Own genre analysis

 carry out your own genre analysis using the model provided by media theorist Daniel Chandler. Choose a film or TV text and answer the following questions:

General

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

- The Good Neighbour 

2) In what context did you encounter it?

 I watched it at home with my sister, around the time it gets dark so as me and my sister watched -it gradually got extremely dark in the room with only fairy lights on.

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

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

-Psychological Thriller

5) What is your experience of this genre?

 -It's one of my favourite genres so I enjoy most films within the genre.

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

- two teens decide to put cameras into their neighbours house, who is an old elder male and is seeming a hermit character and they plan to watch him and almost tease him to see how he would react.

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

it contains a lot of slow tense moments with one big build up to a shocking ending. it intrigues audiences with mystery.

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

i expected a lot of tension and interesting themes that are usually asked but are either too unethical to find out or unable to be looked at.

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

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

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

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

13) Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?
there isn't much action that is usually seen in thrillers and even though there is usually less action in psychological thrillers there is still much less in this film.

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

15) What familiar motifs or images are used?

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)? i think it was aimed at middle class people because of the location of the film which seems to be a typical middle class neighbour hood however it could appeal to working class as well. although the main cast is mostly men and that would make it seem to appeal to mostly a male audiences there is a lot of sentimental themes within the film which appeal to female audiences.

2) How does the text address you? 

3) What sort of person does it assume you are? because of the themes i think it assumes its audiences to be empathetic towards characters and situations.

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

5) What interests does it assume you have?

Relationship to other texts

1) What intertextual references are there in the text you are analysing (and to what other texts)?

2) Generically, which other texts does the text you are analysing resemble most closely?

3) What key features are shared by these texts?

4) What major differences do you notice between them?

Media Factsheet 03

Read Media Factsheet 03 - Genre: Categorising texts and answer the following questions:

1) What example is provided of why visual iconographies are so important? 
the image of someone siting behind a desk which doesn't indicate genre however in high key lighting , a modern mise en scene and screen behind the character at the desk these iconographies then create an image we associate with a news broadcast.

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

they used the example soap operas and sit-coms. for example in a soap opera it would not be unusual to see one of the story lines follow a family having to deal with a domestic situation such as a member of the family having trouble with their boss at work. this type of story may appear in a sitcom however the way the story develops and resolves will be differently than a soap opera, for example it could be brought up and be dealt with in just one episode however in a soap opera it could be stretched out into a few. in a soap opera the situation will be shown much more seriously, causing the boss to be the 'villain' however in a sit com it will be portrayed much less serious and would be dealt with humour.

3) What is the difference between character representation in action movies and disaster movies?
A action hero is usually considered a 'lone wolf' as they usually work alone in being the hero, also even within a group they usually don't fit in or would do things their own way straying from the group. however with disaster movies the hero/s are in one group whether it be a group of friends or a family and each member each have strengths that help in resolving the problem/s.

4) What are the different ways films can be categorised according to Bordwell? 
-Period or Country
-Director/Star
-Technical process 
-Style
-Series 
-Audience

5) List three ways genre is used by audiences.
-audiences use genre to compare a text through its shared characteristics with another. audiences define its genre and then clarify what other text it is similar to.
-audiences use prior knowledge of the genre to figure out whether or not they'll enjoy a text. this helps when choosing a media text to consume.
-they will also use their knowledge of genre in order to reject a text. so they'd avoid certain texts that hold certain genre characteristics. 

6) List three ways genre is used by institutions or producers.
-producers are able to use genre as a template that they can follow. when creating certain genres there are usually 'rules' that need to be followed to fit the certain genre.
- they can use genre to attract audiences. some genres have loyal fan-bases therefore audiences will watch things purely because it is part of that genre. this helps producers minimise failure.
-genre is used in marketing texts. like trailers where they attempt to define the genre of the film by using as much codes and conventions in the trailers. this is used to attract fans of the genre and set up expectations for the film.

7) What film genre is used as an example of how genres evolve? What films and conventions are mentioned?
the gangster film genre is used as an example. one code mention is the tommy gun hidden in a violin case. the first time it is seen it comes to a surprise to the audience, after that it would be pleasurable but then eventually using the violin case would become a cliche which is why needed for genres to evolve and change.