Genre Theorists

Genre Theorists

David Buckingham – Genre in Constant Process of Negotiation and Change: “Genre must respond to socio-economic and cultural change e.g. Brokeback Mountain has elements of the western (setting, objects and props, dress code) to develop an emotive romance about two men and their love for each other”.

Daniel Chandler – Genre is Too Restricting: “Films like Gravity have a limited appeal due to notions of predictability (notions of self sacrifice) even through Cuaron attempted more verisimilitude than other ‘space films’ like Mission to Mars and Apollo 13. A type of genre straightjacket is evident.

John Fiske – Genre as ‘Convenience’ for Producers and Audiences: “With X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a familiar action adventure formula is developed (hybridized with Science Fiction and the Superhero genre) which serves to ensure 20th Century Fox target a market who have expectations in terms of conventions”.

John Hartley – Genre is Interpreted Culturally: “Bollywood films are predominantly watched and interpreted culturally by a Hindi target audience and students of the genre who understand the encoded metaphor and meaning through the elaborate dance routines e.g. in films like Dilwane Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (The Brave Hearted will take away The Bride)”.

Henry Jenkins – Genre constantly ‘Breaks Rules’ e.g. evolving hybridization: “Hybridization is now commonplace to maximize audience appeal but also to offer a unique selling point by appearing to break the rules e.g. Submarine is both social realist in format but using comedy conventions typical for a rites of passage film”.

Jason Mittel – Industry Uses Genre Commercially: “Genre is a way of exploiting an audience who enjoy certain types of representations e.g. tabloid newspapers and the obsession with celebrity gossip which is also used as a form of synergy with programmes like “I’m a Celebrity – Get me out of Here!”

Steve Neale – Genre as Repetition and Difference: “Genre is familiar to audiences through the repetition of conventions like a physically strong, dynamic, violent, male hero in Action Adventure Video Games like Assassin’s Creed and GTAV but is challenged by a female lead character in Tomb Raider and Beyond: Two Souls. Other conventions are the same however, despite this key difference and serve to maintain interest in an apparently evolving genre”.