Genre Theory (RESEARCH AND PLANNING)

WHAT IS A GENRE ?

There are many doubts surrounding genre theory, genre is hard to define due to the self-opinionated views the text fall under which genres, I believe genres have become more complex over the years creating hybrid genres. Conventional definitions of genre count on films "sharing conventions of content (Such as themes & settings) and/or form (including structure & style), by sharing these characteristics films are said to belong to that generic group". 

Semiotically, a genre can be seen as a shared code between the producers and the audience who receive  the text.

SET OF CONVENTIONS

The distinctive textual properties of a genre typically listed by film and television theorists include: 

FILMILAR NARRATIVE - plots and structures, predictable situations, sequences, episodes, obstacles, conflicts and resolutions

CHARACTERIZATION - similar types of characters, roles, personal qualities, motivations, goals and behaviour

BASIC THEMES - topics, subject matter (social, cultural, psychological, professional, political, sexual, moral) and values

SETTING - geographical and historical

ICONOGRAPHY - echoing the narrative, characterization, themes and setting

MODE OF ADDRESS - inbuilt assumptions about the audience, such as that the 'ideal' viewer is male 

MIS-EN-SCENE 

STYLE OF REPRESENTATION - how the text is presented  

FILM TECHNIQUE - stylistic or formal conventions of camerawork, lighting, sound-recording, use of colour, editing 

AUDIENCE

• The audience uses the identification of a genre as a way of judging whether a film will appeal to them or not.
• Genre can be used to gauge the expectations of an audience
•  The relative stability of genres enables producers to predict audience expectations.
• Audience use genre to make sense of the film that we see

From study genre theory I have learnt boundaries between genres are shifting and becoming more flexible. Genre has no rigid rules of inclusion or exclusion. It is difficult to make a distinction between one genre and another. Specific genres are easier to recognise but impossible to define. Many theorists question the existence of genre ‘In the real world’.