Genre Theory

‘Genre’ is a critical tool that helps us study texts and audience responses to texts by dividing them into categories based on common elements. 

As Daniel Chandler (2001) said, the word genre is from the French (and originally Latin) word for 'kind' or 'class' so we put media texts into groups depending on the their kind and class. 

All of these genres contain sub-genres, which are simple genres within the main genre. They are divided up into more specific categories that allow audiences to identify them specifically by their familiar and what become recognisable characteristics. (Barry Keith Grant,1995)

However, Steve Neale (1995) stresses that “genres are not ‘systems’ they are processes of systematization” – i.e. They are dynamic and evolve over time. 

Generic Characteristics across all texts share similar elements of the below depending on the medium...

•Typical Mise-en-scène/Visual style (iconography, props,

set design, lighting, temporal and geographic location,

costume, shot types, camera angles, special effects).

•Typical types of Narrative (plots, historical setting, set pieces).

•Generic Types, i.e. typical characters. 

•Typical studios/production companies.

•Typical Personnel (directors, producers, actors, stars, auteurs etc.).

•Typical Sound Design (sound design, dialogue, music, sound effects).

•Typical Editing Style.

•KEY: Important elements, less important elements, elements of minimal importance.