Genre and TV

Question 1

Lacey (Year) Theory?

Answer 1

Defines media texts into genre through the “repertoire of elements” (5)

1) Setting (haunted house, horror film)
2) Character (male and female lovers, romance)
3) Narrative (plot, 2 people fall in love, romance)
4) Iconography (mise-en-scene)
5) Style (camera angles)

• these work in combination to identify genres

Question 2

Neal (1980) Theory?

Answer 2

“Repetition and Difference”

• argues pleasure is derived from this
• there’d be no pleasure without difference
• May derive pleasure from observing how the conventions of the genre are manipulated and changed (audiences prefer change into difference to genre, reaches bigger demographic)
• Thriller has aspect of Romance
• Cant stick to just one aspect of genre

EXAMPLE

Prison Break, Power

• blur lines of genre

Question 3

Buckingham (1993) Quote?

Answer 3

“genre is not simply given by culture: rather it is in a constant process of negotiation and change”

• genre changes as a result of social change
• realtes to Neal, its what the people want

Question 4

Rick Altman (1999) Theory?

Answer 4

“Semantic and Syntatic”

Semantic: connections of genre that are conveyed to audeince, physical, miss-en-scene

Syntatic: Elements and structure of narrative, Thiller- someone dies, Horror-scary, Romance- falls in love.

Question 5

Collins (1990)

Answer 5

Labels genre mixing as “Hybridisation”

• comments on how mixed genres are a thing
• main aspect, sub genres
• theres not ‘one genre’ anymore