Genre Theory

Genre enables people to study texts and audiences responses to texts by dividing them into categories based on common elements. Genre can be described as a style or category of art, music or literature. Each genre will have its own codes and conventions (signs and signifiers) and whenever audiences see these certain codes and conventions they will know that it is in relation to a certain genre. There are an array of different genres that can be mentioned depending on what the type of media is as there are a range of films genres and a range of music genres which all are different from each other. Some genres include;

• Rock

• Horror

• Action

• Pop

• Indie 

• Crime

• Sci-fi

• Classical

• Country 

• Drama

• Adventure 

In 2001, Daniel Chandler argued that the word 'genre' comes from the French (and originally Latin) word for 'kind' or 'class' and the specific word 'genre' is often used in rhetoric, literary theory and media theory to refer to a distinctive type of text. However, all genres will have sub genres which is essentially just a genre within another genre. For example, a sub genre of Rock music could be Pop Rock. The concept of sub genres means that they are divided up into more specific categories that allow audiences to identify them specifically by their familiar, and what will become recognizable characteristics (Barry Keith Grant, 1995). In 1995, Steve Neale stressed that 'genres are not 'systems' they are processes of systematization'. For example, they are dynamic and evolve over time. On a side note, it is important to know that comedy and animation are not genres and are styles or treatments that are used to engage and entertain the audience.

Paradigm

A paradigm is a structure/model which contains certain conventions of a specific genre. Underneath I have created a quick presentation to present what a paradigm is, but I have also provided some examples to help you in understanding this term in more detail. Here is the presentation I have created:

Generic Characteristics

There are generic characteristics that will frequently be seen across all texts which will all share similar elements depending on what the medium is. Below I have created a list to present what these elements that are occasionally shared are: 

• Typical mise-en-scene / visual style (iconography, props, set design, lighting, temporal and geographic location, costume, shot types, camera angles, special effects)

• Typical Types of narrative (plots, historical setting, set pieces)

• Generic Types. For example typical characters (do typical male/female roles exist?)

Theorists

Below I have created a presentation which will allow you to see all the different theorists that have argued something in relation to genre. I have included some images and videos to help you in understanding these different theories that have been constructed. One of the features I have not mentioned in this presentation is that music videos are generally intended to appeal directly toward the younger generation and they are able to do this by reinforcing generic elements of musical genres. In 1975, Dyer stated that music videos are postmodern texts whose main purpose is to promote a star persona. Here is the presentation I have created: