Genre theory notes

1. Genre theory
The word ‘genre’ means ‘type or category. To study a film as a genre involves treating it, not
as a unique entity, but as a member of a general category, as a certain type of film. The
aim…….is therefore to classify, or organise, a large number of films into a small number of
groups. – Written by Warren Buckland.
Genre helps both audiences and institutions to make decisions about what they want to see
and what they want to make to supply that demand. If we recognise the genre of a text it
enables us to feel at home and we gain enjoyment from ‘spotting the conventions’ and
making comparisons with other films of the same genre.
However, if a text deviates from the conventions it can confuse it, but at the same time we
enjoy seeing the rules broken, providing that the film-maker doesn’t go too far.
Genre and audience
 Genre offers audiences a structure or framework enabling us to feel secure in our
knowledge
 Audiences like the anticipation of waiting the predictable features and getting
involved in a text.
 Audiences can influence genres by reviving them
 We are more advanced than audiences of the past simply because we’ve seen more
films than anyone in the history of the media, so we can expect genres to be played
with
Buckingham – 1993
 ‘Genre is not simply given by the culture: rather it is in a constant process of
negotiation and change.’
Rick Altman - 1999
 ‘There is no such thing as a ‘pure’ genre anymore’. Genre is progressive, in that it will
always change’
 He says that genre is surviving due to ‘hybridisation’ or genres ‘borrowing’
conventions form one another and thus being much more difficult to categorise’
Tom Ryall – 1978
 Ryall argues that genres are recognisable through the repeated use of generic codes
and conventions, as how we the audience know a horror film is a horror film
 He suggested that the types of conventions found in genres night be grouped within
the following categories: iconographies, narrative, representations, and ideologies.
 Iconographies – crucifixes in religious films, narrative – guy and girl get together in
rom-coms, representation – hot girl in horror films. Ideologies – good vs bad in
action.

2. Goodwin
‘Music videos are simply an extension of the lyrics’
Illustrate, amplify, disjuncture.
Insane, Flume – Electronica, Hip-Hop
Genre convention
 Narrative story
 Minimal lip syncing
 Grand visuals
 Dark lighting contrasted with crazy lighting
 Shots relating to lyrics
Positives of genre theory
 Audience members already know what to expect
 Structure/institution
 Everybody understands it. It works and covers the whole of media
 Industry know how to develop and market it
 We can challenge or conform to it
Negatives of genre theory
 Lazy
 Stale, seen it all before
 It could restrict audience. ‘I’m not seeing that rom-com, I hate that genre’ – Andy
Goldman 2016
 Too much stereotype.
Daniel chandler – conventional definitions of genre are based on the idea that they
share particular convention of content e.g. themes or setting
Steve Neal – genres are instances of repetition and difference, this is what pleasure
for the audience is derived from
John Hartley –The same text can belong to different genres in different countries or
times
John Fiske – genre attempts to structure some order into a wide range of texts and
meanings that circulate in our culture for the convenience of both producers and
audiences

3. Kate wales –genre is…..an intellectual concept