Pinterest MoodBoard

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Starting to put together a moodboard of ideas for our possible music video!

Genre Theory: Research Task

1) What is a Paradigm?

Genres follow codes and conventions or elements and these elements are what we call paradigms. Paradigms are the elements which include the mise en scene, lighting, camera work and editing.

2) What is Iconography?

This is the visual images and symbols used in media mediums. These can become a set of pre-concieved expectations.

3) Examples of iconography associated with James Bond - guns, bond girls, fighting, explosions, gadgets, sports cars etc. Western films - Saloons, horses, tumbleweeds, gun fights, tequila, cowboys, sheriffs, having a piece of straw in your mouth etc.

4) What features would you expect to find in the following? Considering iconography, structure and theme.

• Romantic Comedy: Bright, sunny weather during happy/ loving moments. Rain and a darker lighting at dramatic scenes and break ups. Desirable settings, beautiful landscapes, roses and flowers. Two people living normal lives, who meet in unconventional places or very suddenly and fall in love. Almost always a happy ending, where the two people end up together. 
• Thriller: low-key lighting, filters are often used. Quick cuts and tension building music which makes the audience wonder what's going to happen next. Often focuses on many characters but mainly on two one protagonist and one antagonist - to which there is some kind of disruption. Iconography includes: knives, shadows, woods, street lamps, running water and cities.
• Horror: dark lighting, with mostly candlelight or camera lights to light up the shots. Jump cuts and tension music are built up to lead to scary parts. Haunted houses, symbols of death, disfigured face or mask, a screaming girl, murderous weapon and darkened place.
• Science Fiction: Spaceships, aliens from other planets, weapons that send out laser beams, time travel, technology and the future. Usually features a hero and an enemy, and their battle including lots of special effects.

5) Why is genre important to both audiences and media producers?

Audiences like to know what they're watching and feel comfortable within particular genres of their taste. Sometimes when producers/ directors mess around with genre, they may create an unenjoyable film, which becomes confusing to the audience as to which genre it belongs to. This is also why genre is important to media producers, as they must be careful how much they change genre systems. However genre gives them a fantastic way of entrancing and advertising a film to an audience!

6) Why might genre be a limiting factor?

Genre can limit producers as they often have to stick within that particular genre, with all the codes and conventions of it included;  branching out and mixing genres can be very difficult to do without confusing the audience.

Actors and directors can get stuck in genres and can therefore be associated with only one genre, which becomes hard for them to break out of these boundaries.

7) How do films like 'Moulin Rouge' help to revive genre paradigms?
'Moulin Rouge' is a classic romantic movie, with the tale of two lovers that can't be together. It brings an old age story set in the last century, into the modern age fitting it with a modern twist, by featuring recent music and a modern feel throughout the whole movie, whilst keeping in line with codes and conventions and the clever symbolism of director, Baz Luhrmann.

Andrew Goodwin Analysis Deconstruction On Paloma Faith

Andrew Goodwin

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