Genre
Read Media Factsheet 03 - Genre: Categorising texts and answer the following questions:
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.
Superman
Batman
Flash
Arrow
Gotham2) What examples are provided of how the Superhero genre has reflected the changing values, ideologies and world events of the last 70 years?
Genres replicate cultural myths they do this by addressing them within stories where a culture is able to play out those fears and concerns. Genres offer ideological reassurance when the narratives offer a resolution that addresses these fears and especially when the fears are overcome.
3) How can Schatz's theory of genre cycles be applied to the Superhero genre?
• Innovation: The visual codes for the superhero genre were largely established via the comic books. As soon as film and TV began to use the comic book characters other codes and conventions regarding the presentation of the genre in moving image were set.
• Classical: By the 1950s the superhero genre could be seen to be in its classical stage with the codes and conventions being replicated in the film and TV programmes of the time.
• Parody: Batman (1966) was intentionally funny and camp and wouldn’t let its audience take the superhero too seriously. It had an ironic tone that flagged up the daft nature of the genre and allowed the audience to enjoy the awareness of that. After Batman, the classical and parodic versions of the genre were largely located in children’s animation, from Spider-Man whose animated adventures were on TV from the late 1960s, to the less than serious versions of the genre in Mighty Mouse.
• Deconstruction: . Both the Superman series and Tim Burton’s Batman franchise treated the fantastic world of the superhero seriously as in the classical era but they also used the camp comedy and a tongue-in-cheek approach of parody showing how the genre had been deconstructed and repackaged in an attempt to revitalise the genre and help it find a new audience
• The Cycle Continues: After 1997’s Batman and Robin received a less than positive reception, the genre again needed to deconstruct and re-innovate. The next stage of the genre’s development was the rise of Marvel Studios with The X Men (2000) and Spider-Man in 2002 and DC’s return with Batman Begins in 2005 and Superman Returns in 2006.
General
1) Why did you choose the text you are analysing?
2) In what context did you encounter it?
3) What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of the text?
5) What is your experience of this genre?
6) What subject matter and basic themes is the text concerned with?
7) How typical of the genre is this text in terms of content?
This film is similar to other horrors, however throughout we do not know who the villain is there are multiple possibilities.
8) What expectations do you have about texts in this genre?
9) Have you found any formal generic labels for this particular text (where)?
10) What generic labels have others given the same text?
11) Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the text?
12) To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre?
13) Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?
14) Which conventions seem more like those of a different genre (and which genre(s))?
2) How does the text address you?
3) What sort of person does it assume you are?
4) What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity?
5) What interests does it assume you have?
1) What example is provided of why visual iconographies are so important?
The example provided was both Star Wars and Star Trek which use recognisable iconographies of Science Fiction. These help establish the nature as well as the themes of the film.
2) What examples are provided of the importance of narrative in identifying genre?
For example, in a soap opera it would not be unusual to see one of the story-lines follow a family having to deal with a domestic situation such as a member of the family having trouble with their boss at work. This type of story may also appear in a sit-com but the way the story develops and is dealt with will be different.
3) What is the difference between character representation in action movies and disaster movies?
Action heroes are often isolated from everyone whereas the in a disaster movie heroic roles are placed in the centre of a group.
4) What are the different ways films can be categorised according to Bordwell?
• Period or Country, e.g. US films of the 1930s
• Director / Star, e.g. Ben Stiller Films
• Technical Process, e.g. Animation
• Style, e.g. German Expressionism;
• Series, e.g. Bond;
•Audience,e.g. Family Films
Each of these methods of categorisation have their own ‘shared characteristics’ in the media language, plots, narrative structures, characterisation and in the values and ideologies they conform to.
5) List three ways genre is used by audiences.
• Director / Star, e.g. Ben Stiller Films
• Technical Process, e.g. Animation
• Style, e.g. German Expressionism;
• Series, e.g. Bond;
•Audience,e.g. Family Films
Each of these methods of categorisation have their own ‘shared characteristics’ in the media language, plots, narrative structures, characterisation and in the values and ideologies they conform to.
5) List three ways genre is used by audiences.
a)They use their prior knowledge of the genre to decide whether or not they are likely to enjoy a text. This helps when selecting a media text
b) They are able to compare a text through its shared characteristics with another
c)They use their knowledge to reject a text.
b) They are able to compare a text through its shared characteristics with another
c)They use their knowledge to reject a text.
6) List three ways genre is used by institutions or producers.
a)Production- If a media producer wants to produce a new sit-com, there are certain ’rules’ that must be followed.
b)Attracting an audience- some audiences will read a text because they have a loyal fan base to a genre
c)Marketing texts-Good examples of this are film trailers which usually attempt to clearly define the genre of the film and then show as many of the codes and conventions in the trailer actually makes life easier for writers and producers as they don’t have to invent things from scratch
b)Attracting an audience- some audiences will read a text because they have a loyal fan base to a genre
c)Marketing texts-Good examples of this are film trailers which usually attempt to clearly define the genre of the film and then show as many of the codes and conventions in the trailer actually makes life easier for writers and producers as they don’t have to invent things from scratch
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.
Superman
Batman
Flash
Arrow
Gotham2) What examples are provided of how the Superhero genre has reflected the changing values, ideologies and world events of the last 70 years?
Genres replicate cultural myths they do this by addressing them within stories where a culture is able to play out those fears and concerns. Genres offer ideological reassurance when the narratives offer a resolution that addresses these fears and especially when the fears are overcome.
3) How can Schatz's theory of genre cycles be applied to the Superhero genre?
• Innovation: The visual codes for the superhero genre were largely established via the comic books. As soon as film and TV began to use the comic book characters other codes and conventions regarding the presentation of the genre in moving image were set.
• Classical: By the 1950s the superhero genre could be seen to be in its classical stage with the codes and conventions being replicated in the film and TV programmes of the time.
• Parody: Batman (1966) was intentionally funny and camp and wouldn’t let its audience take the superhero too seriously. It had an ironic tone that flagged up the daft nature of the genre and allowed the audience to enjoy the awareness of that. After Batman, the classical and parodic versions of the genre were largely located in children’s animation, from Spider-Man whose animated adventures were on TV from the late 1960s, to the less than serious versions of the genre in Mighty Mouse.
• Deconstruction: . Both the Superman series and Tim Burton’s Batman franchise treated the fantastic world of the superhero seriously as in the classical era but they also used the camp comedy and a tongue-in-cheek approach of parody showing how the genre had been deconstructed and repackaged in an attempt to revitalise the genre and help it find a new audience
• The Cycle Continues: After 1997’s Batman and Robin received a less than positive reception, the genre again needed to deconstruct and re-innovate. The next stage of the genre’s development was the rise of Marvel Studios with The X Men (2000) and Spider-Man in 2002 and DC’s return with Batman Begins in 2005 and Superman Returns in 2006.
Finally, 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:
General
1) Why did you choose the text you are analysing?
Because when I watched it I enjoyed it and it was a film that I recommended to others. I also have watched it recently.
2) In what context did you encounter it?
I encountered it on a saturday night when looking for a film on netflix with a group of friends.
3) What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of the text?
Throughout the film we are able to develop a personal connection with the child as we discover more about his life in mini flashbacks.
4) To what genre did you initially assign the text?
Horror because of the darkness across the film poster, also the withered looking hand and dilapidated door are almost conventions that you would see in horrors.
5) What is your experience of this genre?
Frightening, jumpy and unpredictable
6) What subject matter and basic themes is the text concerned with?
Fear, death, mind games, possession, haunting
7) How typical of the genre is this text in terms of content?
8) What expectations do you have about texts in this genre?
I expect some kind of death/murder, fast paced music, tense scenes leading up to something big.
9) Have you found any formal generic labels for this particular text (where)?
10) What generic labels have others given the same text?
11) Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the text?
Low-key lighting, blood, gothic writing, villain
12) To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre?
It doesn't really as it sticks to the basics of a horror movie.
13) Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?
14) Which conventions seem more like those of a different genre (and which genre(s))?
Some of the music is contrapuntal and seems more suited to action kind of movies
15) What familiar motifs or images are used?
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)?
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)?
I think it was aimed at a teenage audience as it wasn't too scary however it was jumpy at points. I think an older audience would find it boring.
2) How does the text address you?
3) What sort of person does it assume you are?
It assumes that jump scares will scare me and I find possession scary
4) What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity?
The film doesn't seem to be addressing a particular class of gender.
5) What interests does it assume you have?
It assumes that i'm interested in religion to some extent and also possession.
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