“Genre is a constant process of negotiation and change”-Buckingham

What is meant by this statement?

Hybrid genreA mix of 2 genresSub-genreA sub category of a genrePasticheA artistic style that imitates another work, artist or period.

How can the above terms influence negotiation and change for genres? Write an answer on your blogs

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In groups of 3, use the mark scheme provided to give a mark out of 25

Award marks for each of the AOs

Explanation, analysis, argument (10)Examples (10)Terminology (5)

Level 2Explanation, analysis, argument (4-5)Descriptive account of production with vague or limited links to genre theoryArgument may stray from issues and debates surrounding genre theoryExamples (4-5)Few or vague examples which do not illustrate argumentsTerminology (2)Conceptual terminology is not used, or used infrequently

Level 3Explanation, analysis, argument (6-7)Candidates are able to discuss their own productions in relation to the concept of genreSome theory will be applied to their argumentsArgument are mostly relevant to the questionExamples (6-7)Arguments are detailed, regular and convincingly back up points madeTerminology (3)Conceptual terminology is frequently used

Level 4Explanation, analysis, argument (8-10)Candidates demonstrate a clear understanding of genre and can relate concepts articulately to their production.Specific elements will be discussed in relation to theoretical ideas about how media texts are produced, distributed and exchanged according to generic categoriesArguments will be directly related to the questionsTheories will be applied confidently Examples (8-10)Arguments are detailed, regular and convincingly back up points madeTerminology (4-5)Conceptual terminology is frequently used alongside an academic style of writing

Suggests that genres can be defined in 2 ways;

Through media language

Through ideologies, themes, emotions they provoke, etc

Media languageCamera•Long shots of landscape•Close-ups of facesMise-en-scene•Wild west•Cowboy hats•Horses

•Forging a new nation•Good v evil•Purge

As Buckingham states, genre is a process of negotiation and change. In other words, genre as an entity is one that is constantly evolving over time. However, Altman has argued that genre can be defined in 2 different ways; through media language, and ideologies/ themes. As part of my advanced portfolio, I made a trailer for a Western film. The Western genre has a very distinctive visual style and it was vital that I recreated this style on my own piece in order to ensure that my audience instantly recognised my production as belonging to this genre. Therefore, my group paid close attention to the mise-en-scene in order to reinforce themes of wilderness, isolation and to emphasise the binary opposition of good vs evil. An example of how we did this was…

Media languageCameraEditingSound Mise-en-scene

Themes/ ideologies

As Buckingham states, genre is a process of negotiation and change. In other words, genre as an entity is one that is constantly evolving over time. However, Altman has argued that genre can be defined in 2 different ways; through media language, and ideologies/ themes. As part of my advanced portfolio, I made a trailer for a Western film. The Western genre has a very distinctive visual style and it was vital that I recreated this style on my own piece in order to ensure that my audience instantly recognised my production as belonging to this genre. Therefore, my group paid close attention to the mise-en-scene in order to reinforce themes of wilderness, isolation and to emphasise the binary opposition of good vs evil. An example of how we did this was…

Genre has 2 interrelated functions

1.Guarantee meaning and pleasure for the audience2.Economic guarantee for the industry

1. Pleasure for the audience

2. Economic success

• Like to be scared• Audience enjoys the familiarity of

conventions but also when conventions are challenged and expectations are exceeded

• Like to be scared• Audience enjoys the familiarity of

conventions but also when conventions are challenged and expectations are exceeded

• Dependant on expectations and anticipations

• However, if genres didn’t change audiences would get bored, so important to evolve and change

• Dependant on expectations and anticipations

• However, if genres didn’t change audiences would get bored, so important to evolve and change

[example of how I used mise-en-scene to reinforce binary opposites]. As Altman suggests, the carefully considered mise-en-scene ensures that the trailer is clearly identifiable as belonging to the Western genre. Neale further develops ideas on genre by arguing that defining and categorising genres serves 2 major functions; bringing pleasure to an audience, based on expectations and familiarity and economic success for the industry. Audience pleasure, according to Neale, comes from the familiarity of genre conventions but also from unexpected challenges to conventions. This links back to Buckingham’s argument that genre is constantly changing. For my trailer, I challenged conventions by…

1. How might media language/ themes offer pleasure for the audience?

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