This document discusses the concept of genre in media. It defines genre as a category or class that media products can be classified into, with common distinguishing features including setting, character types, and technical elements. Genres provide expectations for audiences and help producers market texts to niche audiences. While genres have common conventions, they are not static and can blend or evolve over time. The document also discusses theories of genre from scholars like Tom Ryall, John Fiske, and Steve Neale, and analyzes the music video for "Wings" by Birdy based on Andrew Goodwin's five aspects of music video theory.

1. GENRE
By Emily and Ella

2. What Is Genre?
➢ Media products can be classified into categories or genre. The word 'genre' comes from the French word
meaning 'type' or 'class'. Media genres appear within a medium (film, television) such as the "horror" film or
the television "situation comedy".
➢ A genre can be recognised by its common set of distinguishing features. These features associated with a
genre's style and content may be, for example, a particular setting, character types, technical codes (lighting
or music). You may also find that some media texts blur genre boundaries.
➢ Audiences recognise these features and therefore expect certain things. For example, at the end of a
romantic comedy film the two lead characters will realise they are in love. Audiences may even select a text
on the basis of its genre.
➢ Producers market texts according to genre because a niche audience has already been identified as taking
pleasure in that type of text.
➢ However, a genre is not static – it changes all the time – resulting in hybrid or sub genres and changing
codes and conventions. There is also a relationship between genres and the societies in which they are
created.

3. Genre Theories and Theorists?
➢ Tom Ryall (1978) - Genre provides a framework of structuring rules, in the shape
patterns/forms/styles/structures, which acts as a form of supervision over the
work of production of filmmakers and the work of reading by the audience.
➢ John Fiske - Defines genre as ‘attempts to structure some order into the wide
range of texts and meanings that circulate in our culture for the convenience of
both producers and audiences.”
➢ Neale (1990) - Genre is constituted by “specific systems of expectation and
hypothesis which spectators bring with them to the cinema and which interact with
the films themselves during the course of the viewing process.”

4. ANDREW GOODWIN MUSIC VIDEO THEORY
There are 5 key aspects to a music video:
1 - Thought through beat
2 - relationship between the song and visuals
3 - narrative and performance of the song
4 - Technical aspect of the music video
5 - Star image

6. Music Video - birdy ( wings)
This video follows Andrew Goodwin theory and all of the
concepts, the music video uses the star image and creates a
relationship between the song and the beat, the video fits in
with the lyrics and uses symmetry throughout the duration of
the music video. The overall genre of this music video is indie
and this is shown clearly through the use of mise - en -
scene.