The document discusses genre theory and its application to media texts. It defines genre as conventions that classify texts into categories. It outlines several genre theorists and their perspectives, such as Chandler who sees genre as dividing texts based on common elements. Grant discusses subgenres as more specific categories within a genre. The document also discusses how genres appeal to audiences through familiarity and pleasure, and how genres evolve over time through hybridization and changing conventions.

1. Genre

2. What Is Genre?
• Definition: Different
conventions which
classifies texts and putting
them into categories
based on conventions.

3. Aims/Objectives
• To introduce the concept of genre theory
and key genre theorists.
• To have a basic understanding of how to
categorise evaluate your coursework
against genre theory.

4. Daniel Chandler
 ‘Genre’ is a critical tool that helps us study texts
and audience responses to texts by dividing them
into categories based on common elements.
 Daniel Chandler (2001) details that the word
genre comes from the word for ‘kind’ or ‘class’.
The term is widely used in rhetoric, literary
theory, media theory to refer to a “distinctive
type of ‘text’.”

5. Barry Keith Grant - Sub Genres
(genre within a genre)
All genres have sub genres (genre
within a genre).
This means that they are divided up
into more specific categories. Barry
Keith Grant (1995) suggests that this
allows audiences to identify them
specifically by their familiar and what
become recognisable characteristics.

6. Task –Chandler’s and Grant’s
theories.
 You have 5 minutes to write down how the
production you are writing about for Q1b) fits
into a specific genre/sub-genre/hybrid genre.
 Back this up with at least 5 specific
elements/examples from this production that
show how you have replicated genre conventions.
 Must be specific – Music, photographs, fonts,
editing techniques.

7. How (insert production)
fits into a specific 1. Costume- Hooded jumpers, Trainers,
genre/sub- and heels for the female to
represent the revealing male point
genre/hybrid genre. of view to gain more audience. This
is a main generic conventions which
female RnB/Hip-Hop would use.
 Daniel Chandler (2001)
details that the word 2. Props – Gun is a RnB/Hip-Hop
generic convention.
genre comes from the 3. Representation of music artist- body
word for ‘kind’ or ‘class’. language- introducing the
The term is widely used character walking with attitude was
in rhetoric, literary used to help introduce the genre to
theory, media theory to the audience.
refer to a “distinctive 4. Location – Tunnel - urban
type of ‘text’.” 5. Lighting – Black and white
 Barry Keith Grant (1995) 6.
suggests that this allows Barry Keith Grant (1995)relates to my
music video because I have used
audiences to identify many generic conventions for the
them specifically by their audience to easily identify the
familiar and what genre.
become recognisable
characteristics.

8. Jason Mittell (2001) argues that
industries use genre to sell products
to audiences. Media producers use
familiar codes and conventions that
very often make references to their
audience knowledge of society,
other texts.

9. Task – Jason Mittel’s theory.
 You have 5 minutes to write down how you used real
media products in your chosen industry to help you
construct your product. How, for example, does the horror
genre provide familiar expectations?
 Back this up with at least 5 specific elements/examples
from this industry that show how you have
replicated/challenged genre conventions.
 Finally, write a sentence about how these choices would
make sure your product appealed to your demographic.

10. How I used real media
products in your chosen 1. Facial expression/Body
industry to help you movement – attitude
construct my product? 2. Clothes –Rhianna, Ashanti,
Aaliyah influenced me as
most of their music videos
 Jason Mittell (2001) share similar costuming ideas. I
argues that industries had chosen to be less
use genre to sell revealing but use tight clothes
and heels to show I am using
products to audiences. similar conventions as.
Media producers use 3. Urban environment – tunnel
familiar codes and and house, I had used this
because usually Rnb/Hip-Hop
conventions that very music videos are either outside
often make references on the streets or in a house.
to their audience 4. Narrative- The narrative of the
story involves Love and Hate
knowledge of which is usually portrayed in
society, other texts. Rnb/hip-Hop music videos.

11. Genre Pleasure
 Genre also allows audiences to make choices
about what products they want to consume
through acceptance in order to fulfil a particular
pleasure.
 Theorist Rick Altman (1999) argues that genre
offers audiences „a set of pleasures‟.
 Basically, the genre of your text will have provided
your demographic/subculture with some
satisfaction upon their consumption.

12. Rick Altman (1999)
1. Emotional pleasures
The emotional pleasures offered to the audiences of genre films are
particularly significant when they generate a strong audience response.
Horror, comedy or melodrama for example are generically designed to
make audiences feel emotional in a particular way.
2. Visceral pleasures
Visceral pleasures (‘visceral’ refers to internal organs) are defined by
how the film's stylistic construction elicits a physical effect upon its
audience. This can be revulsion, kinetic speed or a ‘roller coaster ride’
for example – it has a PHYSICAL effect.
3. Intellectual puzzles
Certain film genres such as the thriller and the 'whodunnit' offer the
pleasure of trying to unravel a mystery or a puzzle. Scream, although
primarily a horror film, draws upon the conventions of the whodunnit
and much of the pleasure of watching the film comes from analysing
the suspects, their motives, and the clues. Pleasure is derived from
deciphering the plot and forecasting the end or being surprised by the
unexpected

13. How I used genre 1. Lyrics – Sad and not upbeat, my
pleasures in my media music video has fulfilled this by
filming in black and white which
text. sets the effect as gloomy and
the tension is already set as the
 You have 5 minutes music artist is being introduced.
This would be another
to write down: emotional pleasure.
Altman’s three 2. Performance – Is structured
pleasures. Decide about the music artists emotions
due to the facial expressions
which one might and body movement. Linking
relate to your back to Altman's theory this
product and write would be an Emotional pleasure
3. The narrative is the storyline
down in detail 3 between the music artist and
examples from your the other character the plot of
product which offer when the music artist shoots
herself may seem to be a
this for your Visceral pleasure due to the
audience. pain.

14. The Strengths Of Genre Theory
 The main strength of genre theory is that everybody
uses it and understands it – media experts use it to
study media texts, the media industry uses it to
develop and market texts and audiences use it to
decide what texts to consume.
 The potential for the same concept to be understood
by producers, audiences and scholars makes genre a
useful critical tool. Its accessibility as a concept also
means that it can be applied across a wide range of
texts.

15. Genres are not fixed.
They constantly change and evolve over time –they will
adapt to changes to advances in technology.
 Christian Metz (1974) argued that genres go through a
typical cycle of changes during their lifetime.
 David Buckingham (1993) argues that 'genre is not...
Simply "given" by the culture: rather, it is in a constant
process of negotiation and change‟.
 Steve Neale (1995) “genres are processes of
systemisation” – they change over time.

16. Music video –medium with many
sub-genres /postmodern styles?
 Music video is a medium intended to appeal
directly to youth subcultures by reinforcing
generic elements of musical genres.
 They are called pop-promos as they are used
to promote a band or artist.
 Music videos are postmodern texts (Andrew
Goodwin, 1992) whose main purpose is to
promote a star persona (Dyer, 1975).
 They don’t have to be literal representations
of the song or lyrics.

17. Film Genre
Film genres are changing/evolving
 Nicholas Abercrombie (1996) suggests that “the
boundaries between genres are shifting and
becoming more permeable.” (Hybrids?)
 Abercrombie is concerned with modern television,
which he suggests seems to be engaged in ‘a
steady dismantling of genre.’

18. Evolving Genre
1. Location, the mise-en-scene of the
Theories location is more classic, for example
rappers tend to rap in the street, I had
 You have 5 minutes to chose a tunnel because it is outside and
can be seen as intimidating.
write down: How your 2. Costuming- Metz theory related to my
product is part of a music video due to the change of
costuming over time. Compared to
genre that has other music artists and rappers they had
dressed very differently compared to
changed over time. how music artists dress today, I feel I
have chosen a more contemporary style
 Give 3 examples of for how the music artists dress today.
3. Buckingham's theory basically says if a
texts that were part of trend is famous it is more likely to be used
in music videos. For example props.
„experimental‟ or Guns, money and girls are more likely to
„classic‟ ideas of your be seen in music videos. I had chose to
use a gun because this is a typical
product within the generic convention.
4. Performance – This has not changed or
genre and 5 examples evolved over time I feel this is a generic
convention that would not change due
that show your text as to the generic convention which stands
out to the audience.
a „classic‟ or as an 5.
„evolving‟ piece.

19. Theory Poster
 Split into two groups
 Each group will produce a poster on
genre theory
 You will present your finished posters to
the class.

20. This box
should Reflect on your
define the use of genre
term and Quotes from the key (using the
explain theorists – Each quote theories) and the
how it is should have a impact that its
used in the ‘dummies’ explanation use had on your
film/music of what they mean production for
industry the audience
This poster will
be your quick
revision tool
before the
Put all of the key terms in this box with a exam
definition if needed

21. Plenary
1. Andrew Goodwin- Ways in which to promote the music artist
2. Rick Altman- Emotional pleasure which gives a connection
between the protagonist and the audience
3. Jason Mittell – The industries use genre to sell products to
audiences. Media producers use familiar codes and conventions
that very often make references to their audience knowledge of
society, other texts.
1. Write down 2 pieces of medium specific theory and relate it to your
sub genre.
1. Andrew Goodwin is a good example which relates to my music
video because it’s a reinforcing generic element of musical
genre. This theory is a direct appeal to youth subcultures.
2. The idea of this theory is to base it around the music artist this
is called pop promos this theory is used to promote the music
artist.

22. “Analyse one of your coursework
productions in relation to genre”.
Genre is different conventions which classifies texts and putting them into categories
based on conventions. The course work I will be analysing is my music video
production. The genre of the music video is RnB/Hip-hop. I have used conventions
of other music videos which share the generic conventions as my music video.
The type of generic conventions I had used in my music video are specific types of
costuming, props and location. I felt these were my main focus points in creating
the genre in which my audience can easily identify. The costuming for the male
was a hooded jumper, and trainers with a baseball hat. The music artist had heels
with a leather jacket to create attitude and also to represent a more revealing side
for the males point of view to gain more of an audience; I felt this element of
generic convention is good to use since the female music artists are stereotypically
always wearing revealing clothes within this genre. For the prop side of the music
video I had used a gun because I felt this is a more urban aspect of the convention
as well as the location I felt a tunnel was effective because it introduces the
character and the emotions of the start of the music video. Overall I felt Barry Keith
Grant (1995)relates to my music video because I have used many generic
conventions for the audience to easily identify the genre.