Genre, a category of artistic production characterized by similarities in composition and style, is a term used to discuss literature, music, art, and film. It is particularly useful in critical applications because it distinguishes a work within a context of similar works. In film, we are familiar with certain broad genre categories such as horror, science-fiction, romance, and drama.
Understanding genre helps provide the viewer with certain expectations about film. For instance, the film The Conjuring trailer (Version 2) is of the horror genre and thus can be discussed in context with other horror films. More specifically, it is of the sub-genre, supernatural horror, so it can be discussed in context with, say, The Exorcist trailer. Making this distinction enables the audience to situate their reaction within a particular framework.
Write (due Thursday, Day 3)
In this discussion
Identify a film and classify it according to its genre (or sub-genre). Include a link(s) to a trailer or scene(s) from the film. You may choose to continue with a film you have already discussed.
Discuss the conventions that are typical in films of that genre (or sub-genre).
Explain how this specific film meets the expectations of its genre.
Include the name or partial name of the film you identified in the “Subject” line of your discussion. Your initial post should be at least 200 words in length. Support your claims with examples from the required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references.
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2015-11-08 18:12
Prepare
Mise en scène is a term meant to encompass the arrangement and use of a variety of design elements in creating the visual theme of a film. Please look through Chapter 5 (Mise en Scene and Actors) for more information on this term.
As you prepare to write this discussion, take a few moments to do the following:
Read any required and recommended reading materials for this week, especially Chapter 5 (Mise en Scene and Actors).
Review the grading rubric for this discussion.
Select a full-length film from the AFI 10 Top 10 list.
Reflect
It can be easier to grasp the importance of the term mise en scène if we break it down into its component elements. This week, we’ll look at the impact of lighting choices on the creation of meaning in a film.
In any film, the intensity and direction of lighting will influence how an image is perceived by the viewer, and it can establish or enforce particular themes. Think back over films you have watched and consider how the use of lighting in key scenes helped establish the theme or tone.
Write (due Thursday, Day 3)
Using specific examples from your chosen film, write a post in which you
Identify the type of lighting used in the film (traditional three-point, high-key, or low-key) and assess the impact of the lighting used to establish the theme.
What are the benefits of the style of lighting used?
How did this technique contribute to the theme?
How was the lighting technique suited to the genre of the film? For example, documentary films tend to rely on natural light as a way of creating an overall tone of authenticity.
Compare how the scene would play if different choices had been made.
You must use at least two outside sources, in any combination of embedded video clips, still photos, or scholarly sources. All sources should be documented in APA style as outlined by the Ashford Writing Center.
It is suggested that you approach this post by focusing your attention on the same film you will write about in this week’s “Genres
Genres and Genre Film
After reviewing the discussion of genre in Chapter 4 of Film: From Watching to Seeing, demonstrate your understanding of one selected genre using a feature-length film.
Note: Several films are listed in Chapter 4 as emblematic of a specific genre. You are allowed to choose a film or genre not mentioned in Chapter 4, but you are strongly encouraged to email your professor to receive approval before doing so.
In 800 to 1200 words
Explain genre theory and, using Chapter 4 of the text as a reference, thoroughly describe the conventions and attributes of your selected genre.
Identify a feature-length film that fits this genre and provide a basic summary of the movie. As you develop this summary, remember the differences between a film’s story and a film’s plot and how these differences can lead to the inclusion of genre elements.
Interpret at least two genre conventions exhibited in your chosen feature-length film that help classify it in the selected genre. Be sure to provide a specific example of each convention (e.g., a particular scene or plot component).
Provide an example of a third convention from your chosen feature-length film and explain how this convention expands the boundaries of the specified genre.
Your paper should be organized around a thesis statement that focuses on how your chosen feature-length film both aligns with and expands upon your chosen genre.
The paper must be 800 to 1200 words in length (excluding title and reference pages), and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
You must use at least two scholarly sources other than the textbook to support your claims. Refer to the ENG225 Research Guide in the Ashford University Library for guidance and to locate your sources. Cite your sources (including the feature-length film) within the text of your paper and on the reference page. For information regarding APA, including samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center.
Please note that if you opt to write about the same film in your Final Film Critique, applicable pieces of this assignment can be used to write that assignment. Please also note that you should reflect on and revise this assignment based on the instructor’s feedback before you incorporate it into the Final Film Critique
