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Film genres: features, functions, evolution

This Interactive workshop aims at exploring the origin of genres, their functions in cinema and their evolution, with particular emphasis on the latest developments. We first ask why we need genres at all and examine the variety of classification criteria that can be used. Then we focus on the specific features of genre films, analysing their conventions and their narrative structures. We then explore how different agents (from producers to audiences, from critics to film scholars) have used and still use genres, and highlight their economic, sociocultural and communicative functions. Finally, by taking a historical perspective, we explore how genres have evolved in the course of time and how modern cinema extensively use genre mixing and hybridization, thus pointing to the future of this important but complex category of film analysis. Part of the www.cinemafocus.eu research materials.

This Interactive workshop aims at exploring the origin of genres, their functions in cinema and their evolution, with particular emphasis on the latest developments. We first ask why we need genres at all and examine the variety of classification criteria that can be used. Then we focus on the specific features of genre films, analysing their conventions and their narrative structures. We then explore how different agents (from producers to audiences, from critics to film scholars) have used and still use genres, and highlight their economic, sociocultural and communicative functions. Finally, by taking a historical perspective, we explore how genres have evolved in the course of time and how modern cinema extensively use genre mixing and hybridization, thus pointing to the future of this important but complex category of film analysis. Part of the www.cinemafocus.eu research materials.

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cinemafocus.eu

I generi cinematografici: caratteristiche, funzioni, evoluzione

Film genres: features, functions, evolution

UN MOMENTO PER RIFLETTERE

Il potere delle convenzioni di genere diventa

particolarmente evidente quando vengono

"violate", cioè quando formiamo aspettative

sulla base delle convenzioni, ma poi siamo

costretti a "riorientarle" alla luce di nuovi input,

o di nuovi elementi che compaiono sul schermo.

* Guarda i primi 60 secondi del Video 1 qui

sotto e poi ... STOP. A quale genere pensi

appartenga questo film? Elenca brevemente le

convenzioni che ti aiutano a formare aspettative

sul genere coinvolto.

* Ora continua a guardare il video. Le tue

aspettative sono cambiate? Perché, cioè quali

nuovi elementi vengono introdotti e sfidano la

tua attribuzione iniziale del film a un genere

particolare?

* Guarda il Video 2 qui sotto. Ancora una volta,

decidi a quale genere pensi appartenga il film e

fai un breve elenco delle convenzioni pertinenti.

* In entrambi i casi (Video 1 e Video 2) in che

modo la tua precedente conoscenza del film, del

regista, degli attori, ecc. ti ha aiutato a formare

le tue aspettative riguardo al genere coinvolto?

STOP AND THINK

The power of genre conventions becomes

particularly clear when they are "broken", i.e.

when we form expectations based on the

conventions, but are then forced to "re-orient"

them in the light of new input, or new elements

that appear on the screen.

* Watch the first 60 seconds of Video 1 below

and then STOP. What kind of genre do you think

this movie belongs to? Briefly list the

conventions that help you to form expectations as

to the genre involved.

* Now continue watching the video. Have your

expectations changed? Why, i.e. what new

elements are introduced and challenge your

initial attribution of the movie to a particular

genre?

* Watch Video 2 below. Again, decide which

genre you think the movie belongs to and make a

brief list of the relevant conventions.

* In both cases (Video 1 and Video 2) how has

your previous knowledge of the film, the director,

the actors, etc. helped you to form your

expectations as regards the genre involved?

1 2

(Note 8)

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