Research, Task 11: Genre

Genre is the term used for the styles and categories of media text ; specifically film. These help to establish certain expectations for different types of film and gives the audience as choice as to what sort of film they wish to view. Different audiences get the choice of their preferred viewing experience.
Genres can then be further divided into sub categories or 'sub-genres' and can be combined to create hybrid genres. This means that hybrid genres contain more than one set of codes and conventions (common generic elements) which adds variety and targets a wider audience.

My three favourite genres are horror, thriller and fantasy:

- Still image from The Girl On The Train a (psychological) thriller film









The conventions of the thriller genre include an element of mystery, along with some dramatic irony. This normally helps to create tension and sometimes fear, helping to keep the audience gripped and curious. Thriller films are normally filmed using closing up shots and cut ins so that the audience cant always see what is outside of the frame, again, adding to the element of mystery.

- Still image Sinister a horror film










The main genre conventions of horror films are the use of special effects and computer generated images. They also heavily include scary makeup and exaggerated costumes in order to further make the super imposed images look more realistic. Most horror films have low key lighting to create a sense of unknown; leaving the audience 'in the dark' about what's to come. They are almost always edited with fast cutting or jump cuts to create frequent surprises and to make the audience themselves jump.

- Still image from Pan's Labyrinth a fantasy film












The fantasy genre has a wide range of codes and conventions. For instance, they almost always include mythical and fiction characters who are involved in supernatural events. Mise en scene can vary widely depending on the themes, time its set, location and plot. In order to create surreal visuals, however, most of them are made up of animatronics, CGI, special effects and exaggerated costumes or props.