1. Several genre theorists view genres as dynamic processes that evolve over time as people experiment with new conventions and characteristics. 2. Genres operate within broader cultural and industry contexts and can reference audience knowledge of society and other texts. 3. Horror films often function as morality plays that punish those who break social rules, addressing themes like fear of the unknown, the relationship between sex and death, and the breakdown of society.

1. Genre theorists

2. Barry, Keith, and Grant (1995)
This means that they are divided up into more
specific categories that allow audiences to
identify them specifically by their familiar and
what become recognisable characteristics.

3. Steve Neale (1995)
Stresses that “genres are not ‘systems’ they are
processes of systematization” – i.e. They are
dynamic and evolve over time.
Yes they do evolve over time by people trying
new things and it working so other people use
it.

4. Jason Mittell (2001)
Argues that genres are cultural categories that surpass
the boundaries of media texts and operate within
industry, audience, and cultural practices as well.
In short, industries use genre to sell products to
audiences. Media producers use familiar codes and
conventions that very often make cultural references to
their audience knowledge of society, other texts.
For example in music videos of the pop genre there is lots
of bright colours and people singing happy lyrics this
happens in most of the pop music videos.

5. David Bordwell (1989)
'any theme may appear in any genre. Horror films, for example, are basically just modern fairy tales and often
act as morality plays in which people who break society’s rules are
punished.
Fear of the unknown – the monster is the ‘monstrous other’ i.e. anything
that is scary because it is foreign or different.
Sex = death – in horror movies, especially Slasher movies, sex is
immoral and must be punished, werewolf movies can be seen as a
metaphor for puberty, vampires can be as metaphors for sexually
transmitted diseases or rape etc.
The breakdown of society – post-apocalyptic movies are about our fear
(or secret desire for) of the breakdown of society. The collapse of
civilisation results in human kind reverting to their animal instincts. Some short films can also be social realist texts, and
so through their
discourse they share some conventional themes of horror/scare texts in
general such as:
The duality of man/ personal journey – the conflict between man’s
civilised side and his savage, primal instincts, e.g. Jeykll and Hyde,
Werewolf movies, the Hulk, etc.
Segregation and alienation – two opposing cultures or beings going
through a struggle to survive . As there are no standard themes of short
movies, depending on their audience they offer their own
themes.

6. David Buckingham (1993)
Argues that 'genre is not... Simply "given" by the
culture: rather, it is in a constant process of
negotiation and change’.
As postmodern theorist Jacques Derrida reminds
us, "the law of the law of genre . . . is precisely a
principle of contamination, a law of impurity".
For example, short films and music videos are in the
process of genre cross-over. Some narrative videos
borrow from the conventions of short films and in
fact are short films.