Genre Battle

Horror:

Conventions:

1.   The horror genre is virtually always hybridised as there are so many different ways to scare people. Horror is split into sub-genres. A few examples are:

 Physiological Horror, Slasher, Gothic Horror, Science-Fiction Horror.

2.   Morbidity and death are always involved in the plot.

3.   With small independent films there is normally some sort of hand-held sequence from the point of view of the protagonist running away from the antagonist. Shots from the point of view of the camera are perfect for low budget films; it also effectively makes the audience feel more involved in the action and therefore more scared. Horrors are meant to horrify.

My Feelings on The Genre:

I think my problem with the horror genre for this task is that when you’re working with no budget and average recording equipment the classic thing to make people scared is show the film through the perspective of a average hand held camera; for me this seems very cliché and overdone. I’m not discrediting ‘hand held horrors’, they can be very effective, for example the films Cloverfield and The Blair Witch Project. What I’m saying is that I want me opening sequence idea to be slightly original and so I’m not sure if horror is the best choice.

Thriller:

Conventions:

1. There is normally some sort of mystery that needs to be solved by the protagonist.
2. Very tense scenes. It’s meant to ‘thrill’ so you are supposed to be on the edge of your seat wanting to know what is about to happen, in suspense.

My Feelings on The Genre:

As one of my favorite genres I know that I would enjoy making a thriller opening sequence, however I think that it might be a little difficult to get across that it is part of the thriller genre in just two minutes. I think if I chose to try the thriller genre I might be taking an unnecessary risk.

Social Realism:

I found this slide show on the conventions of the British Social Realism genre which I found really helpful to start me thinking about the genre practically. I cannot verify the author of the slide however it inspired me and is worth note.

Conventions:

1. Larger world issues are usually explored in the plot through a personal story.
2. The settings are normally real places. Not made up in a studio – they are real so that the audience can become more drawn into the plot and accept the verisimilitude of the situation. This convention also relates to how the genre is normally explored by independent film whose budgets are low, it’s helpful not to have to make expensive Hollywood Sets if it is not necessary.
3. Lots of wide shots that continue to establish the real setting.

My Feelings on The Genre:

Although this genre is simpler to explore within the constraints (I have to film with basically no budget and student equipment) I’m not sure if the social realism genre is something I would want to explore within an opening sequence as it’s not really a genre that I personally enjoy. I also think that it is easy to become very cliché within the genre.

Comedy:

Conventions:

1. Plot line has obviously got to be funny.
2. Depending on the target audience the main setting of the comedy genre changes. Normally it is set in places generic to the audience. E.g. high school for teenagers, place of work and bars for adults.
3. Conventions really do depend on the type of comedy. Like horror there are many sub-genres of comedy as there are lots of ways to be funny. Some examples are:

Spoof, Romantic Comedy, Black Comedy, Mockumentary.

My Feelings on The Genre:

I think the comedy genre is something I might want to attempt as it might be relatively easy to make the conventions clear in my opening sequence. Most of what I would need to do would just be to make people laugh.