R4 - Genre Theory & Moving Image

" Genre is a system of codes, conventions and visual styles, which enables an audience to determine rapidly and with some complexity the kind of narrative they are viewing" - Turner, 1993: 83

 

GENRE IDENTIFICATION

- Genres are not a representation of the real world, but are media products.

- Genre depends and works through intertextuality and is understood in terms of others.

- All genres have a central element around which they are constructed.

- When watching a film, we recall our 'generic memories' so identify a genre so we know what is more likely to come up and what we should expect.

- Genre ultimately relies on the audience's knowledge and experience of them in order for a process of understanding or intertextual reading to take place.

 

MOCKUMENTARY:

- Are parodies of the documentary genre.

- Fictional stories

- Use handheld cameras quite often, natural sound and lighting

 

ICONOGRAPHY:

- An icon is a type of sign and resembles the object for which it stands.

- Many film productions use iconography whether its in the film poster, or in the actual film.

- Frame, location, image, set design, costume, placement of objects, special relations , the interplay of light and shade, camera position and angle view can be used to accentuate iconography.

 

GENRE CRITISISMS:

- Circularity: to establish a genre, you need to firstly isolate its content which then presupposes the existence of the genre.

- Linearity: descriptions may be too static to accommodate adequate generic developments and diversity.

- Labelling: Generic systems are too large (which is why we need sub genres).

- Repetition: Films often replicate those before them making a continuing line of similar films with similar storylines. (lack of variety).