explaining what is genres theory and different type of genres and their character.

1. Film Genres
Introduction to film
Section 5

2. What is Film Genre?
The word genre comes from the French (and originally Latin)
word for ‘kind’ or ‘class’ ”.
Genre Theory involves classifying a film into a category that
contains other films that have similar aspects. These could be
similar narratives, characters, filming techniques, or other formal
features.

3. The Purpose of Film Genre in Film
Much like an audience may have specific ideas about a film when they
know a specific director was involved or if there’s a specific actor
involved, expectations are also devised based on the film genre.
In fact, film genre theory is utilized by filmmakers to incite a certain
expectation from the target audience.
Using Genre Familiarity, studios are able to create films that attract
audience attention and drive their desire to engage and watch the film.

4. The Purpose of Film Genre in Film
continued…
Audience: Knowing the intended audience for a film before it is
created is important because the genre will potentially impact who has
interest and will also impact the audience expectations of the film.
Marketing: Understanding genre theory is important because it can
help Producers and those involved in the film to promote the film to the
desired audience. People connect with specific film genres and tend to
watch many of the same or similar genres or sub genres that appeal to
them.

5. The Purpose of Film Genre in Film
continued…
Film Genre theory isn’t a perfect system and it’s not always easy to
categorize a film or to apply a genre to it. Technology also deeply impacts genre
theory and continues to redefine variables that are involved in the
categorization.
Thus, a film that was considered an action film several years ago, may not
really be that “Active” now, so is it still an “Action” film or is it something else?
It also discourage audience and film makers to try new genre or style of
films.

6. Film Genre category Factors
Narratives
Characters
 Filming Techniques
 Format Features
 Settings
Plot
 Star Personas
 Camera Shots
 Cinematography
 Editing Styles

7. Type/ Genres of Film
Some of the most common types of movies / film genres include:
Action
Comedy
Horror
Drama
Romance
Adventure
Fantasy
Thriller
Historical
Musical
Science Fiction
Biography
Hybrid Genre

8. Action
This Type of film has a lot
of action scenes including
violence ( fighting, shot-
outs), car chases and often
lots of explosions.

9. Comedy
The main idea of this type of
genre films are to make
audience laugh. The characters
are constantly involved in
funny situations. Historically,
the comedy genre has been a
favorite attraction for
audiences of all ages.

10. Horror
The objective is to scare or
frighten the viewers. They
often feature a monster, some
type of evil entity or terrible
situation.

11. Drama
Focused on emotions and
defined by conflict, often
looking to reality rather than
Sensationalism.

12. Romance
Love stories that focus on the
romance involvement of the
characters and the
development of their
relationship.

13. Adventure
This is a journey that often
takes place in exotic location
and can involve exploration.

14. Fantasy
Situations, places and/or
events that don’t comply with
natural laws or settings. They
often involves some form of
magic.

15. Thriller
They evoke excitement and
suspense in the audience. A
common theme involves
innocent people dealing with
a deranged adversary

16. Historical
They are based on real events
in the past or sometimes just
the time period is used as the
setting and all events are
fictitious.

17. Musical
Songs are sung by characters
as part of the narrative and
usually helps advance the plot
or develop the film’s
character

18. Science
Fiction
Fictional stories based on
science. They can be about
the future or other worlds/
beings., often include
spaceships and advanced
technology.

19. Biography
Biography is a film that
dramatizes the life of a non-
fictional or historically -based
person or people. Such films
show the life of a historical
person and the central
character's real name is used.

20. Hybrid
Many movies are
combination of different
genres.