Genre Theory in more depth

Genre Theorists

 

Daniel Chandler 

Conventional definitions of genre tend to be based on the notion that they constitute particular convntions of content (such as themes or settings) and/or form (including structure and style) which are shared by the texts which are regarded as belonging to them. He argues that every genre positions those who participate in a text of that kind: as interviewer or interviewee, as listener or storyteller, ect. and each of these positionings implies different possibilities for response and for action. Each written text provides a 'reading position' for readers, a position constrcted by the writer for the 'ideal reader' of the text (Kress, 1988). Thus, embedded within texts are assumtions about the 'ideal reader', including their attitudes towards the subject matter and often their class, age, gender and ethnicity. 

With regards to audience, Chandler stresses that other pleasures can be derived from sharing our experience of a genre with others within an 'interpretive community' which can be characterized by its familiarity with certain genres.

 

Steve Neale

Neale posits the idea that 'genre are instances of repetition and difference' and adds that 'difference is absolutely essential to the economy of genre': mere repetition would not attract an audience. Essentially, this means that it is easy to underplay the differences within a genre. Additionally, text often exibits the conventions of more than one genre, meaning that the text can belong to different genres in different countries at the same time. 

In terms of the audience itself, Neal argues that pleasure is derived from 'repetition and difference', and that there would be no pleasure without difference. Thus, we dervive this pleasure from abserving how the conventions of the genre are manipulated, and enjoy the stretching of a genre in new directions and the consequent shifting of our expectations. 

 He also argues that Hollywood's generic regime performs two inter-related functions: to guarentee meanings and pleasures for audiences, and to offset the considerable economic risks of industrial film production by providing cognitive collateral against innovation and difference. Essentially, this means that genres act as an agent against difference - reinforcing the repetition of film. 

David Buckingham

He argues that traditionally, genes (particularly literary genres) tended to be regarded as fixed forms, but contemporary theory emphasizez that both their forms and functions are dynamic. He states that 'genre is not... simple "given" by the culture: rather, it is in a constant process of negotiation and change'.

Tom Ryall 

Genre provides a framework of structuring rules, in the shape of patters, which act as a form of 'supervision' over the work of production of filmmakers and the work of reading by the audience.Additionally, he states that there is a framework provided by the generic system; therefore, genre becomes a cognitive respository of images, sounds, stories, characters and expectations. This therefore means that with each genre comes a different set of schemes that make it recgonisable as what it is.

Rick Altman

Theorist and Critic, Altman notes that genres are usually defined in terms of media language (Semantic elements) and codes, or certain ideologies and narraties (Syntactic elements).

Problems with genre classification:

Altman noted a list of points he found problematic with genre classification, they are as follows;

• It is a useful catagory, because it bridges multiple concerns 
• They are defined by the film industry, and recognised by the mass audience 
• Genres have clear, stable identities and boundaries 
• Individual films belong wholly and permenately to a single genre
• They are transhistorical
• Genres undergo a predictable development
• They are located in particular topic, structure and corpus 
• Means that films share certain fundmental characteristics 
• Genres ehave either a ritural or igeological function 
• Critics are distanced from the practice of genre

Jonathan Culler  

Culler answers the question of 'can genre be defined, or  is it just a question of film comprehension?' by arguing that generic conventions exist to establish a contract between creator and reader so as to make certain expectations, therefore creating a compliance and deviation from the accepted modes of intellegibility. Acts of communication are rendered intellegible only within the context of a shared conventional framework of expression.

 

Genre and Audience 

'Uses and gratifications' research has identified many potential pleasure of genre;

• One pleasure many simply be the recognition of the features of a particular genre because of out familarity with it. Recognition of what is likely to be important (and what is not), derived from our knowledge of the genre, is necessary in order to follw a plot. 
• Genres may offer various emotional pleasures such as empathy and escapism - feature which some theoretical commentaries seem to lose sight.

Aristotle - he aknowledged the special remotional responses which were linked to different genres  

Deborah Knight - notes that 'satisfaction is guarenteed with genre; the deferral of the inevitable provides the additional pleasure of prolngued anticipation'.