Genre And Theories

Genre Theories

A "regulated variety"
(Neale, 1980)

"Genre theory is to do with a circulation of expectations between industries. Media texts and audiences. This leads to a 'regulated variety'"

(Hartley, 1999) 
"A contract between producer and audience which 'disciplines' choices and reduces desires"

(Barry Keith Grant)
"Experience and meaning in genre films"

All of these theories seem to state that genre films are very basic and structural without and original flow. Hartley's theory suggests that its is almost like a contract. The producer finds out what the audience like through reactions and continues to feed them the same thing. This reduces variety and change, allowing a basic form to constantly be kept. 

Is genre ideological?
Yes, I feel that genre is ideological to some extent as certain values are promoted through media texts which then go on to becoming predominant. I feel that we have become so used to watching genre films over and over that we subconsciously allow it to lead our lives. For Example, many girls may think to eat ice cream, watch films, drink hot chocolate or to burn the image of an ex-boyfriend is a good way of getting over them. This would have been lead from what we are constantly being fed by media texts showing a set of values/behaviours or reactions as the norm. 


Media and ideology from Rbk Asr

The slides on this presentation i found helped me understand ideology further in terms of media.
Hegemony is the dominant ideology of people in power.

All theorists agree that genre is 'slippery' and it is difficult to pin point every film exactly as one genre. This brings up the question to whether or not genre is restrictive?
Many genre films do evolve by tweaking some areas or by making it a hybrid but to what extent can it evolve. 

Auteur (1976)
The term 'Auteur' comes from France, translating as author. The theory was introduces in the 1950's by a few French directors. An Auteur is a director who has an arty side to them. They are willing to take risks, be completely different to mainstream films and do not tend to define their product as a genre film.
Francois Truffaut quoted...
"A true film auteur is someone who brings something genuinly personal to his subject instead of producing a tasteful, accurate but lifeless rendering of the original material"