Introduction To Film Genre & Motifs

Introduction to film genre

A film genre is a type of film; western, comedy romance, gangster, horror, thriller, drama, musical etc. This first started when studios wanted to put films into categories (1930-1948). Certain films that they had created were more successful than others so then they would put them into groups and create films using the same patterns. In 1970s they realizes that, for example, all horror films have the same characteristics, themes, plots, there would be just a few twists that would make them different from others. Or in romance films we all know that the man and woman always end up together, and the film will have a happy ending. 
The films we see today don't fit into only one genre but are combinations of a few, keeping some original elements.

Things all genres have in common: 

Terms 
- very similar characters; stock characters - the type of character that appear in most films (a bartender in westerns)

Themes
- what they share about the world (a superhero is always the good guy and only he can save the world from the bad guys)

Iconography
- repeated images seen throughout indivitual films amongst one genre 

Mood
- emotional setting (the anticipation and fear in horror films)

Cinematic Style
- the way films are being shot; lighting, set, special effects (sci-fi)

Film Noir
- in traslation "film black"
- a lot of dark scenes, shadows, wierd angles (detective films expecially)

There are a couple of stages of genres throughout the years; primitive, classical, revisionist, parodic and extension. 

Primitive
-first films ever made 
-there weren't other films to take inspiration from
- first patterns were established, characters, themes etc.

Classical
- the patterns continue
- since there was something to look back on, studios create better films

Revisionist
-the iconography is similar, but these films start to question the first films

Parodic
- making fun of a genre

Extension
- uses the same values but the structure and setting change






Motifs in film

A motif is a repeated idea, image or pattern that canbe found not only in films but in literature, too, and they helps us reveal the theme. To identify the motifs and patterns, first we have to watch each scene closely, to see (or hear) if there is anything that is being repeated and then track that, whether that is a certaing colour, sound, phrase or item. When we detect something then we have to try to understand and interpretate the meaning of it.
The question "Why?" always comes up. Why was this motif used in this film and what message is it trying to give us? A motif can have one meaning but not everyone will have the same interpretation of it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RRnHgYpSBk&list=PL_tdNe4QkPjEWIyJzGBwtnZcwP9FACT5h&index=19
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=accS7EHDwIzPc