Genre theory provides a framework for categorizing different types of media texts based on common elements and conventions. Genres help producers develop recognizable texts, help audiences decide what to consume, and help scholars analyze texts. While genres provide stability, they are also dynamic and evolve over time reflecting social and cultural changes. Different theorists examine how genres provide audiences with pleasures through emotional, visceral, and intellectual engagement, and how genres are shaped by industries and audiences. Examples show how genres are communicated through visual cues and how genres have changed over time while still retaining core conventions.

1. GENRE THEORY

2. GENRE THEORY OVERVIEW
• Genre Theory
• Genre is important because it is one of the key concepts. Music videos the genre is already established
because the music itself has a genre. Genres were originally established in the 1800's to categorise novels,
the next market to take up genres was the film industry.
•
Genre is the type or category a media text falls into. Genre s identified through the codes and
conventions that create iconography; while also having audience recognition as the audience have to
recognise them as being associated with a genre. Genre is a critical tool that helps is study texts and
audience responses to texts by dividing them into categories based on common elements.
• Genre can be found through the mis-en-scene within the media text (setting, costume, settings, narrative
effects, props, weapons, transport) which can be found during the narrative events. These are things we
are exposed to through our life therefore we recognise them as being associated with the specific
genre.
• Comedy and animations are not genres they are styles or treatments. Comedy does not have
iconography unlike westerns. It is a genre in the term that comedy makes us laugh, but does not have any
iconography to support it as a genre.

3. OVER VIEW CONT.
• - Music video is a medium intended to appeal directly to youth subcultures
by reinforcing generic elements of musical genres.
• - They are called pop-promo's as they are used to promote a band/artist
• - Music videos are post modern whose main purpose is to promote a star
persona (Dyer 1975)
• - They don't have to be literal representations of the song or lyrics.
• Others include themes which may fit around the lyrics of the song or society
(particularly if the band are well known activists supporting a cause) This is a
medium known for being experimental and controversial. The generic
conventions stay the same but the style (the look of something) changes
between music genres.

4. THE STRENGTHS OF GENRE THEORY
• The main strength of genre theory is that everybody uses it and understand it
– the media experts use it to study media texts, the media industry uses it to
develop and market texts and audiences use it to decide what texts to
consume. The potential for the same concept to be understood by
producers, audiences and scholars makes a genre a useful critical tool. Its
accessibility as a concept also means that it can be applied across a wide
range of texts.

5. EXAMPLES OF MEDIA TEXTS THAT EXPRESS
GENRE THEORY
• Sham 69 Hurry Up Harry
Anti-image, ironic sense due to the punk movement being about tearing things down including the institutions. The aggressive nature of the
music, reflected by features such as the camera angles and performance strategy and costumes, collar is stood up which links to rebellion
within the period. Close ups 'in your face' use of cinematography. It is a promo video regardless of the anti-image they are trying to project,
playing on the use of genre and the ideology that genre constitutes.
• Maddie and Tae - Girl In A Country Song
Role reversal, reinforces that nature of the stars. Gender roles are changed as it is self aware of its genre. , it uses the codes and conventions of
the genre but is undermining and subverting them. Very controversial. We recognise the genre due to the cultural and society wide recognition.
Use of costumes and setting establishes genre.
• 1922 - Nosferatu
A black and white silent film within the horror genre. It is reflected within the use of the mis-en-scene such as the mysterious castle, costume,
props (coffins etc.) scary music, isolated settings. It was also the first vampire film to be released
• 1944 - Interview with the Vampire
again, a film within the horror genre which like Nosferatu can be identified by the use of costume, settings (San Francisco), characters,
transport and music,
This films has the same codes and conventions which identify it as a particular genre however the genre has changed over time. Big Hollywood
stars are playing vampires. The protagonist rather than the antagonist is the vampire, the narrative role has changed over time, following the
paradigm.
• 1974 - Blazing Saddles
Typical iconography of a western film because of the use of horses, barbed wire and cowboys sitting round a campfire. Cowboys building
railroads is a stereotypical role given to cowboys in the era. It is a comedy western highlighting the stupidity and racism of the cowboy in the
western era. Subverts codes and conventions for a humorous approach. Western is probably the most developed genre in media text.

6. GENRE THEORISTS

7. JASON MITTELL (2001)
• Argues that genres are cultural categories that surpass the boundaries of
media texts and operate within the industry, audience and cultural practises
as well. In short, industries use genres to sell products to audiences. Media
producers use familiar codes and conventions that often make cultural
references to their audiences’ knowledge of society, other texts. Genre also
allows the audiences to make choices about what products they want to
consume through acceptance in order to fulfil a particular pleasure.
Genre
Institution Text Audience

8. STEVE NEALE (1995)
• Stresses that "genres are not 'systems' they are processes of systematization -
i.e They are dynamic and evolve over time. The changes reflect the era that
the media texts are produced in.
• He argues that Hollywood’s generic regime performs two inter related
functions; to guarantee meanings and pleasures to audiences and to offset
the considerable economic risks of industrial film production by providing
cognitive collateral against innovation and difference.
http://www.slideshare.net/HeworthMedia/genre-theory

9. RICK ALTMAN
• Argues that the genres offers audiences 'a set of pleasures‘.
• - Emotional Pleasures: The emotional pleasures offered to audiences of genre films
are particularly significant when they generate a strong audience response.
• - Visceral Pleasures: Visceral Pleasures (visceral refers to internal organs) are 'gut'
responses and are defined by how the films stylistic construction elicit a physical
effect upon its audience. The can be a feeling of revulsion, kinetic speed, or a 'roller
coaster ride'.
• -Intellectual Puzzles: Certain film genres such as thriller or the 'whodunnit' offer the
pleasure in trying to unravel a mystery or a puzzle. Pleasure is derived from
deciphering the plot and forecasting the end or being surprised by the unexpected.

10. NICHOLAS ABERCROMBIE
• Media producers create familiar and safe products that are recognisable
and conventional. Likely to be successful.
• 'the boundaries between genres are shifting and becoming more
permeable'
• Abercrombie is concerned with modern television, which he suggests
seems to be engaged in 'a steady dismantling of genre’

11. DAVID BUCKINGHAM (1993)
• David Buckingham believes that children and young people’s identities do not exist or are
constantly changing. He studied their interactions with electronic media and believes due to
the constant change within the media their identities and ideologies are constantly
changing. He believes that children are no given an identity but instead their identities
evolve. He believes that due to the parents desire to keep them inside and therefore protect
them from the dangers of the outside world the children are become more aware of the
world through the use of technology which is shaping their opinions and views
•
"Identity is complicated, it's never simple or straight forward"
"Identity is complex, everyone thinks they have one"

12. ANDREW GOODWIN
• Andrew Goodwin's 6 features of music videos
• 1) music videos demonstrate genre characteristics
(e.g. stage performance in metal videos, dance routines for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop)
• 2) There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented with images.
(either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting)
• 3) There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of the visual reflects that of the music.
(either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
• 4) The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which reoccur across their
works
(a visual style)
• 5) There is frequently references to notion of looking
(screens within screens, mirrors, stages etc.) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body
• 6) There are often intertextual references
( to films, TV programmes, other music videos etc.)