Genre (finish essay)

Definition ::: come from the French word meaning "type" or "class". It is a catagorization of a media text not only to make it easy for someone to find what they like but to make it easy to sell those categorized media types to people. Genre's consist of codes and conventions.

Music Video Theorists

Goodwin

Vernallis

Film Opening Theorists

Steve Neale - Genre is repetition and difference, repeating what is expected of the genre (following similarities) and then trying something different to keep interest from the audience. Conforms to the stereotypes and conventions of genre but also subversion of the conventions makes it.

Rick Altman - semantic/syntactic approach. Semantic is where the conventions of the genre are applied but also syntactic is used, syntax; the connection of semantic and narrative. Also mentions the Pragmatic approach - institutions and audiences.

****Did you challenge (subvert) or conform (follow) the theory?****

Apply the concept of Genre to one of your coursework pieces.

Intro - state what piece you are talking about, brief overview (short and concise) what genre of you production is, inspirations.

Main Paras -

1st - 3 ideas from concept that sum/show the genre of the piece, choose a bit from DISTINCT, how do they show genre of the piece? Compare to real media products to back up your choice.

2nd - Apply some theories - which theories does the pieced conform or subvert?

3rd - Final - Comclusion - how did genre hep or hinder the process? did it bring creative? did it help make it your own?

Essay

Last para -

With our piece we had to push the boundaries of the genre trying to make it cinematic to pass as an intro but also stick to documentary conventions, the genre helped to give a direction and guide through research of documentary piece, a regime to work with and to feed off creatively.

Narrative

telling a story, plot and character, give a brief summary of your film opening.

Theories ----

Levi Strauss - binary opposite

Todorov - equilibrium, disruption = new equilibrium

Propp - typical characters - heros, villian, damsel, sidekick, dispatcher (there are many more)

Barthes - codes - action, symbold/objects, enigma - all have meaning and connotations.

Narrative - Linear or non linear

Venaleus

Goodwin


Apply the concept of Narrative to one peice of work

Intro - State briefly whjat it was and media type, quick summary of the plot (keep the intro brief because there are no marks in it, only to get the examiner to know your peice)

WHAT THEORIES DID YOU USE AND WHY? the marks scheme asks for a variety and use of technical terms (media terminology)

Just interms of disruption and equilibrium in our narrative :::

When we set out to make our film opening we decide to go against todorovs theory of disruption and equilibrium because our genere was a documentary that follows a simple narrative of finding the answer to the questions set out at the beginning but prehaps beyuond the opening 2 minutes disruption may occur in the struggle of finding the answers.