MIGRAIN: Genre
Read Media Factsheet 03 - Genre: Categorising texts and answer the following questions:
1) What example is provided of why visual iconographies are so important? The example that has been provided is when a person sitting at a desk is not genre specific. However, when high key lighting, a modern set, and a screen behind the character at the desk are combined, the image we associate with a news broadcast is created.
2) What examples are provided of the importance of narrative in identifying genre?
The two examples are soap opera and a sit-com. Both use different narrative codes: sitcoms generally use episodic narratives, whereas soap operas typically use an open-ended, multi-strand narrative structure.
3) What is the difference between character representation in action movies and disaster movies?
However, it is unlikely that it will be used in an action film. Action heroes are usually dealing with much bigger issues. The narrative and plot are often part of generic codes of the texts.
4) What are the different ways films can be categorised according to Bordwell?
Bordwell created methods of categorisation which are:
- period or country
- series
- director/ star
- audience
- technical process
- style
They use their prior knowledge of the genre to anticipate
whether or not they are likely to enjoy a text.
They are able to compare a text through its shared
characteristics with another.
- They also use their knowledge of genre to reject a text.
6) List three ways genre is used by institutions or producers.
Production
Attracting an Audience
- Marketing Texts
Despite their differences, there are many similarities between conventional gangster films and the modern equivalents: the genre focuses on groups of criminals, often romanticises the gangster lifestyle and the texts within this genre are violent and deal with conflict between the police and the criminals. Films like Scarface, Reservoir Dogs or The Sopranos have a basic convention.
Read Media Factsheet 126 - Superheroes: A Genre Case Study and answer the following questions:
1) List five films the factsheet discusses with regards to the Superhero genre.
The X Men
- The Avengers
- Spiderman
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Agents of Shield
Superman was depicted in the 1940s as having to fight off European bad guys who endangered Metropolis' peace and safety.
He only desired a quiet life, but was compelled to engage in conflict for the greater good.
When World War II started in 1939, Americans initially thought it was a European problem. Even though a large portion of their population did not want them to, the US government realised as the war began that they might have to get involved. It is common to see episodes of the early Superman serials reiterating the need for America to be ready to fight for the preservation of its culture and values.
3) How can Schatz's theory of genre cycles be applied to the Superhero genre?
Task 2: Genre analysis case study
Carry out your own genre analysis using the model provided by media theorist Daniel Chandler. Choose a film or TV text and answer the following questions - brief answers/bullet point responses are fine:
Twilight sage franchisee
General
1) Why did you choose the text you are analysing? The film is very interesting as it involves fantasy, thriller, action and romance.
2) In what context did you encounter it? The whole saga was download on my friends laptop so I binge watched it went I went to his house.
3) What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of the text? Because I was extremely bored I found the movie so interesting and enticing.
4) To what genre did you initially assign the text? Romance
5) What is your experience of this genre? Not a huge fan of romance, I prefer more thriller films.
6) What subject matter and basic themes is the text concerned with? Fantasy, thriller, action and romance
7) How typical of the genre is this text in terms of content? It isn't a typical film as it is a hybrid film.
8) What expectations do you have about texts in this genre? My expectations were that is was purely about the two protagonists falling in love.
9) Have you found any formal generic labels for this particular text (where)? It does follow the basic generic label of protagonists falling love through difficulty.
10) What generic labels have others given the same text? the same labels.
11) To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre? Not that far as the series drastically change through the series
12) Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre? It departs to make the series more interesting by introducing a another love story.
13) Which conventions seem more like those of a different genre (and which genre(s))? not sure
15) What familiar motifs or images are used? Animals
Mode of address
1) What sort of audience did you feel that the text was aimed at (and how typical was this of the genre)? Younger teenage group
2) How does the text address you? I got every interested whilst i was watching the first movie.
3) What sort of person does it assume you are? A young teenage girl
4) What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity? age between 16 to 22 gender female
5) What interests does it assume you have? interest in romantic films and thriller films
Relationship to other texts
1) What inter textual references are there in the text you are analysing (and to what other texts)? Intertextuality is when a media product references another media text of some kind. vampire diaries as they both launched at a similar time
2) In terms of genre, which other texts does the text you are analysing resemble most closely? vampire diaries
3) What key features are shared by these texts? The main characters roles as vampires and fighting over the female protagonist
4) What major differences do you notice between them? One is a film series the other is a drama television series and have different narratives overall.
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