GENRE THEORYLook into the genre theory.

Research into the Genre TheoryThe word genre means the category in which the product fits

into, and is the repetition and variation of familiar conventions.

It is used in the study of films and this helps them to be easily

categorised. Genre benefits both audience and institutions to

make decisions about what they want to see and also what to

make to interest people. Genre theory is important as it is a

good way to communicate meanings in the film and it makes

the information which is shown in the films more controllable. It

makes the characters and their actions more predictable and

genres are used to create meaning. It is very easy to market a

„genre‟ film as you can appeal to a certain target audience and

the audience know what to expect. Sometimes, works can fit

into multiple genres by the concept of borrowing and

recombining these conventions. Genres are formed by

conventions which can change over time as new genres are

invented.

Genre Theorists

Charaudeau and Maingueneau – their theory states that genre

can be determined by four different analytic conceptualizations.

A texts genre may be determined by its:

• Linguistic function

• Formal traits

• Textual organisation

• Relation of communicative situation to formal and

organisational traits of the text

Jacques Derrida – Derrida articulates that individual texts

participate in, rather than belong to certain genres. He does this

by demonstrating that the „mark of genre‟ is not itself a member

of a genre or type. Thus, the very characteristic that signifies

genre defies classification.

Genre Theory

“conventional definitions of genres tend to be based on the

notion that they constitute particular conventions of content

(such as themes or settings) and/or form (including

structure and style) which are shared by the texts which are

regarded as belonging to them”

“texts often exhibit the conventions of more than one

genre”

“the same text can belong to different genres in different

countries or times” – John Hartley.

Problems with Genre Classification

Theorist and critic Rick Altman (1999) listed what he found problematic with genre classification – applying to mostly films but can be adapted to magazines which I am creating.

• Genre is a useful category, because it bridges multiple concerns

• Genres are defined by the film industry and recognised by the mass audience

• Genres have clear, stable identities and borders

• Individual films belong wholly and permanently to a single genre

• Genres are transhistorical

• Genres undergo predictable development

• Genres are located in particular topics, structure and corpus

• Genre films share certain fundamental characteristics

• Genres have either a ritual or ideological function

• Genre critics are distanced from the practice of genre.