Genre

Genre

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

Genres are categories or types of media text. Genres are recognisable through the repeated use of generic codes and conventions. Codes and conventions most commonly come from the iconographies and sometimes these iconographies are enough to act alone, e.g. the mise-en-scene of deep space, usually indicates the genre of Si-fi.

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

Genre can also be indicated in the way the story Is told via narrative and plot. 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.

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

Characters, including the use of stereotypes and character roles, are also part of the narrative of texts. Certain stereotypes tend to be linked to specific genres. The "lone wolf" hero, for example is a convention of an action text. Here the hero tends to be positioned outside a supportive group and he works alone to fight the villains or save the world. 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? 

Bordwell, came up  with many potential methods of categorisation such as:

• 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.

• They use their prior knowledge of the genre to anticipate weather 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.
• 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.
• 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.

• 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
• 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
• Production- Genres are 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 means that writers and producers 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.

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

The Gangster Genre. The sopranos, reservoir dogs and scarface were examples mentioned and a convention is a tommy gun hidden inside of a violin case- after a while it became cliché.

Media Factsheet 126:

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

• The X Men Franchise
• The Avengers and it's franchise inc: Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Hulk etc.
• 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?

• Wolverine (1 and 2)
• Spiderman (1,2 and 3)
• Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, Batman and Robin
• The X Men (1,2 and 3)

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

Innovation: The visual codes were largely established via comic books. However, once film and TV began to use the comic book characters other codes and conventions regarding the presentation of the genre in moving were set.

My own genre analysis: Prison Break

General

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

I chose this text as it's my all time favourite TV Series. The narrative as a whole was exquisite and also intense. I have never delved deeper into my own imagination before and I hold this work of art very close to my heart. As a whole, I really wish the characters, setting and the atmosphere created as whole was all reality. The plot twists and just the intelligence of Michael Scofield hooked me onto the series.
 
2) In what context did you encounter it?

I encountered Prison Break through my older brother and watched  all of the series (1-4) back in 2013 (although the series started in 2005) until 2017 when series 5 came out.


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

I knew that as it was filmed in the early 20th century, there wouldn't be a huge technical development i.e. in other words everyone used brick phones and the setting as a whole was very old school. Watching it through my brother assured me that I was going to enjoy the series as we both share many things in common.


4) To what genre did you initially assign the text?

I instantly knew from the series name that it was going to be linked with genres such as crime, drama and hints of thriller and I was right (or close to right)
 
5) What is your experience of this genre?

My experience with this genre was absolutely wonderful! I tend to watch shows/films etc. linking to these types of genres as I like the mystery, intense atmospheres and exciting narratives and plots. I also just enjoy watching dark content.


6) What subject matter and basic themes is the text concerned with?

Some themes are:

• Escape
• Family
• Revenge
• Life and Death
• Sacrifice
• Fate versus Free Will

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

In the crime fiction genre, typically, there is a bad guy and a good guy who is trying to do the morally correct thing and there is lots of death. There are also lots of flask backs and deep secrets revealed. In my opinion, prison break is very typical in relation to the crime fiction genre.

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

I expect lot's of death, blood-churning moments, Plot twists, flash backs and reoccurring characters. Prison break also falls within the drama, action, mystery and thriller genres as well. So I also expect a lot of drama, and moments in the series where lots of heavy themes are dealt with.


9) Have you found any formal generic labels for this particular text (where)?



10) What generic labels have others given the same text?


11) Which conventions of the genre do you recognise in the text?

A protagonist, An antagonist and Fighting (conflict)


12) To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre?
In Series 4, lot's of people get shot and some as a result of this, die. The mystery really builds up here as some characters in the text are claimed as dead but reveal to be very much alive. At this point of the TV series, many more secrets are revealed and irrelevant (characters who are mentioned but not seen) are also brought up. Nonetheless, there is more action and tension created as the plot is twisted.

13) Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?
In series 1, there is definitely less gore and death in comparison to the other series. Additionally, although the crime genre is clearly established here, it isn't dealt with on a deeper level in comparison to the other series for example, the series is set in the prison for the majority of the season and it portrays the hardships/reality of living in a prison as a criminal but because the protagonist is there (with his intelligence and mid- blowing plan to get his brother out of the prison), it creates a sense of hope for the audience that prison isn't as bad as everyone assumed and there is a way to get out of sticky situations. Also, most of the characters introduced into the series are falsely out into the prison (due to a set up) and so this stereotype that criminals are morally wrong and dangerous people is lost therefore, this is where the text departs from the conventions of the genre. The producers, deliberately make the text depart from the conventions of the genre to ease the audience into the show as it progresses into something much bigger.

14) Which conventions seem more like those of a different genre (and which genre(s))?
The love established in the series is something that you would see in the romantic genre. The series also tends to delve into the Si-fi and thriller genres at some points.

15) What familiar motifs or images are used?
Some familiar motifs are: 

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)?

This text was aimed at people who enjoy TV Crime Series, and texts that deal with American Politics as well as the criminal justice system. Prison break deals heavily with the above. 

2) How does the text address you?

I really enjoyed the show and after watching it, it made me think about the crime/justice system in a completely different manner. I established an interest for this type of genre on a larger scale and definitely hadn't seen anything quite like it before. 

3) What sort of person does it assume you are?

A good person as the centre protagonist is fighting for his freedom as well as the freedom for others. He aims to save his brother who is falsely put into prison as well as many others throughout the process. Prison break deals with many significant themes and so therefore, it allows one to be more aware and open to these sorts of themes such as: crime, murder etc. 

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

The assumption is that the consumer is an American boy/adult aged between 18-34 due to the adult content such as violence, bad language, sexual and drug references. Almost all the main characters are male and there are only 2-3 main female characters such as Sarah Tancredi (the main female lead in all series), Veronica Donovan (the main female lead in season 1) and Gretchen Morgan (the main female antagonist in season 3 and 4). Most of the characters come from middle-class and some from working class. Most of the characters within the show are white american such as Michael, Lincoln, Mahone, Bellick, T-Bag, Westmoreland, Tweener, LJ, Kellerman, Charles etc. However, we also have one character from Puerto Rican descent and a couple of characters from Black Backgrounds such as C Note, Agent Lang and Wyatt. 

5) What interests does it assume you have?
Action/Fighting Scenes
Drama
Crime/Drugs
Death/ Tragedy
Sacrifice

Relationship to other texts

1) What intertextual references are there in the text you are analysing (and to what other texts)?
One intertextual reference which is included in mostly all of the series as well as the opening theme is Michael's origami swan which plays a big part throughout the series.

2) Generically, which other texts does the text you are analysing resemble most closely?
Some other shows that resemble my text are:

• Breaking Bad
• The Mentalist
• Lost
• Breakout Kings

Although I believe that Prison Break is unique and there is nothing quite like it!

3) What key features are shared by these texts?

The crime, death, tragedy, and drama 

4) What major differences do you notice between them?

The amount of deaths differ, The plot, The narrative and the wide range of characters