MIGRAIN: Genre

 Read Media Factsheet 03 - Genre: Categorising texts and answer the following questions:

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

The mise en scene of deep space, usually indicates the genre of sci-fi.  Someone sitting behind a desk is not genre

specific. However, add high key lighting, a modern mise en scene and a screen behind the character at the desk and the combination of media language choices creates an image we associate with a news broadcast.

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

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. This type of story may also appear in a sit-com but the way the story develops and is dealt with will be different./ In a soap opera, the situation may be shown in a serious way and the boss could be represented as a villain and act in a very abusive manner.

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

The action hero is isolated from other people, the disaster movie usually often places the heroic role within a group of people.

4) What are the different ways films can be categorised according to Bordwell? 

• Period or Country,  US films of the 1930s

• Director / Star,  Ben Stiller Films

• Technical Process,  Animation

• Style, German Expressionism;

• Series,  Bond;

• Audience, Family Films

5) List three ways genre is used by audiences.

Prior knowledge- to anticipate whether or not they are likely to enjoy a text.

Compare- a text through its shared characteristics with another.

Reject a text- 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.

Production- Genres are paradigms or templates media producers can follow. If a media producer wants to produce a new sit-com, there are certain ’rules’ that must be followed.

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. 

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.

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

There are many similarities between conventional gangster films and the modern equivalents: the genre focuses on groups of criminals, often romanticises the gangster lifestyle and the texts within this genre are violent and deal with conflict between the police and the criminals.

Read Media Factsheet 126 - Superheroes: A Genre Case Study and answer the following questions:

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

-The X Men Franchise

-The Avengers and its franchise

-Spiderman (5 Films since 2000)

-Guardians of the Galaxy

-Agents of Shield (TV Series)

2) What examples are provided of how the Superhero genre has reflected the changing values, ideologies and world events of the last 70 years?

Spiderman 3 (2007) gives Spiderman several different enemies.The film offers a not too hidden metaphor for the conflict the US found themselves in during the 00s. Wars had been fought in desert regions with the main prize  being the control of oil. The binary opposition between good and evil is still a theme that is present in the genre. 

In X Men (2000), Mutants are outsiders who are seen as freaks by ‘normal’ people - so much so that many mutants seek to hide their difference.The problems the mutants face are often seen as metaphors for the intolerance of racism and/or homophobia. Although things for non-white/straight groups were improving in the 00s discrimination of all types was (and is still) an issue in western culture.

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

• Innovation: The visual codes for the superhero genre were largely established via the comic books. As soon as film and TV began to use the comic book characters other codes and conventions regarding the presentation of the genre in moving image were set. This can be seen in the early superhero shorts of the 1940s.

• Classical: By the 1950s the superhero genre could be seen to be in its classical stage with the codes and conventions being replicated in the film and TV programmes of the time.

• Parody: Batman (1966) was intentionally funny and camp and wouldn’t let its audience take the superhero too seriously. It had an ironic tone that flagged up the daft nature of the genre and allowed the audience to enjoy the awareness of that. After Batman, the classical and parodic versions of the genre were largely located in children’s animation, from Spider-Man whose animated adventures were on TV from the late 1960s, to the less than serious versions of the genre in Mighty Mouse (a perennially popular cartoon first made in the 1940s), Atom Ant (from the late 60s), Captain Caveman (from the late 70s).

• Deconstruction: Superman (1978) started a new cycle in the superhero genre with technology leading the innovation with special effects creating more realistic visual ‘miracles’. Both the Superman series and Tim Burton’s Batman franchise treated the fantastic world of the superhero seriously as in the classical era but they also used the camp comedy and a tongue-in-cheek approach of parody showing how the genre had been deconstructed and repackaged in an attempt to revitalise the genre and help it find a new audience - successfully in the case of these two franchises. This brings the genre back to a period of innovation when new ideas and new developments create interesting new ideas within the genre.

• The Cycle Continues: After 1997’s Batman and Robin received a less than positive reception, the genre again needed to deconstruct and re-innovate. The next stage of the genre’s development was the rise of Marvel Studios with The X Men (2000) and Spider-Man in 2002 and DC’s return with Batman Begins in 2005 and Superman Returns in 2006. These series have themselves been deconstructed once again. DC’s X-Men: First Class (2011) introduced a new generation of X-Men and offers a different tone to the first three films. The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) recast Peter Parker and changed his love interest whilst Chris Nolan’s Batman offers a much darker, visceral superhero than the one in the 60s and the 90s. Perhaps the parody and deconstruction of indie superheroes has moved the genre on more quickly than in the past although Marvel can be seen to be playing it safe with its relatively conventional and classical Avengers series - particularly the Captain America films – but they also offer some parody within Iron Man (2008) and Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).

Task 2: Genre analysis case study

General

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

This is because it is really good and has unexpected and surprising plot twist. 

2) In what context did you encounter it?

In the cinema with my friend , it also has a good sequel so I had to watch the new movie and it was probably one of the best spider movies I have watched, moreover it also went viral and everyone was talking about it so I had to watch it. 

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

It was recommended by a lot of people and it also had a plot twist so I wanted to see what it was. 

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

I initially assigned it as an Action, adventure, science fiction. 

5) What is your experience of this genre?

I really like this type of genre even thought at first I am not that much into science fiction and don't like this genre as much but it does have a mix of a lot of genres and I surprisingly like it , it was more of an action , and adventurous genre. 

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

The audience was concerned about it ending in a tragedy and that spider man would die towards the middle of the movie, however everyone was shocked but concerned about the ending of MJ and his friends not remembering him and forgetting all the memories even forgetting who Spiderman is or was , and how suddenly everything ended between his best friend and girlfriend. 

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

The genre is pretty typical as spiderman was always known as a hero , however the animation in spider man may be a bit different than other spider man movies however ,very typical as movies and series with heroes always have monsters and villains to fight them. 

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

Lots of action , fighting scenes and enemies , weird and unique creatures and monsters.

 

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

Action · Adventure · Fantasy · Sci-Fi ( IMDB)

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

Romance , Animation, drama, horror, fantasy , suspense, superhero.

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

 Different universes, An inciting attack or threat by the villain. The hero sidesteps responsibility to take action. Forced to leave the ordinary world, the hero lashes out.

12) To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre?

Many of the different scenes take place in different universes where the rules of reality are vastly different from our own .

13) Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?

When spide man was fitting villains it may have been turned into horror and more of a thriller, sometimes petter parker makes jokes so it could be a comedy and moreover, it could also have been said that its romance as he shows his love for MJ which is his girlfriend. 

14) Which conventions seem more like those of a different genre (and which genre(s))?

its mostly a fantasy , adventure , genre , but it could be oddly horror, suspense, mystery, romance and partly animated.

 

15) What familiar motifs or images are used?

Petter parker meeting with the pervious roles of spiderman movies , and teaching holland by the lessons learned by Maguire and Garfield. themes like redemption and legacy is in spiderman no way home. 

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)?

Marvel fan base, and the audience who have watched the older Spider-Man movies as it brings flashbacks to them especially if they have watched the different spider man  movies in their childhood. As all the  Spiderman characters and actors older or new versions all come into one movie. 

2) How does the text address you?

Peter Parker now knows that revenge, however tempting it may be, will never beget happiness and fulfilment. The fact he came close to killing Osborne, however, is a shining moment that displays his humanity and how he needs to keep his emotions in check. Moreover, By rehabilitating his villains, Peter Parker shows the good that can happen when we invest in people rather than imprison them.

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

A fan of marvel , spider man , young adult  or teenager , that liked action and adventure genres. 

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

Middle class, maybe the ages of mid 20s maybe reminding the younger adults of their childhood Spiderman actors, it is also aimed at teenagers from ages of 13 and onward as Tom Holland is known and they also may have watched the previous tom Holland Spiderman movies. In terms of ethnicity the movie has multiple characters with different races this could apply to target audiences with different cultures and races to watch it . 

5) What interests does it assume you have?

Spiderman Fan, marvel fan, a person that likes  action, romance and  and adventure genres. A Tom Holland fan. 

Relationship to other texts

1) What intertextual references are there in the text you are analysing (and to what other texts)?

• Maguire's Bad Back. ... “Go Get 'Em, Tiger!” ... Electro's Nod To Miles Morales. ... “The Power Of The Sun...  
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2) Generically, which other texts does the text you are analysing resemble most closely?

Marvel : Avengers Assemble 

3) What key features are shared by these texts?

Captain America and the character of Spiderman has a similar role.

4) What major differences do you notice between them?

There is more heroes and main characters in Avengers than Spiderman.