The Concept Of Genre

   Genre is both a description and a form of classification. It is a set of conventions that are usually recognisable through the use of iconography (visual imagery). It is a style of representation that is never static and changes between the audience and the industry. Films, books and music can all be categorized into different genres.

   So far what I understand about genre is that there are no specific types. This means that genre has evolved over the years and nothing fits into one type anymore. To place a film into a genre, we must be able to describe the individual film, and we must be able to explain the principals on which it can then be connected with other films of the same genre. A genre was made to target a certain audience, but now the genre is not fitting for one category. Films are now categorized in more than one genre and suit more than one audience. Audiences recognize genre through conventions. These conventions include:

• ·         Visual Imagery: iconography
• ·         Plot
• ·         Characters
• ·         Settings
• ·         Modes of narrative development
• ·         Music used and the star.

   The differences between each genre allow audiences to be identified and catered to; however because of the repetition of the films, the genres have generally blended into more than one genre. This could be known as a hybrid, such as ‘comedy romance’ when the genre is a mix of the two, or a subgenre, such as ‘psycho thrillers’ which is a separate genre but put into the type of film.

   I learnt that genre is something used by film producers for audience identification – for instance people who want to go see a ‘horror’ film know what they are going to see and aren’t disappointed. Film producers use genre as a setting point, and then the film will evolve from that point.