Analysis of genre

Analysis of 03 Genre "Categorising texts"

1) What example is provided of why visual iconographies are so important?

Deep space is used as an example to suggest that the genre may be sci-fi and this subtle detail helps to shape overall what the movies genre will be which is why visual iconographies are so important.

2) What examples are provided of the importance of narrative in identifying genre?

 

The example provided is a soap opera which normally includes one of the story lines which follow a family going through a domestic situation.

3) What is the difference between character representation in action movies and disaster movies?

 

In action movies the hero is normally by him/herself whereas in disaster movies there is often a collective of people who attempt to save the day.

4) What are the different ways films can be categorised according to Bordwell? 

 

Bordwell suggested that films could be categorised in either a period/country, a director/star, different technical processes such as animation, different styles, series and audiences.

5) List three ways genre is used by audiences.

 

An audience can either compare a text to one another, reject a text or they could use their experience with the same genre to see if they would like the movie/genre.

6) List three ways genre is used by institutions or producers.

 

Genres can be used as a template in which producers can use to layout or plan a movie, genres can also be used to attract an audience or they can be used to market texts to a wide audience.

7) What film genre is used as an example of how genres evolve? What films and conventions are mentioned? 

Gangster genre is used as an example as it went through a period of a gangster lifestyle being romanticised to how criminals are violent.

 Questions on media Factsheet 126 - Superheroes.

1) List five films the fact sheet discusses with regards to the Superhero genre.

The five films are Scott pilgrim, Chronicle, Super, Kick-ass 2 and the Guardians of the galaxy.

2) What examples are provided of how the Superhero genre has reflected the changing values, ideologies and world events of the last 70 years?

Towards the beginning of the genre we can see that superheroes treat woman much more differently compared to now and moreover, the superhero has to overcome many obstacles which is done on purpose so that this genre can fit in with the dominant values of the present day.

3) How can Schatz's theory of genre cycles be applied to the Superhero genre?

Innovation links to the birth of the superhero genre for example the early superman movies, the second part of the cycle is classical and this is when conventions are set and repeated. The 3rd part of the cycle is parody and this is when the codes in a genre or movie become a bit cliche. The final part of the cycle is deconstruction and this is when the genre is played with or experimented with.

General
1) Why did you choose the text you are analysing?

I chose Iron Man because it gave birth to the marvel cinematioc universe and it is a perfect example of how a superhero is created.

2) In what context did you encounter it?

I saw it in the cinema with my family.

3) What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of the text?

I believed that it was a drama or horror movie because of the harsh depictions the name "Iron man" provides.

4) To what genre did you initially assign the text?

Sci-fi

5) What is your experience of this genre?

This genre in particular interests me a lot because I love science in general.

6) What subject matter and basic themes is the text concerned with?

A basic theme is advanced science and technology which does not exist in today world for example a fully capable Iron man suit which can fly.

7) How typical of the genre is this text in terms of content?

It has a lot of advanced technology aspects for example holographic screens and artificial intelligence.

8) What expectations do you have about texts in this genre?

The setting is normally in space or in an otherworldly planet.

9) Have you found any formal generic labels for this particular text (where)?

Not in the Iron man movie in particular however in later movies Iron man does have fights on other planets and he undergoes space travel to an extent.

10) What generic labels have others given the same text?

Some labels include drama and adventure to an extent as Iron man begins the process of finding himself and who he is as a person.

11) Which conventions of the genre do you recognise in the text?

There are a lot of themes and iconography throughout the movie.

12) To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre?

The theme throughout the movie changes as in the beginning Iron man is trying to find who he is as a person and towards the end it is revealed that he has found his true calling.

13) Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?

There is not many instances differentiation or deconstruction of the genre in Iron man.

14) Which conventions seem more like those of a different genre (and which genre(s))?

The beginning suggests a sort of drama/horror movie as the main character is kidnapped and taken away from his home.

15) What familiar motifs or images are used?

Crates of guns and missiles and sandy dunes ect.

Mode of address
1) What sort of audience did you feel that the text was aimed at (and how typical was this of the genre)?

Teenage to older audience and this is average for the genre of sci-fi as there are a lot of elements which younger people would not understand.

2) How does the text address you?

The younger Iron man in school relates to a student like me.

3) What sort of person does it assume you are?

It assumes that you are either into engineering or action movies.

4) What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity?

White background or a viewer from America.

5) What interests does it assume you have?

Interests in science, engineering and robotics to an extent.

Relationship to other texts
1) What intertextual references are there in the text you are analysing (and to what other texts)? Intertextuality is when a media product references another media text of some kind.

There are a lot of cameos and references to Stan Lee who wrote the cinematic universe and their characters

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2) In terms of genre, which other texts does the text you are analysing resemble most closely?

Hulk(2003) and Hulk (2008) and also captain america the first avenger.

3) What key features are shared by these texts?

A person who is distraught and doesn't know who they are and want to prove themselves to the world.

4) What major differences do you notice between them?

Their classes as the main character for Iron man is rich and a billionaire whereas the main characters for Hulk and Captain America are both lower/working class and come from a poorer background.