researching genre
TRANSCRIPT
RESEARCHING GENRE
Cara Pearson
WHICH GENRE HAVE I CHOSEN?
I have chosen to base my opening titles on the genre of horror having been inspired by the titles
to Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd. Now that I know which style I’m going to be working with, I’ll
research the key components often found within this style of movie. Some examples are:
Stock characters
Stock plots
Stock props, signifiers and locations
Music and sounds
representation
And generic conventions
STOCK CHARACTERS
These are the generic people within a movie who are almost always present
within the genre. For instance, within a high school themed horror, you’re likely
to have the typical “Jocks” and their cheerleader girlfriend, the highly intelligent
nerd who’s always the brunt of the jock’s jokes, and the group of friends in the
middle who don’t fit into either category. Due to the fact that people see these
stock characters all the time within movies, they start to develop an
understanding of these people without having a proper introduction. This saves
the director time as he isn’t having to give long and complicated introductions to
minor characters.
SOME EXAMPLES OF STOCK
CHARACTERS
The jock and his girlfriend:These are generally quite shallow, sporty and
dim. The idea of these characters is to grate
on the audience so that a sense of unity
within the viewers is created when they’re
killed off. This is usually fairly close to the end
of the movie.
The clueless nerdsGenerally some of the most likeable
characters, however they’re usually killed
off pretty soon due to the clashing with
“Popular kids”.
SOME EXAMPLES OF STOCK
CHARACTERS
The “Emo” kidGenerally a loner who is underestimated, however
due to their weak nature and once again, the
clashing with the popular kids, they don’t tend to
live through the whole movie.
The troubled protagonistHe or she tends to have a far better grasp
on the situation than anybody else. However
nobody will listen to what they’re saying as
this character is passed off as crazy.
STOCK PLOTS
Within film and media, many storylines follow a basic 4 part rule:
1. The exposition
2. The complications of the original problem
3. The culmination of the previous complications
4. And finally, the resolution
The idea of this (much like stock characters), is to help the audience identify and grasp the
situation without as much explanation from the director. It also creates a sense of unity for the
viewers as they can discus what they think is likely to happen next, thus increasing the enjoyment.
AN EX AM P L E OF A M OVIE WHICH
F OL L OWS A STOCK P L OT
The Haunting In ConnecticutThis follows the classic horror storyline. A teenage boy
sees the spirits which inhabit his house (which was
previously a corrupt funeral parlor). As the haunting
intensifies, his “visions” are put down to a change in his
cancer medication and passed off. However with the help
of a priest, the story comes to a head with the
destruction of the old house, and the teenage boy’s cure.
This is an example of a stock plot as it follows the classic
4 part rule containing stock characters, locations and
props. Without the use of a stock plot, this movie could
easily become ridiculous and too fictitious to be scary.
STOCK P ROP S, S IGNIF IERS AND
L OCATIONS
Much like stock plots and characters, these key elements of creating a good movie all depend on
your choice of genre. Because I have chosen to base my titles on a horror film, the stock props
etc. will be very different to if I’d chosen romance.
Stock props help to set the scene within a movie, for instance, a signifier might be the colour of
paint on a wall, the wind blowing a ripped curtain through a broken window, or the rain pouring
down outside.
Classic examples of stock locations within horror films are abandoned houses, old hospitals or
dark woods.
Often the signifiers are incredibly subtle, such as an old scar or a knife hanging in the kitchen,
however they subconsciously create a link within the viewer’s head and develop a far deeper
understanding of the plot.
SOM E EX AM P L ES OF STOCK
PROPS/SIGNIFIERS
In this scene from Tim Burton’s
Dark Shadows, Depp is sat in one
of his ancestor’s rooms. From the
layout wen tell the tastes that she
has, the rough age of her and see
that she was a rebellious teen from
the certain band’s posters on display.
Click the image to see the full scene.
AN EXAMPLE OF A STOCK
LOCATION
This is a classic American
fantasy/horror image. This scene is
taken from Edward Scissorhands,
and is a classic view of a haunted
castle. Immediately this resonates
with the viewer as a dangerous place
with dark characters residing within
it.
It’s made even more daunting as it’s
shadowing a small, unassuming
suburb.
MUSIC AND SOUNDS
Within media, there are two types of sounds used, these are:
Diegetic
Non-diegetic.
Diegetic sounds are those which the characters within a scene can hear. For
instance, footfalls, a creaking door or talking.
Non-diegetic sounds are those which characters cannot hear. For instance the
soundtrack playing which is there to build tension.
EX AM P L E OF DIEGETIC AND NON -
DIEGETIC SOUND
In this clip (click on the movie poster)
from Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
uses both types of sound effectively.
The non-diegetic music helps to build
a creepy atmosphere and builds
tension, while the sound effects create
a foreboding atmosphere.
REPRESENTATION
Representation within a movie or media product is an extremely effective
and important tool. Often within horror films we have a few categories of
people to be aware of and how they’re represented, in this presentation I’ll
just focus on:
Protagonists
Antagonists
THE PROTAGONISTS
These characters tend to be fairly normal people within a motion
picture. Often slightly mundane until they find their purpose within
the film. The directors often use mise-en-scene and cinematography
to portray a character’s goodness.
Protagonists are usually shot with low angle shot to give them the
impression of importance. High key lighting is generally used as
well as shallow focus to ensure the viewer sees all of their victories
clearly.
As well as this, the sound and music both diegetic and non-diegetic
help to create a sense of goodness. Usually when they’re partaking
in some form of brave act, their theme song could be playing, for
instance, some iconic songs might be James Bond’s, Indiana
Jones, or Captain Jack Sparrow’s. These songs are instantly
recognizable, and build excitement and tension within the crowd.
THE ANTAGONISTS
The mise-en-scene surrounding these
characters then to be dark and foreboding.
They often wear blacks and reds to contrast
with the protagonists’ often bright colours.
The sounds which surround them tends to be
dark and in some cases discordant. This adds
to the menacing, cold nature of the character.
And finally the cinematography, much like the
protagonists, low angle shots portray power,
especially over their victims.