This document discusses various forms and conventions of media. It defines form as the structure or framework of a text, such as the continuous multi-stranded storylines and cliffhangers common in soap operas. Genre refers to a category of artistic works sharing a style or subject matter, such as the characteristic ingredients that make horror films or action films recognizable. Distinctive conventions include elements like mise-en-scene, cinematography, and the unique directorial styles of filmmakers like Tim Burton, Alfred Hitchcock, and Steven Spielberg. Genre relies not just on content but also how a work is constructed through its stylistic elements and conventions.

1. Media forms and conventions

2.  Form can be explained in relation to the shape or skeleton of
a text and in this way is often linked to the narrative
 Stories have forms
 Forms of soap operas: continuous, multi-stranded storylines,
individual episodes frequently ending with a cliffhanger
 Micro elements of text: mise-en-scene, editing,
cinematography and sound

3.  What are the forms of:
Action films?
Horror films?
Chick flicks?
What usually happens in the story structure??

4.  Distinctive look of the media text
 Ex: individual style of a particular director
 Distinctive use of mise-en-scene, lighting, music, camera
angles, movement, framing, editing.

5.  Tim Burton style (charlie and the chocolate factory, corpse
bride, etc)

6.  Alfred Hitchcock (vertigo, psycho, etc)

7.  Steven Speilberg (Jurassic park, jaws, etc)

8.  A category of artistic, musical, or literary composition
characterized by a particular style, form, or content
 In media terminology it can be judged by the codes,
conventions, mise-en-scene and the style of the media
content
 Texts from different mediums may belong to the same genre
(e.g. aTV programme like Dr Who and a comic book like The
Incredible Hulk can both be categorized as Science Fiction.)

9.  Genre does not rely simply on what's in a media text but also
on the way it is put together (constructed).This can be
important, for example, when distinguishing between a
horror movie and a thriller, which can deal with similar
subject matter, and look the same — lots of action set at
night — but belong to separate genres (a horror film takes
the audience into a supernatural place, where a thriller sticks
to reality).

15.  The characteristic ‘ingredients’ of a particular genre and the
elements which make it recognizable can be defined as
‘conventions’.
 The provide a common link to a group of films/drama/etc.
 Ex:
soap operas will contain rolling storylines, recognizable
characters and consistent settings.They tackle social issues
and have series of episodes.
Horror: females confronting the evil

16.  http://www.slideshare.net/andywallis/media-
language-6842843