Category: Genre

Posted on in Contexts, Genre, Narrative, Representation

Macro Analysis Refresher

There are three key areas to any textual analysis essay:

  • Micro Features Analysis (within your chosen 5 minute sequence)
  • Macro Features Analysis (within the whole film)
  • Cultural Context Analysis (the wider significance surrounding the film / content)

We have four lessons to review what we already know and fill any gaps in your understanding.

Essential Macro Features
  • Genre
  • Narrative
  • Representation
  • Context
The Feynman Technique

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

Resources

The class will be working in two halves and each of those halves will have one of the terms to define and apply. Follow this link to the slideshow that you will be working on.

Task 1
  • Using the Feynman Technique to define what is meant by one of these terms and how they can be used to analyse a film.
  • Define and explain the concept simply in one slide of your shared slideshow.
    • You should use the blog to help you.
Task 2
  • In pairs or threes discuss one of these ideas in relation to one of the films we have studied last year.
Posted on in Genre, Research

Film Genre

A possible approach to the Comparative Video Essay is Genre.

Remember, genre is essentially a comparative essay between two films in the same genre. Often these films, as per the rules of the comparative essay, are separated by time and / or space.

To start exploring genre and a key research task is to start understanding the conventions of a given genre.

Task

Watch an episode of Mark Kermode’s Secrets of Cinema

Complete a set of notes on your selected genre.

Posted on in Comparative Essay, Genre, Representation

Representation of a Vampire

Let’s do some close analysis of select sequences from our two set texts.

You will be allocated two sequences to analyse, one from each film.

OUTCOME

Your job is to explore the representation of the vampire monsters at these moments in the film.

  1. Firstly, do a close micro analysis of:
    • Editing
    • Sound
    • Cinematography
    • Mise-en-scene

Then consider, how these micro features communicate meaning about the nature of these monsters (their representation).

You will be responsible for putting together two slides, one for each film, which compares the scenes and considers what social fears are reflected by Eli & Nosferatu.

Here are the scenes.

Please complete two slides in this shared (editable) slideshow

Link to notes for micro analysis

Posted on in Comparative Essay, Genre, Representation

Horror Monsters

Some monsters to thrill, scare and delight you.

Why do we like to scare ourselves?

A key features of any horror film is the monster. The monster is said to represent the fears, anxieties and concerns of society at that time. That means that the monster and the theme of the film are inextricably linked and intertwined with each other.

To start developing your understanding we are going to look at some classic horror monsters and consider their representation and beneath that what social fear they stand for.

TASK

In pairs, do some research and develop a monster profile for your allocated monster.

Monsters Analysis

Posted on in Comparative Essay, Genre

Horror Genre

A study of most films will include consideration of genre.

Here is a slideshow to remind you about how to study genre:

So genre is a comparative study:

  1. In what ways does a given film follow the generic conventions of horror
  2. how is it different and…
  3. …can we account for those differences.
Task

Watch a story from Ghost Stories (2017) Nyman & Dyson from 0.22.00 – 0.36.00

Make a copy of this document.

On page two of the document identify features of this film which you think are  conventional of the horror genre. Create a new page in your reflective journal blog. Embed the short film and your analysis of the genre.

This will serve as a useful blueprint and structure (Altman) against which to test our two films, Nosferatu and Let The Right One In. We will ask ourselves the questions:

  • In what ways do our films follow the generic conventions of horror
  • how are they different and…
  • …can we account for those differences.

Remember you should also watch the two films on the previous blog post!

Posted on in Genre

Superhero Movie – A Study of Genre

The Super Hero Film

We have explored the princess archetype in Pan’s Labyrinth now we are going to explore another archetype, the (Super) Hero. We are going to analyse the genre and the narrative. We are also going to try and understand how the social, political, historical contexts echo and resonate in that film. First off, we need to understand the genre…

TASK

Complete a generic analysis of Batman, The Dark Knight.

Sound easy? Well it is! Genre analysis in three simple steps….and, here, we go…..

1 Define the corpus.

That is, agree on a group of films, which you think are ‘pure’ example of the genre.  So in this instance think of three Superhero movies (not including Batman) which are completely and unarguably within the genre (so no Deadpool, Guardians, Watchmen…(all too Postmodern and up themselves)). I’m talking Superman, Spiderman, The Hulk, Wonder Woman…

2 Decide what features of those films are generic convention.

This means agreeing on a Repertoire of Elements, which are similar across the corpus and indeed necessary for a film to be given a genre label. In this case ‘A Superhero film’.

Use this document:

3 Analyse the text (The Dark Knight)

Once you’ve agreed the blueprint, you need to consider how far our set text,  Batman, The Dark Knight, is similar and/or different compared to those guiding principles, those repertoire of elements that constitutes the genre.

So, after all that, the question is…

‘How far does Batman the Dark Knight use, develop and challenge the conventions of the Superhero film genre?’

Reflective Journal
  1. Embed the class document on the Repertoire of Elements
  2. Bullet-point 3-5 conventional features of DK
  3. Bullet-point 3-5 features of the DK that challenge or subvert generic conventions
Posted on in Genre

Genre Analysis of Pan’s Labyrinth

The Fantasy Genre

In this lesson we are going to complete a genre analysis of Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) del Toro

Sound easy? Well it is! Genre analysis is done in three steps.

1 Define the corpus.

That is, agree on a group of films that you think are ‘pure’ example of the genre.  So in this instance think of three fantasy movies / franchises. So:

  1. Lord of the Rings
  2. Harry Potter
  3. Shrek
2 Decide what features of those films are conventional in terms of their genre.

This means agreeing on a Repertoire of Elements, which are similar across the corpus and indeed necessary for a film to be given a genre label. In this case ‘A Fantasy Film’.

Use this document:

Here is my analysis of the fantasy genre

3 Analyse the text (Pan’s Labyrinth)

Once you’ve agreed on those conventions / rules, you need to consider how far our set text,  Pan’s Labyrinth, is similar and/or different compared to those conventional features.

TASK
  • We will use this group slideshow to analyse the genre and our film.
  • In pairs  you will work on one slide.
    • Find images from one or two of the films, agreed to be pure fantasy films, that illustrate the convention.
    • Find images of how far Pan’s Labyrinth follows those conventional rules.
      • Find images from Pan’s which don’t seem to fit these conventional rules
So, after all that, the question is…

‘How far does Pan’s Labyrinth use, develop and challenge the convention of the fantasy film genre?’

Reflective Journal
  1. Embed the class slide show into a new page called ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’
  2. Bullet-point 3-5 conventional features of Pan’s Labyrinth.
  3. Bullet-point 3-5 features of the Pan’s Labyrinth that are different of seem to draw on other genres.
Posted on in Genre

The Problem with Genre…

What? Genre, a problem…?

You may be thinking that, ‘If films follow the same generic blueprint (repertoire of elements), why aren’t all genre films exactly the same?

Genre films tend to change, tend to evolve. In fact some theorists suggest that genre follow cycles: they are born, become popular, are overused and become predictable (even cliche), are parodied and then die….They are then reborn and freshly articulated for a new generation (think La La Land).

Task 1:

So let look at a film, which at first glance appears to be clearly within one genre:

  • Which genre does this film belong to?
    • What features of the scene point to it being a that genre?
  • Why might it not belong in the that genre?
    • What ingredients from other genres did George Lucas steal and mix into the film?

Help: If you’re stuck this is a great article on genre and why perhaps Star Wars doesn’t fit fully into the science fiction genre. Click on image and search (Cntl F) ‘Star Wars’ and see what it has to say about the film’s genre.

Task 2:

Watch this film clip and discuss what genre(s) it seems to fit into…

  • What features of the scene point to it being a that genre?
    • Does it look like a film from the same genre as Star Wars?
Extension Viewing on Blade Runner

Posted on in Genre

Genre (Part1)

Genre is like a cake…

When you make a cake you follow a recipe, in films the recipe is called the repertoire of elements. Most cakes use the same basic ingredients, same as in a genre film, these same ingredients are called generic conventions. 

‘Genre is similarity and difference’ – Altman

This deceptively simple idea from Altman suggests that when you explore a film in terms of it’s genre you are essentially studying how far it follows the recipe and how far it subverts (mixes in new and unexpected ingredients) audience expectations.

TASK:

What are the ingredients (conventions) of a particular genre?

  1. In pairs or small groups given a genre (in secret) and you need to create a pictorial representation of that genre. The picture cannot include words, unless they are sound effects, which you might associate with the genre. You should include cartoon images of:
    • characters
    • settings
    • props
    • events in the story
    • the look of the film
  2. Once you’ve finished take a photograph of your poster
  3. In about 20-25 minutes time your poster will be shown to the whole group and they have to look at those conventions on your poster and guess what the genre is.
Reflective Journal (Blog)
  1. Identify the genre your discussing & embed a YouTube trailer of that genre
  2. Please upload your poster image to your blog
  3. Reflect on the elements of your poster, which refer to the repertoire of elements evident in your film.
Independent Study

Watch one of the documentaries on genre by Mark Kermode: