Genre

The word genre means kind or type of genre, a film can be anything from a horror film to a romcom film. There are many different genres in films such as horror,drama,documentaries,action,comedies,RomComs, thrillers and Sci-Fi's. Genres have characteristic features that are known to and recognized by audiences, this 'formula' is reproduced again and again e.g. in a western we see similar characters,situations and settings. 


Audience & Genres
Why do audiences find genres satisfying?
Audiences develop an understanding that certain expectations may be fulfilled and they may find pleasure in predicting what will happen next. Audiences recognize the key elements or conventions of a genre and respond accordingly, these key elements are called paradigms. Two types of paradigms have been identified and these are iconographic and structural. Iconographic means signs & symbols (e.g.the costume,props and settings in a western. Structural means how structures in the text deal with issues such as ideology & gender(e.g. how gender is represented in a romcom) and how women are turned into objects which is called com-modification.