1. Importance of genre
Steph Webb

2. What is genre?
Genre is the categorisation of media using specific similarities to define
what is common within each piece of media in the different categories.
Examples of genre include:
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Horror.
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Romance.
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Action.
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Science fiction.
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Western.
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Thriller.

3. Conventions within genres examples
Horror – death, screaming, darkness, blood, people being scared,
black.
Romance – Two main characters, affection, argument, happy ever
after, narration, flirtation.
Action – car chase, gun shots, hero, bad guy, usually money
involved, stunts.
Western – horses, cowboys, sheriff, gun fight, dry land, cowboy hat,
cowboy boots with star studs.
Science fiction – Aliens worlds, Imaginative settings, Set in future,
Galactic Empires that oppress everything, time travel.
Thriller – quick cuts, mirrors, low key lighting, use of shadows,
tension music.

4. Why is it important for the
producers?
It is important for the producers of a media product to use
genre within marketing because by putting it in a genre, it
becomes easier to distinguish and therefore makes it
cheaper for the producers to produce a film.
If they know what film genre they want, it is easier to
classify this using conventions and also it’s easier to
promote the film to the target audience.

5. Why is it important for the
audience?
It is important for the audience to know what genre the
film is because they need to know what type of film they’re
watching incase they’re not interested in what happens in
specific genres.
If they don’t like the genre but it isn’t defined beforehand,
they must therefore watch the film to find out which could
be pointless if they’re not interested.
It is also important so they can have an expectation of
what conventions are going to occur within the film.

6. http://www.bbfc.co.uk/
Film ratings
Suitable for all - very mild bad language, no overt focus on sexual behaviour,
brief fight scenes or moments where characters are placed in danger.
Parental guidance - mild bad language, references to sex are acceptable if the
activity talked about or shown is implied and lacking in detail, no detail of
violence.
Cinema release suitable for 12 years and over - strong language but it must be
infrequent, sex may be briefly and discreetly portrayed, moderate violence is
allowed but it should not dwell on detail.
Video release suitable for 12 years and over - strong language but it must be
infrequent, sex may be briefly and discreetly portrayed, moderate violence is
allowed but it should not dwell on detail.
Suitable only for 15 years and over -strong violence - frequent strong language,
portrayals of sexual activity, strong verbal references to sex, sexual nudity, brief
scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence, discriminatory
language or behaviour, drug taking.
Suitable only for adults - very strong violence, frequent strong language and/or
very strong language. strong portrayals of sexual activity, scenes of sexual
violence, strong horror, strong blood and gore, real sex (in some circumstances),
discriminatory language and behaviour.

7. What age rating would my film
be?
My film rating would be a 15 as there will be strong
language within it that may occur quite frequently. As it is a
romance, there would be a lot of affection that is shown.
This means that is should be a 15 because it would show
portrayals of sexual activity and reference to sex within
the film which cannot be shown to anyone under the age
of 15.