This document defines genre and discusses its key concepts and theories. Genre is defined as a series of artistic works that share similar conventions. Genres are constructed through repeated use of codes and conventions over time. They provide audiences with expectations about content through recognizable archetypes and formulas while also evolving with variations to avoid boredom. The creation of hybrid genres has made classification more difficult. Genres offer audiences pleasure through escapism and catharsis and can both reflect and shape societal values and beliefs.

1. G E N R E
and its different uses & functions

2. GENRE: Definition
•A genre is a series of pieces of art or media that can be
categorised by their similarities in terms of conventions.
•Genre conventions are used by institutions and producers to
show audiences what to expect.
•Conventions are used by audiences as signposts to figure
out if they will enjoy the film, programme, game, magazine...
•Genres do not pre-exist- they are constructed as the same
codes and conventions are used together, repeatedly

3. With your magazines and soap
operas you need to show how
you used existing genre
conventions to create a new
product that would attract
audiences.

4. GENRE: Theorist quotes
• Daniel Chandler: genres are built of a number of
texts which repeat the same
conventions and motifs
•John Hartley: “the same text can belong to
different genres”
•Steve Neale: “difference is essential
to...genre.” constant repetition
would not attract an audience

5. GENRE: Definition
Which genre do these posters belong to? Find the similar
conventions:

8. Archetypes
• Character archetypes in soap exist as a shorthand to let
the audience know what their character will contribute
to the programme.
• They are repeated across most soap operas and can be
discussed under “uses and gratifications” as predictable
pleasures.
• Archetypes you may have used include:
• The tart (with a heart)
• The gossip
• The villain
• Jack-The-Lad
• Fiesty Female
• The mother figure

9. Uses and Gratifications
This is the theory that audiences derive certain
pleasures from consuming a particular text or
genre
• Recognition of familiar conventions and character types
• Being able to predict what will happen based on
previous experience of the genre
• A twist- manipulation of what we understand to be part
of the genre
• Catharsis
• Escapism

10. Genre: repetition & difference
• producers re-use successful formulas, but with
variations so the audience don’t get bored
• much of the pleasure of consuming a media text is in its
variation from what is considered by the audience as
the norm
• the conventions of genre are not fixed, but evolve over
time, usually in line with changing audience attitudes and
expectations
• for a genre to survive it must learn to change with the
times

11. The creation of HYBRIDS
• one of the ways in which genres renew
themselves is by combining with other genres
• genuine hybrids create something new such as
“reality” and “melodrama” becoming “scripted
reality”
• the rise of hybrids has made it increasingly
difficult for audiences and critics to classify a text
under one strict genre category

12. Genres provide ESCAPISM
• escapism = the ability to escape from everyday reality
• genres offer pleasure to the audience as they let us live
out our fantasies
• mass entertainment has been described as being a form
of capitalist propaganda because genres encourage
audiences to escape from the asking the real questions

13. Genres REFLECT society?
• Soap operas could be said to reflect working class
values and belief systems: job, family, house, friends,
paying the bills
• But you could argue that they also reflect the audiences
desire for conflict and catharsis
• Hollywood genre films tend to promote the American
dream; they teach use that money and success are
important values; that heterosexual romance, marriage
and family are the proper social forms; that the state,
police and legal system are legitimate sources of power
and authority, and that American values are beneficial to
society

14. Plan and answer the following question:
1b: apply theories of
genre to ONE of your
coursework
productions