This document provides information about a film studies exam on British film topics. It outlines that the exam will focus on the horror genre, with 3 sections examining audience and producers, British film topics, and a US comparative study. For the British film topics section, students will analyze the macro and micro features of horror films, including their narratives, representation issues, audiences, and context. At least two British horror films must be discussed in detail: The Descent (2004), Dog Soldiers (2002), The Woman in Black (2012), and Dracula (1958). Sample exam questions are provided focusing on narrative, representation, and distinctive British elements.

2. FM2: BRITISH AND AMERICAN
FILM TOPICS
• 2.5 Hours (50mins per question)
• Wednesday 15th May (Media AS 13th May)
• 3 Sections, 1 question from each section to be
answered
• Section A: Audience & Producers (Shaun)
• Section B: British Film Topics (Mrs Raji)
• Section C: US Film Comparative Study (Mrs Raji)

3. FM2: Section B – British Film Topics
• British Film Genre – HORROR
• Developing your knowledge of the Macro and Micro
features to enable you to discuss:
• Distinctive characteristics of the genre
• Narrative development and themes
• Construction of Narrative
• Issues of Representation
• Audience expectation
• The British Context of films
• Key scenes from the films
• You must be able to do all of the above with detailed
reference to at least 2 films

4. Case Study Films
James Watkins (2008)
Terence Fisher (1958)
Christopher Smith (2004) Neil Marshall (2005)

5. What’s the difference
Past Exam Questions between the red and
black (bold)
questions?
• How far are the storytelling methods used in the films you have studied for this topic typical
of their genre?
• How is gender represented in the horror or comedy films you have studied for this topic?
• To what extent are the narratives of the films you have studied for this topic typical of their
genre?
• How important is the representation of a particular time and place in the films you have
studied for this topic?
• To what extent do the films you have studied for this topic try to narrate specifically ‘British’
stories?
• In what ways do genre conventions determine how particular characters are represented in
the films you have studied for this topic?
• How far are the characters in the films you have studied for this topic typical of their genre?
• What have you found to be distinctively ‘British’ about the genre films you have studied for
this topic?
• How are narrative devices used to increase the impact of horror in the films you have studied
for this topic?
• How is gender represented in the films you have studied for this topic?

6. Exam Questions
• The first question (RED) will have a focus on
narrative and thematic issues.
• The second question (BLACK) will include a
more broadly-based consideration of areas of
representation, such as gender, ethnicity or
age.

7. WHAT IS GENRE?

9. Defining Genre
• Read the
selection of
quotations
from theorists,
decipher what
they’re saying
and select one
to illustrate
each caption.
Use a
dictionary for
words you
don’t know.

10. The Ingredients of Genre
• The main identifying characteristics of a film will
inevitably fall into one or more of the following
categories, or “repertoire of elements”.
• Iconography and props
Fill in the sheet
• Setting ‘Genre Elements’
• Characters with relevance to the
• Narrative horror genre
• Style (use of micro features)
• Theme
• Audience Response

11. HOMEWORK
Genre Elements Revise ‘Genre Element’ for test
next week
http://www.digitalfilmarchive.net/clda/MovingImageArts/FilmLessonPlans/IntroducingGenre/tabid/283/Default.aspx
• Iconography
• Iconography is a term from art history which refers to the classification of art based
on common or recurring images or icons. Films and moving image products can also
be identified by the key images or icons contained within them. These images or
iconic elements are usually immediately recognisable. For example, a central iconic
image of classic Hollywood gangster films is the machine gun, in this instance a film
prop. Types of costume, sound and music also function as iconic features within other
genres.
• Setting
• Many genres, particularly the Western and Gangster genres, have a distinct location
and time period associated with them. The use of temporal and spatial settings can
therefore make a film immediately recognisable within a particular genre or sub-
genre.
• Characters
• The story of a film is most often told through characters. A film’s main protagonist or
“hero” encounters a variety of obstacles which he must overcome within the story.
These obstacles are usually caused by some kind of adversary or “villain”. Different
genres become associated with different heroes and villains. Over time, these
particular characters achieve the status of a “generic type”.

12. Genre Elements
• Narrative
• Narrative refers to the different types of story structure that films of different genres employ,
in addition to the narrative or story-telling devices and narrative moments which they are
associated with (e.g. chase sequences, shoot-outs, romantic kisses etc). Narratives are all
based on some form of conflict. Different genres therefore focus on different types of
conflict. Genres can therefore also be differentiated by how they each represent conflict and
resolution in their own distinctive ways.
• Style
• Iconography refers to actual objects or sounds in a film or moving image product, whereas
style specifically refers to how these are presented. This category mainly relates to use of
camera, lighting, colour and both audio and visual tone.
• Theme
• Genre films are often underpinned by universal themes, which increase their appeal to
audiences. These themes, underpinning a film’s narrative are most effective when they are
based on binary oppositions. For example, Jim Kitses used anthropological studies of folklore
as a basis for identifying a number of key underlying themes in the Western genre; East v.
West, Garden v. Wilderness, Industrialism v. Agrarianism.

13. Genre Elements
• Audience Response
• Some genres are most easily identified by their target audience. Every film has a
“mode of address”, a particular way in which it speaks to a target audience. Horror
films intend to “horrify” audiences, action films deliberately set out to make an
audience feel tense. Some genres of film soon become associated with a particular
audience, though this may not always be justified by audience statistics e.g. action
films are regarded as ideally suited for male audiences though recent action films
have proven very popular with female audiences.

14. Genre Elements
• Genre elements can also be referred to as the
Codes and Conventions they’re the expected
elements that provide the audience pleasure,
and the ‘blue print’ used by film producers.
1. Considering these elements and audience
response write a paragraph that defines
the horror genre.
2. How would you define a British Horror
Film?

15. What is a horror film?
• Defining a genre is never straightforward; genre change over time,
they are complicated by hybrids, sub-genre, cycles and franchises.
This is certainly true of the horror genre which can be categorised
in a variety of ways:
• Hybrids: horror thriller/ sci-fi/ fantasy/ comedy/ adventure
• Sub-genre: gothic/slasher/splatter/zombie
• Franchises: sequels, remakes
• Cycles: Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy
• The horror genre may also be categorized in terms of institutions
(Universal in the 1930s, Hammer in the 1960s and 1970s) and
nationality (J Horror, British Horror, German Expressionism). That
there is a recognisable category ‘British Horror’ suggests that British
horror films may be considered as part of a national cinema dealing
with subject matter relevant to British audiences in a distinctive
style.

16. A definition of horror
• Horror films are unsettling films designed to frighten and panic,
cause dread and alarm and to invoke our hidden worst fears, often
in a terrifying, shocking finale, while captivating and entertaining as
at the same time in cathartic experience. Horror films effectively
centre on the dark side of life, the forbidden and strange and
alarming events. They deal with our most primal nature and its
fears: our nightmares, our vulnerability, our alienation, our
revulsion, our terror of the unknown, our fear of death ad
dismemberment, loss of identity, or fear of sexuality.
• CATHARSIS (or cathartic effect) – the idea originated with the ancient Greek
philosopher, Aristotle who believed that the watching of a tragedy is cathartic, i.e. it
purges the spectator of certain strong emotions, As a result mainly f experiments by
Fesbach and Singer this idea has been developed in media effects research. Watching
aggressive media output, it is proposed, does not make viewers ore aggressive; quite
the contrary – since the explicit aggression experienced through the media purges the
viewer of aggression, the result of watching violence is less aggression.

18. Case Study Films
James Watkins (2008)
Terence Fisher (1958)
Christopher Smith (2004) Neil Marshall (2005)

19. British Culture and Iconography
What is ‘British-ness?’

20. Linking Knowledge to the exam
• Exam question wording:
• NARRATIVE DEVICE
• STORYTELLING METHODS
• REPRESENTATION
• CHARACTERS
• ‘BRITISH-NESS’

21. Screening Questions
• These are the things to keep in mind AND MAKES
NOTES ON when watching the case study films:
• Use of micro features
• The narrative devices that are used and narrative
structure
• Storytelling methods
• Representation
• Elements of ‘British-ness’
• Take notes of key scenes
• Typicality

22. Case Study Films
James Watkins (2008)
Terence Fisher (1958)
Christopher Smith (2004) Neil Marshall (2005)