2. Genres have characteristic features that are known to and recognised by audiences
This formula is reproduced again and again
3. Audiences develop an understanding that
certain expectations may be fulfilled and
they may find pleasure in predicting what
will happen next
4. Producers of generic
narratives depend on a
certain amount of
immediate
communication with the
audience
They want the narrative
to be easily
comprehensible
Genres that use key
components that are
easily recognisable are
particularly important
5. STOCK CHARACTERS
STOCK PLOTS, SITUATIONS, ISSUES
AND THEMES
STOCK LOCATIONS AND BACKDROPS
STOCK PROPS AND SIGNIFIERS
MUSIC AND SOUNDS
GENERIC CONVENTIONS
Key Components of Genre
6. SEMANTIC/SYNTACTIC APPROACH
SEMANTIC
This is concerned with the
conventions of the genre that
communicate to the audience such
as characters, locations, props,
music, shooting style and other
Signifiers
SYNTACTIC
This is concerned with the relations
between these elements and the
structure of narratives in genres
E.g. In a romantic comedy we expect
the potential lovers to begin by not
liking each other
There are then a series of
meetings/problems (enigmas) which
culminate in their successful relationship
7. TASK
Identify the forms and
conventions of the horror
or thriller genre.
Include stills from trailers to
support the points that you
make. You will need to
research more than 2
trailers to prove that what
you’re identifying is
correctly part of the genres
repitoire.
You should do this in a
powerpoint, and then
converting the completed
powerpoint in slideshare or
sliderocket and embedding
it into your blog under a
title ‘genre research’
