LO3: Genre Theory

• Genre is what type/category of film it is
• These common elements are called generic conventions/characterisitics/elements or tropes
• Comedy(Treatment- Romcom, comedy action etc.)
• Drama
• Horror
• Sci-Fi
• Action/Adventure
• Thriller
• Romance
• Fantasy
• Social Realism

EXAM QUESTIONS!

• Analyse how the production techniques used create meaning in a media product you have studied (12) Micro- Macro
• Analyse the concepts of 'genre' and 'representation' in a media product you have studied (12) Macro-Micro

The film I am analysisng is an Action/Comedy( Hybrid genre-more than one genre)

• Subgenre is a genre within a gnre for example: Horror- Slasher/Zombie/Hammer/Gothic
• Key Theory 1: Barry Keith Grant(1995) All genres have subgenres, divided up into more specific categories which allow audiences to identify them by their familiar characteristcs
• A possible subgenre from DeadPool is comedy, it fits that subgenre because it has alot of witty jokes in and saracasm but could be more of a hybrid
• Key Theory 2: Patrick Phillips(1996) Genre offers audiences 'Comfortable Reassurance' Genres fulfil audience expectations by following predictable patterrs- we know what to expect from a text
• DeadPool is predicitable because in terms of genre its an action film with a main antagonist and protagonist so we know there will be alot of fighting in it also a comic type film because DeadPool wears a costume and the other characters in the film have powers so its reassuring for the audience because they know what to expect. The editing techniques make it look like a comic book too in the beginning of the film
• Key Theory 3: Branston and Stafford(1999) Genres help to minimise risk and predict  expenditure(pick the right time to release the film), are a blueprint for success, Genre conventions also make is easier to market and sell products to audiences
• DeadPool was successful because of the genre as its origanlly from a comic book and theres alot of comic fans but also the trailer made it look like a witty comedy too so had a wider audience, also showed car cahses, fights between protangonists and antagonists so shows a common disequilibrium, not like other comic films but a subgenre of action/comedy instead. Also it was marketed alot world wide so got an even bigger audience as it showed different types of marketing to show its comedy/action also romance
• Key Theory 4: Rick Altman(1999) genre offers pleasures. Emotional Pleasures: happy,sad,nostalgic etc. Visceral Pleasures: 'gut' responses, excitement, fear, laughter etc. Intelluctual Puzzles: Makes the audience think
• DeadPool offers Visceral Pleasures because it shows a gut response of whats going to happen that DeadPool is going to defeat the bad guy and that he bags the girl but still looks ugly shows that theres going to be a sequel.Got loads of low/high angle shots to show one charcter is stronger than the other
• Key Theory 5: David Bordwell(1989) Any theme may appear in any genre, Theme- the ideas, ideologies, concepts, myths etc. That are encoded into a media text.
• Love vs Duty is a theme what can be in other films not just Action. Good vs Evil is also in DeadPool but can be in other genres too

An example of mise en scene in deeadpool that relates to a theory is camera angles it shows alot of high/low angle shot o show that deadpool is less superior to the people he is trying to defeat so that is why he needs help from the others, this relates to Rick Altmans theory that it offers visceral pleausre because it allows gut responses for the audience and they think something bad will happen because