Genre notes

Genre origimally comes from Latin but if from France.  The word genre means type.

All genres have subgenres - These mean they are divided up into more specific categories that allow audiences to identify them specifically their familiar and what become recognisable characteristics.

Steve Neal - stresses that genres are not systems that are processes -they are dynamic and evolve over time.

Generic Characteristics
1.  Typical Mise-En-Scene/Visual Style - lighting, props, setting, location and costume
2   Typical Types of Narrative - Plots, Historical, setting and Set pieces.
3   Generic Types I.E typical characters (do typical male/female roles exist, archetypes)
4   Typical Personnel (directors, producers, actors, stars and auteurs)
5   Typical sound designing (sound design, dialogue, music and sound effect)
6   Typical Editing style

Rick Altman argues that genre offers audiences 'a set of pleasures' - Emotional Pleasures, visceral Pleasures and Intellectual Puzzles.

Emotional Pleasures - offered to the audience of genre films and particularly significant when they generate a strong audience response.

Visceral Pleasures - Elicits a physical effect upon its audience. This can be a feeling of revulsion, kinetic speed or a 'roller coaster road'.

Intellectual Puzzles -film genres such as a thriller or whodunit offer the pleasure in trying to unravel a mystery or puzzle. Pleasure is derived from deciphering the plot and forecasting the end or the being surprised by the unexpected.