A genre is a style of art, literature or music. Common genres include fiction, comedy, sci-fi, drama, thriller, action, adventure and family. Genres can be combined to form hybrids, like Terminator 2 which includes elements of science fiction, action, and thriller through its depiction of time travel, fighting, and chase scenes. Genres rely on symbols and themes to be recognized, like westerns using cowboy hats and horses. Audiences develop expectations for certain genres that directors can play with. Romance films focus on the love story as the main plot, while horror aims to scare or shock viewers through negative emotions.

1. Genres
A genre is a style of art, literature or music. There are many types of genre that are used in all sorts of
entertainment, such as:
• Fiction
• Comedy
• Sci-Fi (Science Fiction)
• Drama
• Thriller
• Action
• Adventure
• Family
These can be used in multiple forms, such as novels or films or even documentaries.

2. Genre Boundaries
Many films of many genres can be combined to form genre hybrids,
examples of this are Terminator 2 since it includes science fiction (time
travel and the hypothetical war in the future) and action (the T-800
fights the renegades in the bar) and also thriller (the iconic T-1000
chase scene, both LA River and the helicopter chase)

3. Genre Memory
• A system of signs, symbols, themes by which a particular genre can be
recognised e.g. The Western= cowboy hats, guns, horses, mountains
or deserts, Indians, cowboys, gun fights “taming the west”
• A contract between the audience and filmmakers. Audience build up
“generic memory” and can anticipate things happening- so the
director can play on this idea.

4. Romance
Romance films are love stories, or affairs of the heart that centre on
passion, emotion, and the romantic, affectionate involvement of the
main characters (usually a leading man and lady), and the journey that
their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make
the love story or the search for love the main plot focus.

5. Horror
Horror films inflict a negative emotional response towards the film,
often to scare or shock you.

6. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
Terminator 2 is a genre hybrid of the following:
• Action (Firefights, brawls etc…)
• Thriller (Chase scenes)
• Science Fiction (Future war, time travel)