What is genre? Why is it useful for filmmakers and audiences?
Genre, which comes from the French word for 'type' is a style or category of art, music, or literature. Genre is used to group various types of styles or category of art according to a predictable range of features and expectations.
John Fiske: Describes genres as attempts to structure some order into the wide range of texts and meanings that circulate in our culture for the convenience of both producers and audiences. Genre is, therefore, simply a way of categorizing texts in our media-saturated culture.
John Fiske: Describes genres as attempts to structure some order into the wide range of texts and meanings that circulate in our culture for the convenience of both producers and audiences. Genre is, therefore, simply a way of categorizing texts in our media-saturated culture.
Genre in film
Genre in film, a film genre is a motion picture categories are based on the similarities in either the narrative elements or the emotional response to the film. Most film genres theories are borrowed form literary fiction but some directors like to create there own fictional stories for example Quentin Tarantino likes to create his own screen plays and writes most of his films e.g. Inglourious Basterds
Film genres can be categorized by the setting, theme, mood, format and target audience.
Genre is very important to filmmakers, as It identifies who is the target audience is it also sets guidelines for what can and cannot occur during a movie. Filmmakers value genre, as it is basically a formula for success when drawing an audience, or when trying to win award. This helps sell the film to the audience and market it to the right audience through advisements in movie theaters, social media and other sources of media. It is also a guideline for film production the basic building a blocks “starting point” for creating the film to a niche audience this important because they can start getting the right actors, props, set, dialogue etc. They can then start creating the key conventions for the genre or they can break the key conventions of the genre and create a hybrid genre for example Blade runner which is a Sci-fi crime.
Genre is important to the film audience, as it allows the audience to quickly attach to the film and it allows them to find films they are interested in more easily. Because it allows them to know what kind of film they're about to see. It allows them to know what to expect when they walk into a movie theatre. If someone has bought a ticket for a comedy film, they expect to walk in, sit down and laugh.
Film genres can be categorized by the setting, theme, mood, format and target audience.
- The setting is the environment where the story and action takes place
- The theme or topic refers to the issues or concepts that the film revolves around
- The mood is the emotional tone of the film
- Format refers to the way the film was shot
- Comedy
- Action
- Horror
- Adventure
- Science fiction
- Comedy horror
- Disaster
- Slashes
- Black comedies
- Sci-Fi thriller
Genre is very important to filmmakers, as It identifies who is the target audience is it also sets guidelines for what can and cannot occur during a movie. Filmmakers value genre, as it is basically a formula for success when drawing an audience, or when trying to win award. This helps sell the film to the audience and market it to the right audience through advisements in movie theaters, social media and other sources of media. It is also a guideline for film production the basic building a blocks “starting point” for creating the film to a niche audience this important because they can start getting the right actors, props, set, dialogue etc. They can then start creating the key conventions for the genre or they can break the key conventions of the genre and create a hybrid genre for example Blade runner which is a Sci-fi crime.
Genre is important to the film audience, as it allows the audience to quickly attach to the film and it allows them to find films they are interested in more easily. Because it allows them to know what kind of film they're about to see. It allows them to know what to expect when they walk into a movie theatre. If someone has bought a ticket for a comedy film, they expect to walk in, sit down and laugh.
The key conventions of a horror genre
The setting is the location where the film takes place this is usually taking place in small communities or isolated places like a small towns, woods, narrow alleyways or the countryside. Really can this that connotes isolation or being alone. Usually the setting has a dark history about it with abandoned house, hotels and insane asylums.
Technical codes, camera shots, sounds and editing are very expressive in horror and is not natural there are many shots used in the genre.
Narrative structure horror there always a hero protagonist, a man or “final girl” of the film the hero must embark on a mission to kill the monster or solve problems.
Character types there are always stereotypical character that are in every horror for example;
Technical codes, camera shots, sounds and editing are very expressive in horror and is not natural there are many shots used in the genre.
- High and low angles can connote fear and nightmares
- POV shots allow audiences form the world of the monster or the victim
- Handheld shots make it difficult to make out what happing it evokes terror and realism
- A close up of the victims face can help the audience identify with the horror and fear
- Frame work is used to make it harder to see the what happening with the protagonist
- Disturbing sounds are very important in a horror film
- Editing can create tension and suspense
Narrative structure horror there always a hero protagonist, a man or “final girl” of the film the hero must embark on a mission to kill the monster or solve problems.
Character types there are always stereotypical character that are in every horror for example;
- Main protagonist “victim/hero”
- The villain usually a monster, mutated human or serial killer
- The stupid teenagers that always get killed
- Creepy children
- Police officers
Identify and describe a narrtive theory
Vladimir Propp suggested that every narrative has eight different character types, these character types are:
- The villain - fights the hero in some way
- The dispatcher - character who makes the villains evil known and send the hero off
- The (magical) helper - helps the hero in the quest
- The princess or prize - the hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil, usually because of the villain. The heros journey is often ended when he marries the princess, thereby beating the villain and resulting in a “happily ever after” moment
- Her father - gives the task to the hero, identifies the false hero, and marries the hero, often sought for during the narrative. Propp noted that functionally, the princess and the father cannot be clearly distinguished
- The donor - prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object
- The hero or victim/seeker hero - reacts to the donor, weds the princess
- False hero - takes credit for the hero’s actions or tries to marry the princess.
Most films follow this theory that prop suggested for example: The dark knight rises
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Tvzetan Toderov, The narrative theory basically states that most story's or plot lines follow the same pattern or path. There are 5 steps in this pattern:
- Equilibrium, The first part of the story will display a happy start, where the majority of characters are content and everything is as it should be
- A disruption, The second part of the story will feature a problem or some thing will disrupt the happiness
- Realisation, This part of the plot is when everyone realises the problem and it is chaos
- Restored order, This part of the plot is when the characters attempt to repair the damage and restore the problem
- Equilibrium again, this is the final part of the plot where the problem is resolved and normality can resume again. So, the dome is blown up and everyone is free
Most film follows this as a guideline you can see in almost every film you watch for example I will choose Captain Phillips:
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Production role
My role for this production is a sound technician, I am in charge of assembling, operating and maintain the technical equipment used to record, amplify, enhance, mix or reproduce sound. Recording of all sound on set and on location also in post-production I have to mix the audio, edit the audio and enhance the pre-recorded audio. For this film I had to find evil horror sound effects and music I researching on the Internet for royalty free site to use in the project.
The list of responsibilities in production
On set
I had to work with the producer and the director to make sure they were happy with the audio I was recording. We were filming in a bad location because it was in the middle of a round about so there was a lot of traffic for me to deal with, if I had more time I would of researched how to use the gate feature on the tascam to cut out the background noise and the passing traffic. Thanks to this I had to rely on finding music and sound effects off the Internet.
Post-production
I was helping the editor with the editing of the film by synchronization of the audio (dialogue, sound effects and music) the final part of this is mixing the audio to taste.
The list of responsibilities in post-production
Equipment used:
The list of responsibilities in production
- Assessing the acoustics of the performance area and assembling and operating the necessary equipment;
- Consulting with producers and performers to determine the sound requirements
- Selecting, positioning, adjusting and operating the equipment used for amplification and recording;
- Applying technical knowledge of sound recording equipment to achieve the determined artistic objectives
- Recording sound onto digital audio tape or hard disk recorders;
- Monitoring audio signals to detect sound-quality deviations or malfunctions;
- Anticipating and correcting any problems;
- Maintaining and repairing sound equipment.
On set
I had to work with the producer and the director to make sure they were happy with the audio I was recording. We were filming in a bad location because it was in the middle of a round about so there was a lot of traffic for me to deal with, if I had more time I would of researched how to use the gate feature on the tascam to cut out the background noise and the passing traffic. Thanks to this I had to rely on finding music and sound effects off the Internet.
Post-production
I was helping the editor with the editing of the film by synchronization of the audio (dialogue, sound effects and music) the final part of this is mixing the audio to taste.
The list of responsibilities in post-production
- Integrating (synchronization) of pre-recorded audio (dialogue, sound effects and music) with visual content;
- Re-recording and synchronizing audio (post-synching);
- Mixing and balancing speech, effects and music;
- Creating and altering sound effects for use in films, television, etc.
Equipment used:
- Tascam DR-40
- Rode microphone
- XLR cable
- Headphones
- SD card
- Boom pole
- Windshield
- Wav
- 48,000kz
- 24bit
- Mono
Production
In our groups we had to come up with a horror story for a short film. We had brainstorming meetings about initial ideas and talked about our favorite horror movies for inspiration. We then searched online for locations to film we had three locations to scout they were Carlisle indoor market, Struts shop Carlisle and Carlisle cross roads by the sand center. We phone the owner of the market but we couldn’t use it because there’s building work going on in the market place. We contacted the owners of Struts to see if we were able to shoot there they sounded positive, we then went to the shop to speak to the owner face to face and scout the location.
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After viewing the locations we then went on to writing scrip’s, working out what props we need, if we needed actors, set up a group chat and what equipment we need for the project.
The shop owner of struts emailed use back saying we couldn’t film on that date so we were left with our last choice. We contacted the local council to inquire about the locations we were aloud to use the location. We went a scouted the location captured some pictures, it was good to use but there are problems with the general public as it is a busy location and It’s next to a busy round about with lots of noise.
Next we then came up with a story created characters and then formatted it to a script and created the storyboard we are now ready to film.
Also i was an actor in this project, an actor communicates a character or situations to an audience through speech, body language and movement. This usually involves interpreting the work of a writer under the instruction and support of a director, although some work may require the actor to devise a character or improvise the reactions of a character to a situation
Evaluation
I think the project the project turned out good considering the time constraints set upon use. Our weakness was the location it was very busy with the general public and very noise with all of the traffic from the round about but we done the best that we could with it. I think our biggest strength was the team and how good we worked together we all worked hard and had fun. A night shoot would have been amazing.
Next time I would like spend more time researching selected the genre in detail, spend more time doing the all of aspects of the post-production process, do alot more location scouting and research in to my role a bit more. |
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Post production