GENRE

Steve NealNeale recognised that genres are not systems but ‘processes of systematisation’ meaning they’re dynamic and continually evolve over time. For example the conventional vampire figure was established in FW Murnau’s 1922 Nosferatu. Then it changed completely in the 1994 film Interview With the Vampire – the vampire became the antagonist, the victim rather than the villain. This demonstrates how conventions change to create new and original ideas and also to reflect the developing ideologies of the time.

Jason Mittell Mittell described how genres are cultural categories that surpass the boundaries of media texts and operate within the industry, audience and cultural practices as well. Industries use genre to sell products to audiences and media producers use familiar conventions that often make cultural references to their audience’s knowledge of society or other media texts. Genre also allows audiences to make choices about what products they want to consume through the desire to fulfil a particular pleasure or need.

Rick Altman Altman discussed the different pleasures that genre films provide for audiences: Emotional Refers to an emotional response generated from the audience; they’re particularly significant when the response is strong. Visceral Refers to a physical or sensory experience or pleasure e.g. revulsion. Intellectual Refers to pleasure received from trying to unravel plots or decipher mysteries.

Nicholas AbercrombieThe boundaries between genres are shifting and becoming more permeable. He identifies the use of genre for media producers when he writes “television producers set out to exploit genre conventions this is then applied to music videos/ films

David BuckinghamAnother theorist who continues to support the idea of genre not being fixed was Buckingham. He argued that genre is not simply ‘given’ or provided by the culture. Instead it is a constant process of negotiation and change.

Similarly to Steve Neale, Metz also talked of genres developing and transforming over time in his book Language and Cinema. He talked of four stages that that genres go through in their life cycle: • Experimental Stage • Classic Stage • Parody Stage • Deconstruction Stage (which can lead to hybrids) DAVID BUCKINGHAM [1993] Another theorist who continues to support the idea of genre not being fixed was Buckingham. He argued that genre is not simply ‘given’ or provided by the culture. Instead it is a constant process of negotiation and change.

Christian Metz