FU
THRILLER
WESTERN
Kill Bill
When you combine 3 genres together
11. Conventions
• what do you think film conventions are?
• If something is conventional it means…..?
12. Codes and conventions
• Codes are systems of signs, which create meaning.
Codes can be divided into two categories – technical and symbolic:
– Technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to tell the story in a media text,
for example the camera work in a film.
– Symbolic codes show what is beneath the surface of what we see. For example, a character's
actions show you how the character is feeling.
– Some codes fit both categories – music for example, is both technical and symbolic.
Codes can be divided into two categories – technical and symbolic:
CONVENTIONS
Conventions are the generally accepted ways of doing something.
OR FEATURES THAT ARE GENERALLY EXPECTED/FAMILIAR.
There are general conventions in any medium, such as the use of interviewee quotes in a print
article, but conventions are also genre specific.
How codes and conventions apply in media studies
Codes and conventions are used together in any study of genre – it is not enough to discuss a
technical code used such as camera work, without saying how it is conventionally used in a genre.
For example, the technical code of lighting is used in some way in all film genres. It is a convention
of the horror genre that side and back lighting is used to create mystery and suspense – an
integral part of any horror movie.
13. Can you name conventions?
• Let’s think of horror genre….
• Horror film conventions:
• .
• .
• .
• .
Advice: think of all 4 categories for tv drama exam
14. Conventions
• Basic horror conventions:
– Blood and gore in violent scenes
– Isolated settings such as ‘woods’
– An evil villain
– A tense chase scene between victim/villain
– etc
• Conventions change/become more specific with subgenre:
• Zombie horror
– Hero trying to save human race
– Overgrown/rough settings to illustrate abondonment
– etc
• Conventions constantly change over time and subgenre
15. Conventions checklist
• Think of a range of factors with conventions
• Plot
• Theme
• Character types
• Setting/location
• Music/sounds
• Camera shots/angles
• Special effects
• Editing techniques
• Narrative structure (the way the story is
presented/structured)
16. Homework (Due Friday)
• Title: Assignment 1: Genre Exploration Task
• Format: Paper (by hand) or computer
• Must hand in on paper in A4 size (can
fold)……computer stuff – printed out.
• No, you can’t print in the lesson – sort out before.
17. Assessment
• You are being marked on:
• Ability to complete on time
• Understanding of genre, subgenre, hybrid
• Examples of films as evidence
• Effort and detail
• Ability to follow instructions
• Presentation and organisation
• You will receive level and grade.
19. Assignment 1: Genre Exploration
Instructions
• The purpose of this task is to show your understanding of genre, subgenre and
hybrids
Step Instructions
1 Choose genre: HORROR or DRAMA
2. Put that phrase in centre or side of diagram as the central point
3. Underneath write the purpose of the genre ‘The purpose of the horror genre is
to…..’
4. Underneath, purpose, identify some basic conventions of the genre ‘Some basic
conventions of this genre are’
5. Give some examples of classic films in the genre (3-5)
-picture of film cover
-SHORT bullet points under each film to explain how it is that genre
6. Provide 3, 4, 5 subgenres of the genre, write the purpose to each subgenre and have
with at least 3 film examples in each subgenre, provide brief bullet points to explain
how each film is within that subgenre
7. Complete same as 6 but for hybrid (extension of subgenre)
21. Getting diagram templates
• Word
• Insert
• Smart art
Or in powerpoint or create your own
Lay out before gluing!!!!!!
Don’t make it a cluttered mess!!!!!
25. D/E grade
• Some good exploration
• Chooses appropriate films
• Attempt to organise text with
colour/boxes
• Presentation is poor
• Writing is poor – a lot of errors
• Not explaining how the films
are horror
30. Example M - B1 grade
Always uses sentence starters
Range of correct conventions
Range of correct examples
Explains the conventions
Brief and concise text
Text and photo are linked (well
organised)
Screen grab from film (not just
film cover)
31. Identifies range of correct
subgenres
(not just basic genre but
types!!!)
Excellent diagrams for
organisation
Range of correct film
examples & each of them
are slightly different
Explains the conventions
for each one
Explains the subgenre
using sentence starters,
identifying purpose and
conventions
To improve: improve
organisation in these boxes
(too much bulky text)
