TASK 2: Yr 12- Genre Specific Reserch

An detailed exploration of your chosen genre (e.g. horror)

This may be presented as more than one blog post.

What is genre?

Media products can be classified into categories or genre. The word 'genre' comes from the French word meaning 'type' or 'class'. Media genres appear within a medium (film, television) such as the "horror" film or the television "situation comedy".

Research genre theory to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of genre - a frontrunner to look at would be Steve Neale.  You will need to understand why genre is important to both producers and audiences.

Codes and conventions

You will need to identify the codes and conventions of your chosen genre and evaluate their use in a selection of real media products related to your chosen brief. Chose examples of products that you think you will emulate.

What are codes?

Codes are systems of signs, which create meaning. Codes can be divided into two categories – technical and symbolic.

• Technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to tell the story in a media text, for example the camera work in a film.  
• Symbolic codes show what is beneath the surface of what we see. For example, a character's actions show you how the character is feeling.  Some codes fit both categories – music for example, is both technical and symbolic.

What are conventions?

Conventions are the generally accepted ways of doing something. There are general conventions in any medium, such as the use of interviewee quotes in a print article, but conventions are also genre specific.

You should consider:

• The codes and conventions of your chosen genre (iconography, narrative, setting, characters). 
• Focus on how specific techniques such as: layout and composition; editing; sound, etc. are used to create meaning within your chosen genre.
• Consider the way in which representations of events, issues, individuals and social groups (as appropriate) are constructed within your chosen genre.
• You need to consider how the choice and combination of elements of media language influences meaning and conveys viewpoints and ideologies within your chosen genre.
• Who is the target audience for your chosen genre and what features are used to appeal to specific audience?
• Link to theory you have studied over the year.
• You should also consider where your products are viewed as well as why they are made.

 Don't forget to look at audience expectations and the effects on the viewer.

Stretch and challenge

To develop your ideas and deepen your understanding of the effects of genre on the audience, you should research a range of theorists that you will then embed in your work. You will not need to know it all inside out but it will help you to produce more sophisticated analysis and therefore a more sophisticated product.

You could look at Barthes, Todorov (short film)/ John Ellis (trailers), Stuart Hall and bell hooks amongst others.  You will find yourself coming back to these theorists when you create your own narratives, characters etc.