Genres have sets of recognizable features that help audiences understand what to expect in a given text. Audiences enjoy predicting what will happen based on their knowledge of genres, but also appreciate some unexpected elements to prevent boredom. Producers rely on genres to communicate easily with audiences. However, defining genres is difficult as they are dynamic and constantly evolving as elements from different genres combine to form new genres. Genre theory proposes that genres can be understood through their semantic or syntactic elements, with semantics referring to visual conventions and syntax referring to narrative structures and relationships between elements.

1. Genre and genre theory

2. GENRE
• Genre is known as a type, this is a basic
understanding, but there is a far more
complex reasoning behind this. Genre can
be known as having a set list of features
which makes up a genre, for example a
neo- noir is expected to have a femme
fatale, corruption and Chrisco lighting.
Genres have characteristic features that are
known to and recognised by audiences

3. AUDIENCES AND
GENRE
• Audiences develop an understanding that certain
expectations may be fulfilled and they may find
pleasure in predicting what will happen next. If
the audience has a good understanding of genre,
this means they will choose films they know they
like Audiences know what to expect from a genre
but at the same time want some variations to
prevent dissatisfaction and even boredom Any
text in a genre is a combination of the familiar
and the unexpected

4. INSTITUTIONS
AND GENRE
• 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. KEY COMPONENTS
OF GENRE
• characters
• Plots, situations, themes
• locations
• props
• Music and sounds
• Typical conventions

6. ISSUES WITH
GENRE
• Actually defining a genre is hard, there are key
concepts which a film noir would need, however
genres are developing. This is where genre
theory becomes important. This is the idea that
genres are dynamic and always changing and
elements from all sorts of genres are combining
to make new genres

7. GENRE THEORY
• Rick Altman in his book Film/Genre has proposed what he
calls the SEMANTIC/SYNTACTIC APPROACH. Rick Altman
argues that genres are usually defined in terms of
media language (SEMANTIC elements) and codes (in
the Western, for example: guns, horses, landscape,
characters or even stars, like John Wayne or Clint
Eastwood) or certain ideologies and narratives
(SYNTACTIC elements).

8. GENRE THEORY
1. SEMANTIC
• With the conventions of the genre that communicate to
the audience such as characters, locations, props, music
and shooting style. In neo- noir, we would expect there
to be a fall guy, to be in a rural area, there to be
shadowed lighting and a femme-fatale.

9. GENRE THEORY
2. SYNTACTIC
• With the relations between elements and the
structure of narratives in genres
• E.g. In a neo- noir we expect the femme
fatale to use her sexuality for what she
desires by using the fall guy
• There are then a series of meetings/problems
(enigmas) which culminate in her success