Genre

Genre is French for Kind/type  and all films fall into one or more of the many genres that have developed over time in film. This helps the viewer and producers define the type of film they are creating or watching. Genre can categorise, films, literature, music all of an artistic form.

Man on a Wire - Documentary


This week we watched Man on a Wire, a 2008 documentary about a man, Philippe Petit, who was a rope walker and it was his dream to walk across the length from one twin tower to the other, which he achieved in 1974. Here, he talks us though it with achieve footage and re-enactments.

The reason for the showing of this film choice i believe, is due to the genre debate on it, as although classed as a documentary, the film can also be seen as many other genres, such as drama, with a lot of it's content fitting into other genres key elements.

The key features of a film that genre contribute to include; Narrative - adaptation, Iconography, Hybridity, Dialogue.

Setting - A desert is likely is be featured in a western film, whereas a Horror is likely is be filmed in a small spaced room. Man on a wire is set on real locations following him.

2. Downton Abbey


Costume/props - Period dramas such as Downton Abbey, use clothing from the historic era they are in and have to be sure that no props that did not exist back then is shown in the shots, such as mobile phones. Then in Gangsta films such as 'The Godfather' we see plenty of black suits, Guns and Money.


3. The Godfather

Tone/Style - The edit also comes under the tone and style of the film, as we see in Man on a Wire, which in ways is mapped out as a documentary, seeing his interviews then going to the related clips. However, this is where the date of genre comes in as the film's edit is much like a fictional drama/ romance film. This includes how we establish the mapping out of the plan with scaled out towers that to portray and plan what he is going to do. Then we see him training for the rope walk and interviews from his girlfriend upset she couldn't go to America with him. Then there is the issue section of the film, where the men fall out and the goal is destroyed but obviously get another chance and eventually the climax, with the goal of him walking the rope is achieved and closure is shown. The film is very much story told, dramatically by Phillipe, and each character has a flaw such as Phillipe who doesn't think about the strategy and his girlfriend who is weak when he's not there.

5. MTV

 4. MGM










Genre's have changed over time however, originally with the film companies and TV channels sticking with one genre and applying it to all there productions. MGM focused on musicals whereas Warner Brothers stuck to western. Film companies now distribute a range of genres yet some TV channels still apply this rule such as Cartoon Network simply broadcasting cartoons. MTV still sees music videos as it's main genre to broadcast yet now allows other programs on air that appeals to their young audience, such as Teen Mom, Cribs and Geordie Shore. 




6. Will Ferrel

We see the growth of Genre over the years with producers now applying mixed Genres to their films, such as the very popular ROM/COM, which is putting together two different genres possibly allowing a wider audience and greater content. Another example of mixed genre is Sci-Fi/Teen Drama, which is applied in the popular Misfits series. Even some actors stay within one genre, such as Danny Dyer who portrays characters of British realism drama films and Will Ferrell, who plays comedic characters in films such as; Elf and Step Brothers. Another growth is the meaning of a genre changing with Mystery's original portrayal being about detectives, such as 'An inspector Calls', to now the Mystery Genre shown in horrors.


7. Danny Dyer





8. Dead Set

As mentioned, the genre applied can decide on the audience the film will target to, such as woman may prefer a romance and men may prefer an action film. Television genres can have an impact on the schedule slot it may have, due to the watershed timing if the genre is horror, for example Dead Set. The promotion of the films can portray the genre yet also could show different angles of genres in the film to appeal to different audiences, such as 2000's, The Gladiator, where there was over 4 different genres within the film advertised for marketing. These genres shown includes action for the men, adventure for the family and Romance for the woman/couples.

9. Gladiator

2.Smitten by britian,2011. 'Second season of Downton Abbey', Feb, 1st. Available at:
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 4. Den of Geek, 2010. 'The history of MGM', Jan 16th. Available at:
http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/18598/the-history-of-mgm-hollywood-domination
5.MTV,2008. 'MTV Logo'. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MTV_Logo.svg
6. Bio'Will Ferrel'. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/will-ferrell-9542601
7.The mirror,2010.'Danny dyer set to remake of classic 70s show Hawaii Five-O', Feb 24th. Available at: http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/danny-dyer-set-to-remake-of-classic-203602
8. Parks.M,2011. ' Postmodern media:Dead set',Mar,31st. Available at: http://mikespostmodernmediablog.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/dead-set.html 9. Movies online,2012. 'Gladiator movie poster picture' Available at: http://www.moviesonline2012.info/2012/07/20/gladiator-movie-poster-pictures-id-236924/