Genre Theory

Daniel Chandler

Introduced the Genre Theory by raising the questions of;

• "Do genres exist independently?"
• "Is there a infinite number of genres or are they potentially endless?"

Daniel Chandler believes the Genre Theory consisted on particular characteristics or conventions of the content in the media product, these include themes and settings. 

Genres tend to be fixed forms and the contemporary theory emphasised the form and functions.

Genre Theory recognised film as an industrial and commercial medium as well as an art form.  It also differs between difference things, these can be different forms of theatrical genres to the film genre.

Literature is also different from film and theatre but still has the same characteristics, e.g. a horror novel have different conventions to a horror film but will still be classed in the horror genre.

Linking this with our research and what we want to produce through the terms of what genre do we want to include in our production but also how are we going to show those characteristic and how we would portray them to the audience for them to understand that is what we are trying to do. For example, in EastEnders the murder of Lucy Beale there are many suspects for it to be and that continues to engage the audience into watching it all the time. If we were going to use this as a template we would have to define those characteristics throughout the production in order to keep the audience involved.

Barry-Keith Grant

Created the idea of sub genres as he believe these would aid the audience in identifying what is going on.

Linking this with our research and what we want to achieve, our overall genre would be a dramatic piece however we would want to add in other sub genres these could include; crime, death or romance. This would then aid us into taking the characteristics out of the sub genres and including them in our production.

Barry-Keith also used sub genres to portray a recognisable character; this in soap operas could be how the evil or sly characters are portrayed whether through non-diegetic music or those their appearance. This then gives them their own sub genre. For example Michael Moon in EastEnders and how he portrayed as the evil characters.

Through the use of lighting and the expression in Michael Moom's face shows he is not a nice character this then creates him a sub genre of him being evil and manipulative.

Linking with with our production we may want to use sub genres linked with characters to show the true characteristic of that character but not making it obvious and only using certain characteristics of that genre.

Rick Altman

Believed genres have particular genre characteristic features that are known and recognised by audiences which is; 

1. Emotional

2. Visceral -(Depth emotion)

3. Intellectual

These three characteristics are played with by genres in order to activate the audiences attention. Examples of all three;

1. Emotional - A well loved character is killed off and they show her funeral which is emotional for all the family of that character but also the audience gets involved with the emotional side of it.

2. Visceral - A gory scene is showed of someone being tortured or killed in different ways which creates a visceral atmosphere for the audience and they can 'feel' the pain that character is going through even though it is not happening to them.

3. Intellectual - Making the audience think and make their own interpretation of what they are seeing.

This theory links with our research and planning as we don't want the audience to be passive viewers we want them to be active and make their own interpretation of the soap opera trailer. 

Jason Mittell

Believed genres were made to sell products, he didn't want to isolate genres but created relationship with industries, audiences and producers.

He wanted to histories and contextualise genres into different categories;

1. TV differs from film

2. One specifically and one generally

3. Know about one well and the others in little depth.

4. Genres should be understood in cultural practices.

This theory links with our research due to soaps wanting to make the most money therefore use multiple sub genres to keep the audience involved and interested in the programme if the viewers get bored with the show they wont watch it therefore programmes may get cut therefore losing money. 

Denis Mcquall 

Came up with the uses and gratification theory, on how and why the audience use media. For example watch soaps for escapism/entertainment.

These were places into 4 categories;

1. Surveillance

2. Relationship

3. Identification

4. Entertainment

Linking with soap operas, it is clear when an audience watches this they are doing it for pleasure and entertainment but it also involves the other sections of this theory. For example Surveillance is used through watching other peoples lives and being a bystander to their problems, Relationship is used when two characters get together or break up which makes us more involved with the characters if we want them to be together or apart, making the audience active viewers.

David Buckingham

Believed that children and young adults have identities that don't exist at all of are constantly changing? He studied their interactions with electronic media and believe that due to the constant changing in media the identities are constantly changing.
He believed the more media changes the more identities of the younger generation will change.

This links with our research as when young people see things occur on TV which may use electronic devices and if not punished or seen to be doing wrong could influence the younger viewers of the audience to imitate that behaviour. For example in Hollyoaks when young Esther is bullied and attempts to commit suicide due to cyber-bullying which is done via the internet, phones and other electronic devices. 

Steve Neale
He believed that pleasure lies in the process of repetition and that familiar elements which are repeated in an unfamiliar way or new elements added is what keeps an audience interested in that genre.

"Genres are instances of repetition and differences"

Linking to our research on soap opera it is very common for soaps to reuse or recycle old strands and put them into different contents with different characters. For example in Eastenders Heather Trott was killed on the streets of Walford and left there to die and a recurrence of this is now when Lucy Beale was murdered on the streets of Walford but was dragged and moved to Walford Common. 

Christian Metz
Was a French film theorist who believe genres go through a cycle during their lifetime.
1. The Experimental Stage - Where foundations are built, generic codes and conventions are set.
2. The Classic Stage - Codes and conventions become iconic.
3. The Parody Stage - These codes and conventions are established, widely recognised and accepted.
4.The Deconstructive Stage - Genres begin to evolve and merge with others. For example Thriller and Horror genres are closely liked together. Therefore the genre becomes less clear cut.

Christian Metx applied Sigmund Freud's psychology and Jaque Lacan's Mirror theory which led him to the idea of why films are a popular art. He believes it is because they allow imperfect reflections of reality and a method to deliver and unconscious dream state.

Linking with our ideas of a soap opera we are aiming to give the audience and imperfect reflection of reality by using strands that may be unrealistic therefore creating illogical verisimilitude. To then deliver escapism which can be closely linked with Frued's unconscious dream state.