Genre: blog tasks

 Task 1: Genre factsheets

Complete the following tasks using the Media Factsheets available on the Media Shared drive. You'll find them in our Media Factsheet archive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets or can access them online using your Greenford Google login here.

Create a new blogpost in your Exam blog called 'Genre blog tasks' and complete the following:

Read Media Factsheet 03 - Genre: Categorising texts and answer the following questions:

1) What example is provided of why visual iconographies are so important?

Most commonly, codes and conventions are considered as coming

from the iconographies (specific visual or aural media language

choices). Sometimes these iconographies are enough to act alone,

e.g. the mise en scene of deep space, usually indicates the genre of

sci-fi. Sometimes, however, the iconographies work together to

indicate the genre.

2) What examples are provided of the importance of narrative in identifying genre?

Visual and aural iconographies are not the only way that genres can

be identified. Genre can also be indicated in the way the story is

told via its narrative (the structure of the story telling) and plot (the

events and occurrences within the story).

3) 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

4) List three ways genre is used by audiences.

1) They use their prior knowledge of the genre to anticipate

whether or not they are likely to enjoy a text. This helps when

selecting a media text whether it is a lifestyle magazine, a film

or a television programme.

2) They are able to compare a text through its shared

characteristics with another. If you try to describe a TV

programme to someone who has not seen it, you are likely to

define its genre and then clarify what other text it is similar to.

3) They also use their knowledge of genre to reject a text. For

many of us there will be genres we actively dislike and therefore

will avoid accessing texts we assume to hold those

characteristics.

5) List three ways genre is used by institutions or producers.

1) Production

Genres are paradigms or templates media producers can follow.

If a media producer wants to produce a new sit-com, there are

certain ’rules’ that must be followed. This actually makes life

easier for writers and producers as they don’t have to invent

things from scratch. They can also look to successful examples

of the genre and attempt to replicate what was popular and, of

course, avoid the mistakes made by texts which have

disappointed the audience.

2) Attracting an Audience

Some genres have loyal fan-bases. People will try out a new sit-

com simply because it’s a new sit-com and this can help media

producers minimise the potential for failure.

3) 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. This acts to attract fans of

the genre and set up the expectations of the film.

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.
Spiderman, Iron man, Captain America, The Hulk, X men franchise.

2) What examples are provided of how the Superhero genre has reflected the changing values, ideologies and world events of the last 70 years?

• 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. This can be seen in the early superhero shorts of

the 1940s.

• 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.

3) How can Schatz's theory of genre cycles be applied to the Superhero genre?

Schatz says that during the innovative and classical parts of a genre’s development, genres are ‘transparent’ - that is the audience does not seethe genre, rather they ‘look through it’ to the story being told. Therefore it forces the audience to look into the deeper picture of becoming and being a superhero.

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:

The Office-

General
1) Why did you choose the text you are analysing? 

I enjoy the overall story line and humour that comes with it.
2) To what genre did you initially assign the text?

Comedy.
3) What is your experience of this genre?

I find that it is very enjoyable and something that you could binge watch without getting bored of it.
4) What subject matter and basic themes is the text concerned with?

A potential office life and work atmosphere that some people experience as well as the importance of creating good bonds with your colleagues. 

5) How typical of the genre is this text in terms of content?

Not very common for TV shows to incorporate a more informal type of setting. and production.

6) What expectations do you have about texts in this genre?

Something relatively comedic.
7) Have you found any formal generic labels for this particular text (where - try imdb.com if unsure)?

I would say Comedy.
8) Which conventions of the genre do you recognise in the text?

We see a mix of genres of order and integration.
9) To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre?

It incorporates a lot of different types of scenes.
10) Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?

It departs as its an hybrid of genres within the comedy.
11) Which conventions seem more like those of a different genre (and which genre(s))?

Potentially romantic ( with Jim and Pam) or potentially a fight scene which would mean action.
12) What familiar motifs or images are used?
Motif of romantic relationships with narrative that goes along the series.

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 would say young adults however the office isn't necessarily aimed at a specific age demographic.
2) What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity?

We are lazy, broke, not hard working individuals and non existent.
3) What interests does it assume you have?

It will assume you have dark humour potentially and can understand jokes that normal people many not be able to understand.

Relationship to other texts
1) What intertextual 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.

Romantic genre as well as comedy or violence.
2) In terms of genre, which other texts does the text you are analysing resemble most closely?

How at times people use comedy as a form of coping with emotional grief.
3) What key features are shared by these texts?

The importance of unity and sticking up for one another, the work place is like a family.
4) What major differences do you notice between them?
The contrast between comedy and emotional burden and neglect.

This is a fair amount of work - but you will have plenty of time to complete it (including lesson time). Anything you don't finish this week in the lesson complete for homework. In total, we think this work will take around 2-3 hours so plan your homework time accordingly.