The Concept Of Genre:-

Genre is a set of conventions that define and categorise different forms of media, defined by a number of things such as the sources iconography, it's mise-en-scene, the actors, the representation of the piece as well as a familiar plot narrative. Genre allows audiences to identify with the film's they love, thus ensuring that cinema-goers have a preconceived notion of what the film will be like, therefore fulfilling the audiences expectations.

The Evolution Of Genre:-
It is important to note that genre is never static; constantly evolving, genre is determined by both audiences and the industry itself. Whilst the familiarity of the genre is reassuring, the lure of new and innovative twists keep audiences coming back for more.

Genre's use to movie-makers:-
Genre is often described as a creative strategy used by Hollywood executives to focus their films around a core target audience, and to ensure audience identification with a film, a means of determining what storyline we expect to see during the duration of a film. For instance, Comic-Con, a mass gathering of fan-boys and 'geeks' in the US is a prime example of how important genre can be and, indeed, shows how much a money-spinner genre is. It shows how fans of Sci-Fi and Superhero films can come together, united by a love of a specific genre, and shows how much audiences can become attached to genre's.

Genre's use to Cinema-goers:-
Genre almost sub-consciously comforts the audience, stereotyping and categorising the complexities of life. The predictabilities of genre are akin to a procedural drama, where the audience knows the gist of what is to happen, yet it's only really the content within that genre is what makes the film interesting and unique.It is important to remember that genre can never be too predictable; whilst the foundations of the genre can be laid down, it is only really the novelty of the film's concept that determines whether it will be a success at the box office or not.

Genres can create fanbases, and steady box-office takings

An Example:-
As well as this, genre has now become the inevitable building blocks for franchises to appease audience members and to ensure consistent box office takings. Franchises in turn spawn multiple sequels, prequels and remakes. Lets put this into practice; 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' came under the sub-genre bracket of Horror-Slasher upon it's release in the 80's. It wasn't especially innovative because it followed the conventions of similar films within this genre; however, audiences engaged with the films novelty, it's fantasy element and it's iconic villain. It created eight sequels and a remake; this example serves the point of showing that genre can find and indeed exploit it's target audience. Genre can recycle concepts, sets, actors and guarantee a consistent level of success like New Line Cinema with their horror slasher films. Genre remains today because it can almost be foolproof; audiences connect with iconography, find comfort with narratives and yet they are intrigued by new additions, constantly pushing and evolving the audiences expectations for that genre.

A Couple Of Extra Terms:

Sub-Genre: A more niche style of film that still comes under the bracket of a more broader genre. For instance, 'Paranormal Activity' is most certainly a Horror, but it is more specifically known as a found-footage horror, to create the effect of the film looking as though it was in fact real.

Sci Fi? Thriller? Romance? All of the Above?

Hybrids: On the surface of it, films often just come under one genre. For instance, what genre does 'Star Wars' come under? 'Sc-Fi' I hear you say. But no, not just that. Chewbacca provides comic relief so we could say its a 'comedy'. The relationship between Han Solo and Leia gives a 'Romance' element. The journey the central characters go on could be classed as an 'adventure'. And so you see films do not have to be bound by one central genre. They could be a mixture of many. And so we call them hybrids...