hi

1. SECTION A
Question 1B
Genre
Is a critical tool that helps us study texts and audience response to texts by dividing
them into categories based on common elements.
“The word genre means type of category”
GENRE THEORISTS
o Buckingham
o Goodwin
o Altman
o Ryall
Buckingham (1993)
o Traditionally, genres tended to be regarded as fixed
forms, but contemporary theory emphasises that
both their forms and functions are dynamic.
o Buckingham argues that ‘genre is not simply
“given” by the culture: rather, is it a constant
process of negotiation and change’
o Changes in genre reflects changes in society
Rick Altman (1999)
o Altman argues that “There is no such thing as “pure” genre
anymore. Genre anymore. Genre is progressive, in that it will
always change”
o He says that generic conventions are very much a thing of the past.
His theory suggests that audiences in general have become tired
of the same formula and need more to keep them entertained and to create appeal.

2. SECTION A
Question 1B
Tom Ryall (1978)
o Ryall argues that genres are recognisable through the repeated use of
generic codes and conventions, as how we as the audience know a horror
film is a horror film.
o He suggest that the type of conventions found in genres might be grouped
within the following categories
Iconographies: (symbolic forms associated with
the genre)
Narrative: (structure, open/closed)
Representations: (characters/stereotypes)
Ideologies: (belies and ideas of that ‘ideal’
concept theme)
Goodwin (1992)
o Goodwin said “music videos are simply an extension of the lyrics”
o On his 5 ways to analyse a music video 4: Relation of visuals to songs – does
your video illustrate, amplify or cause disjuncture
o Specific genre conventions

3. SECTION A
Question 1B
The strengths of Genre Theory
The main strength of genre theory is that everybody uses it and understands it
o Media experts use it to study media texts
o The media industry uses it to develop and market texts
o Audiences use it to decide what texts to consume
The potential for the same concept to be understood by producers, audiences and
scholars makes genre a useful critical tool
Its accessibility as a concept also means that it can be applied across a wide range
of texts
The weakness of Genre Theory
It can squash creativity and limit to what an artist wants to create, they would have to
change their ideas and conventions
Artists would have to change their style in order to gain revenue and be popular