Genre & Narrative Flashcards
What must you understand to make media in a certain genre?
The specific codes and conventions of that genre
Why is genre important to consumers?
It allows them to make easier decisions about the media they want to consume
Why is genre important to producers?
It helps to find the proper target audience for a media text
What do sub-genres do?
Further categorize media texts within an larger genre
What is it called when one media text contains conventions of more than one genre?
Hybrid genre
What is it called when a media texts follows most conventions of a certain genre but changes them slightly?
Subverting genre
What is it called when the conventions of one genre are alluded to in another, or when a specific cultural reference is made in a media text?
Intertextuality
What are the main genre codes?
Narrative and iconography
What is narrative?
How the story of a media text is constructed and told and how it relays its information to an audience.
What is iconography
How a scene is arranged.
Setting, props, costumes, lighting and characters are all components of what?
Mise-en-scene
What do visual codes do?
Define genre through the use of different camera shots, angles, movement and other visual elements.
What effect does an extreme close-up have?
It puts focus on a specific aspect of a subject or object.
What effect does a low angle shot have?
They make the subject look more powerful and intimidating.
What effect does a whip pan have?
It suggests panic and thrill by panning quickly across a landscape
What genre typically uses a handheld camera?
Documentary
What is the benefit of using a handheld camera?
Ease of movement
Music, sound effects, dialogue, and voice-over are all examples of what?
Audio codes
Editing, special effects, shot angles, and color are all examples of what?
Visual codes
What are non-diegetic sounds?
Sounds coming from a source that cannot be seen on screen.
What is Tzvetan Todorov’s theory on narrative?
narratives moved forward in a chronological order with one action following after another. In other words, they have a clear beginning, middle and end. Additionally, characters must be changed in some way during the story.
What are the five steps in a traditional story arc?
- The narrative starts with an equilibrium
- An action of character disrupts the equilibrium
- A quest to restore the equilibrium begins
- The narrative continues to a climax
- Resolution occurs and the equilibrium is restored
What is a non-linear narrative?
An untraditional form of narrative where the story moves back and forward within time, often through use of flashbacks and/or flash forwards.
What is a circular narrative?
An untraditional form of narrative that begins with the end of the story and works it’s way back to the origin. They are often not understood clearly until the narrative is complete.
