Genre and Related Terms and Conventions

What Does ‘Genre’ Mean? Which films are your favourites? A genre is a particular type/style of literature, painting, music, film, or other art form. (definition adapted from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/class .) Which films are your favourites? Which genre(s) do they belong to? Note that most narratives belong to more than one genre, or include elements from different genres.

Examples of Narrative Genre

What Are ‘Generic Conventions’? Generic conventions are the ‘codes’ that work together to help you to recognise a particular genre. These include: the types of topic/plot device used (what happens in the story and why it happens); themes (for example, love, war, betrayal, power, relationships etc); setting (where and when the story happens); scenery (the visual background); characters; motifs (repeated images/imagery/sounds/references); images; props.

For example, in a fantasy genre film you might see: heroes and villains (who may have magical powers); strange/fantastical/surreal settings; fantasy/mythical animals such as unicorns, dragons and demons; a hero/heroine who is an ‘outsider’. Other themes and topics may include: adventures, journeys and/or quests; the struggle between good and evil.

Choose a genre. Can you name some films or books that belong to this genre or include elements of this genre? What do these books/films have in common?