This document defines and provides examples of different film genres including animation, comedy, drama, horror, romance, sci-fi/fantasy, and thriller. It notes that genres are defined by common conventions in settings, themes, structure, and style. Short films sometimes blend genres. Examples are provided for several genres to illustrate common elements and conventions for each. The document concludes that a film about dealing with dementia would fall into the social drama genre.

2. Genre – Layers of codes and conventions that can be
categorized together. By using this codes and
conventions, it can help create attract audiences as
they know what to expect from the film before they
have even seen it. For producers, it means that they
have a clear direction for their film, giving them focus.
Settings, themes, structure and filmic style can help
guide a film into a genre.
Due to their short content, short films often cross over
in their genre, creating a hybrid. However, all films
stem from the basic forms of genres
 Animation
 Comedy
 Drama
 Horror
 Romance
 Sci-Fi and Fantasy
 Thriller

3.  Whilst animation has several themes within
its genre, the very fact that animation
technology is used in the production and
editing makes the genre.
 Animations can be in many different formats;
 Still images and drawings – digital or
physical.
 Puppets and models
 Drawing straight on to the film or celluloid.
 These images are joined together in a
particular sequences, creating movement.

4.  An intricate set of language, mise-en-scene,
characterization, and action that is used together to
make the audience laugh.
 Most narratives also include aspects of other genres
such as horror or romance.
 The resolution usually ends happily according to
Aristotle‟s theory about Greek theatre.
 Another feature of the comedy genre is that it is
usually based on real-life events and issues, making it
so popular as it reaches across society and connects
to them in a way some genres struggle.
 Bruce Lee Played Badminton Too is an Australian
short film that deals with masculinity and dreams. It
was part funded by the Australian government.
 http://vimeo.com/30006625

5.  Drama is very similar to comedy, in which that it is
one of the Ancient Greek genres.
 Furthermore, it relies on the language, mise-en-
scene, characterization and action to display its
genre. Also as Aristotle said that dramas end with an
upsetting resolution.
 Drama also society‟s problems to highlight them,
connecting to the audience and make them leave
with the message of how awful things are, or how
they can solve these problems.
 Floating is Easy (2009) is a Scottish short film about
how a daughter deals with her mother who has a
severe case of Alzheimer's. However all does not end
well to the family. It was screened at the Scottish
Mental Health Arts and Film Festival.
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/films/p00gpvvf

6.  Setting and mise-en-scene are key features for this
genre. They give the audience the message of a
horror genre before any of the action has even
started.
 However, music is also a key feature as, with action,
it helps create high levels of tension
 Its main aim is to scare the audience, therefore
producers use people‟s inner most fears and
exaggerate them to disturb and in turn, entertain the
audience.
 Dark Times (2010) sees a zombie apocalypse occur
during Christmas. What makes this film so interesting
is that it filmed completely in first person, which
makes it almost like a game but also creates a
heightened sense of suspense.
 http://youtu.be/sU9iReUwF4M

7.  The main feature of the romantic genre is that love is
the only thing that drives the characters together.
 However the genre can be split into sub-genres –
comedy and tragedy.
 Combined with comedy, the quest for love between
characters is disrupted by comic events, but the
characters do eventually join together and they are
happy.
 Yet with the tragedy, the characters never fully come
together due to circumstance.
 Post-it Love(2010) falls into the first category as it
tells a heart-meltingly sweet story about a
blossoming love between two shy office workers.
 http://youtu.be/TsKghhQ41FM

8.  Sci-Fi – Mise-en-scene is the most important feature of this
genre. Technological advances, aliens and futuristic settings all
give the genre its name.
 It bends the conventions of reality by showing development such
as time travel and technology that the audience could only
dream of owning. This escapism is what makes the genre so
popular as it provides exciting action in the a futuristic setting.
 Fantasy – This genre holds many of the conventions of the Sci-Fi
genre but in a different location. Where as Sci-Fi is usually based
in space, fantasy takes the characteristics of Earth.
 The normal conventions of Earth are broken, leaving the
audience not knowing what to expect next. Fantasy world use
magic and the supernatural, based on old folk legends, to create
action and to also make the audience escape reality.
 Panic Attack (2009) is a Uruguayan short that was on a budget of
only $500. It is a prime example on how technological advances
have meant that special effects can be done on a low budget.
 http://youtu.be/-dadPWhEhVk

9.  The whole genre is about the layering of tensions and
suspense to have the audience on the edge of their
seats.
 It shows how the main character, usually a male,
overcomes certain problems, such as the enemy
through violence.
 This violent action has the audience thrilled when the
protagonist defeats his enemy or anxious when it
looks like he may be defeated. This leaves the
audience on a high level of suspense throughout the
film as they are never sure what is going to happen
next.
Little Favour (2013) stars and was produced by Benedict
Cumberbatch is filled with tension music and high
violence.
 http://youtu.be/acFoLScolvM

10.  After this research I feel that our film falls into the
social drama genre. This is because dementia is a
wide scale illness will effect 135 million people by
2015, not to mention the families of these people.
Furthermore, this illness could happen to anyone and
therefore strikes the heartstrings for the audience.
Through the language and action, putting our film in
any other genre would not feel right as we want to
make the audience feel sympathetic emotions, rather
than to make them laugh or scare them intentionally.
 Nelson Goodman stated 'Realism is relative,
determined by the system of representation standard
for a given culture or person at a given time„. As we
have the setting of a home with all “homely” mise-
en-scene feature, it makes our film, the social drama
realism.