Genre

Define..

Genre is a way of categorising a text through style and formA text is classified in a genre through the identification of key elements which occur in that text and in others of the same genre.

These elements may be referred to as paradigms, and range from costume to music to plot points to font (depending on the medium). Audiences recognise these paradigms, and bring a set of expectations to their reading of the text accordingly.

HistoryDevelopment of Genre

STAGE 1 - INNOVATIVE

Genre texts offer a high degree of innovation, experimenting with genre conventions or merging existing genres to create new forms. At this stage, genre texts are likely to challenge audiences and to attain popularity through their originality.

STAGE 2 - CLASSICAL

Genre conventions are well established and boundaries between genres tend to be well-defined and more stable. At this stage, genre texts are likely to generate pleasure through the reinforcement of predictable elements and the repetition of popular structures

STAGE 3 - PARODY

Genre texts take advantage of the audience’s familiarity with their conventions by self-consciously drawing attention to their form and style. Audience pleasure is generated by the acknowledgement of the shared experience, often in the form of exaggerated or humourous use of generic conventions

STAGE 4 - DECONSTRUCTION

Genre texts begin to challenge their generic elements by reformulating the conventions – breaking, ignoring or altering the shared understanding of genre. Audience pleasure is generated through the genre text’s ability to recognise and to subvert its forms and meanings. The process of transformation may sometimes lead the genre through to the beginning of the cycle once more

Theorist

Steve Neale and Tom Ryall were keen to stress that Genre was a 3 part relationship between the text, audience and producer and that these 3 elements are linked - Often referred to as Ryall’s Triangle.

Goodwin’s theory – Music videos demonstrate certain genre characteristics such as stage performance in metal/rock videos, dance routines for boy/girl bands and scantly clad women or bling for gangsta rap videos

“Music videos are often constructed by the link between the visuals and the song plus the artists. Relationships are built between these in the video and the close up of the artists give them the representation and publicity they require. Voyeurism is used to increase the videos attractiveness, particularly to males whilst inter sexuality is often employed in humorous videos”

Music Video analyse-

Conventions of Pop Music

The makeup used is complimenting, natural and pretty and hairstyles are simple yet stylish. Artists are clothed in fashionable, stylish and mainstream outfits.

Artists are portrayed as happy, enjoying and content with life.

The lyrics are normally based around love and relationships.

Animation is often used as it creates excitement, interest and lively atmosphere.

Artists are expressed in a very sexual and seductive way trying to lure the audience in with very show/staged like.

The song usually include beats that are very dance orientated.

They stereotypically are associated with people in their teens as many people in their youth enjoy partying and clubbing and dancing which is exactly what the purpose of pop music is for.

Britney Spears ‘Hit me baby one more time’

The music video is set in a typical American high school highlighting the young audience they are targeting the music video for.

The makeup worn by Britney Spears is natural and simple similarly with her hair styled in two bunches to reinforce the conventions in pop music

The backup dancers and Britney spears are dressed in school uniforms however with cropped shirts and mini skirts portrays the sexual and seductive ways artists use to lure the audience when watching the music video.

The music video is largely based around staged dance performances throughout the high school settings as this reinforces pop songs beats to be very dance orientated.

Similarly, the lyrics in ‘baby one more time’ are based around love and relationships therefore are able to relate to other young teen girls.