Frozen conforms to conventions of the Disney Princess sub-genre through its use of iconic elements like its princess protagonists, its setting of a magical kingdom, and its ultimate happy ending. However, it also challenges conventions by subverting the romance plot and having one princess with ice powers. The film employs intertextuality through Easter eggs and references that reward culturally competent audiences and help establish its genre. It finds a balance between repetition of familiar elements and adding new differences, contributing to the evolution of the Disney Princess genre over time.
1. Genre and Frozen
To understand genre and genre
theories in greater detail
To be able to apply this to Frozen
A2 key concepts: Genre | Narrative | Representation | Audience | Industry
2. What is Genre?
‘ (genre) attempts to structure some order into the wide range of
texts and meanings that circulate in our own culture for the
convenience of both producers and audiences.’ John Fiske
• A way of categorising texts
• Defining codes and conventions for a category (genre)
• Sets up audience expectations
• Constructed through a series of signs (visual and aural)
• is always changing and developing
• Makes filming more efficient
3. Why are films categorised into genres?
• Genre is a useful hook for an audience
• If audience can identify generic codes and
conventions it is likely to raise expectations and
assumptions about what might come next
• Audiences find being able to predict the end
appealing
• Genre conventions allows the audience to guess
and predict what may happen due to the
audience’s previous experience with this genre
• Audiences gain satisfaction from being able to
correctly predict what will happen next
4. Evolution of genre
• Genre is always changing – this is gradual and not always noticeable
at first.
• These changes can be due to a number of issues such as
desensitisation and institutional developments.
• One such development is that of hybrids.
• Hybrids can sometimes become genres in their own right
e.g. Docu-soap.
• The same could be said for sub-genres.
• Discussing the evolution of the genre of your case study may be
relevant but you must also think about why these changes have
been made.
5. Read the fact sheet
Genre: Categorising texts
1. Highlight any key terminology
2. Underline any theories or ideas that could be
linked to Frozen
3. List the uses of genre to both industry and
audience
4. What is it important to remember when
changing/adapting genre conventions?
A Grade extension: research what Rick Altman
said about the semantic and syntactic approach
to categorising genre
6. Repertoire of Elements
• Main areas:
– Setting
– Technical/Audio Codes
– Iconography
– Narrative
– Characters
7. The Disney Princess Sub-genre
• There are 11 ‘official’ Disney princesses. Can you
name them all?
– Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine,
Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, Merida
• Looking at the list, what would say are the
conventions of the Disney Princess Sub-genre?
Use the repertoire of elements to help you
• How do you think the genre has evolved over
time?
8. Altman
Characters Setting Iconography Narrative
Semantic
Syntactic
By employing the semantic/syntactic approach to any film allows us to gain a more
sophisticated reading of any genre
9. Key Term: INTERTEXTUALITY
• A postmodern term used when a text is referred to in
another text.
• E.g.
• Toy Story
• An audience who has seen the original text will
appreciate its use and may feel ‘important’ as they will
understand the deeper meaning, where others will not.
• The use of specific texts may also help establish genre.
– e.g. Lynda Carter as Principal Powers in
Sky High (a Superhero film)
Also the original Wonder Woman
This rewards fans of the genre
10. INTERTEXTUALITY IN FROZEN
• Bourdieu’s theory of ‘Cultural Competence’
suggests that media industries often use
intertextuality as audiences enjoy feeling
‘clever’ when they understand references to
other texts.
• Disney also makes use of hidden references or
Easter Eggs and, specifically, ‘hidden Mickeys’
to allow audience to feel culturally competent.
11. Can you spot the Intertextuality, Easter
Eggs and Hidden Mickeys?
19. Applying this to Frozen
Write an answer to the following exam question
only about Frozen:
A2. How typical are your three main
texts of their genre?
Success Criteria:
• All should- Show an understanding of genre
and generic conventions
• Some should- be aware of audience and
industry interests
• A grade: Ideological implications of
conforming to and challenging conventions
• All should use a range of terminology and
consider some genre theory.
Specific points to consider for
Frozen:
•Its conventions
•Use of intertextuality/cultural
competence
•Balance between repetition
and difference (Neale)
•Consider the evolution of the
genres you are discussing
•Any issues surrounding the
genre and appeal of the film
Key Terms and Theories
Genre /hybrid/ sub-genre
Conventions/ iconography/
narrative/ setting/
characters/ technical codes/
Intertextuality/
Repertoire of elements/
Semantic/ Syntactic
