Genre blog task

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

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. Someone sitting behind a desk is not genre specific. However, add high key lighting, a modern mise en scene and a screen behind the character at the desk and the combination of media language choices creates an image we associate with a news broadcast.

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

When you are watching a film or the TV or reading a newspaper or magazine you will probably find it very easy to identify genre. You will need to look in more detail and identify what media language options have been made to enable you to recognise the genre so easily. These choices will usually be the ones that are shared by the majority of texts within this genre, even if they have their own specific ways of using these choices. Some genres have particular types of story lines. 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. In a soap opera, the situation may be shown in a serious way and the boss could be represented as a villain and act in a very abusive manner. In a soap the story may take a long time to develop as it will be one of many story-lines the soap opera will be dealing with at the same time. In a sit-com, this may be an ongoing story or it may be a problem that is solved within the thirty minute episode. Either way, the sit-com will deal with the humour in the situation and it is most likely that the boss will be represented as foolish rather than villainous.

 The plot in these two genres my be very similar, but the narratives of soap operas and sit-coms are very different. Both use different narrative codes: sit coms tend to be episodic narratives whilst the soap opera convention is to use an open ended, multi-strand narrative structure. This plot is, however, unlikely to be used in an action film. Action heroes usually have much bigger things to deal with than bullying bosses – if they have one, the action hero’s bullying boss will be little more than an irritation. The plot and narrative are often part of the generic codes of the texts.

3) What is the difference between character representation in action movies and disaster movies?

Where the action hero is isolated from other people, the disaster movie usually often places the heroic role within a group of people. Often they all have particular strengths which play a part in solving the problem through the collaboration of a group who works together.

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

5) List three ways genre is used by audiences.

a) 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.

b) 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.

c) 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.

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

a) 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.

b) 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.

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. This acts to attract fans of the genre and set up the expectations of the film.

7) What film genre is used as an example of how genres evolve? What films and conventions are mentioned?

One code of the traditional gangster movie was to have a Tommy Gun hidden in a violin case.

• The first time an audience member saw this is would be a surprise,

• after that it would be pleasurable when the expectation of a gun being hidden this way was met. Eventually, the idea of using the violin case would be seen as unimaginative – it had become a cliché

1) List five films the factsheet discusses with regards to the Superhero genre.

The X Men Franchise, The Avengers and its franchise including: Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Hulk etc. (11 Films since 2000 – 3 more planned), Spiderman, Guardians of the

Galaxy, Agents of Shield

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

In the 1940s, Superman was shown needing to battle European bad-guys who threatened the peace and security of Metropolis.

Spiderman 3 (2007) gives Spiderman several different enemies – Sandman - a man made of sand and Venom, created by an oily substance that infects from within and turns people into monsters. Like Batman Forever, it also deals with the duality of a hero being both ‘light’ and ‘dark’.

WW2 began in 1939 and the US people saw it at first as a European issue. As the war got underway, the US government saw that they might have to get involved – even if many of their population did not want to. Episodes of the early Superman serials can often be seen reinforcing the need for America to be prepared to fight to protect its culture and values.

The film offers a not too hidden metaphor for the conflict the US found themselves in during the 00s. Wars had been fought in desert regions with the main prize being the control of oil. The binary opposition between good and evil is still a theme that is present in the genre.

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.

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.

Deconstruction: Superman (1978) started a new cycle in the superhero genre with technology leading the innovation with special effects creating more realistic visual ‘miracles’.

BLACK PANTHER WAKANDA FOREVER

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

It is a sequel to the black panther movie and part of the marvel franchise

2) In what context did you encounter it?

Cinema

3) What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of the text?

Being in a cinema made it more emotional as it is louder and the cinematics look better
4) To what genre did you initially assign the text?

Action
5) What is your experience of this genre?

I enjoy them the most because you form close intrapersonal relationships with the character. You also get to experience them growing throughout the films.
6) What subject matter and basic themes is the text concerned with?

It follows the death of T'challa (the original black panther) and also touches on subjects of healing from deaths, friendship, colonialism and African culture.
7) How typical of the genre is this text in terms of content?

It is much more diverse than regular marvel film as it revolves around a Black main character.

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

I expected to get emotional but also be drawn into the film.
9) Have you found any formal generic labels for this particular text (where)?

Yes, there was a heavy social media presence at the time of the release.
10) What generic labels have others given the same text?

Science fiction and fantasy
11) Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the text?

There was fighting and car chases which is usually present in action films.
12) To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre?

It includes everything i have mentioned before. 
13) Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?

There protagonist befriended the supposed villain in the film.
14) Which conventions seem more like those of a different genre (and which genre(s))?

Fighting would be action. 
15) What familiar motifs or images are used?

The motif of carrying on your legacy and pride.

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)?

teens, 13+ 
2) How does the text address you?

I feel as though Black people, specifically black Africans are under represented in the media. However, when they are, they are usually painted to be the thief or the first to die first. Black panther was very liberating and empowering for people everywhere. The soundtrack was also playing Burna Boy and stormzy which further uplifts and amplifies Black voices.
3) What sort of person does it assume you are?

WOKE
4) What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity?

teenager that enjoys action films
5) What interests does it assume you have?

Interest in the other films produced by marvel.

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.

References to other marvel films such as iron man.

2) In terms of genre, which other texts does the text you are analysing resemble most closely?

Black panther
3) What key features are shared by these texts?

includes the same characters.

4) What major differences do you notice between them?

The death of the previous main character and new characters enter the film.