HNC Diploma Creative Media Production Unit 11: Film Studies:
How genre is used to construct meaning in film through visual and technical signifiers.
The word Genre originated from the 19th century French word for ‘Kind’.1 it is widely used to
relate to a style of art, music or literature. In Film we use Genre as a way to Distinguish and
construct meaning from a certain style of film. This is done using visual and technical
signifiers which codes and conventions2 that are recognizable and varied amongst certain
styles of film Genre.3
“Conventional definitions of genres tend to be based on the notion that they
constitute particular conventions 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.”
-Daniel Chandler, (‘The Problem of Definition’), 2012. 4
People use genre as a way to categorize film in order to differentiate or decide what it is
they would like to watch. There are many different film genres. It ranges from the likes of
Drama, Action, Western, Horror and many others including Sub Genres and Hybrids5. A
typical Genre Film would be a ‘Western’. We primarily relate Westerns with the late 19th
century American culture6 which themes and subject matters deal with the Civil war,
industrial age (Rail road/ weaponry), Treasure hunting, conflict between Cowboys and
Natives, issues amongst civilisation and shootouts between law enforcement and outlaws.
‘The Great
There are many other visual and technical signifiers that are
Train
used to differentiate one genre from another. Location,
Robbery’
(1903)
Camera techniques, screenplay, era and cultural differences7
can all be very important when identifying a specific genre
especially for a Western which is specifically set in 19th century
Western America during the industrial age. This shows how a
western can be
very limited in
conventions
due to its
constriction to era unlike other genres.
There content often portrays themes and
subject matters relating to the Civil war,
‘The Horse Soldiers’
Mexican Revolution “...or the confiscation
(1959)
of the territorial rights of the inhabitants of
the frontier”. 8
Camera angles and techniques are also a signifier when recognizing specific film genres.
Take ‘The Good the Bad and the Ugly’ (1966) Directed Sergio Leone9. A Spaghetti Western
which is a sub-genre that comes from the Western Genre.10. Spaghetti Westerns are low
budget Westerns with an Italian director and produced in Europe11. They often related to
emphasized violence, had a larger than life visual style e.g. (Wide-screen Close ups to
extreme wide shots), choreographed gunfights and a harsher view of the frontier life12.
Scenes from ‘The good, the bad and
the ugly’ (1966)
The exaggerated use of extreme close ups of the actor’s expressions and weapons, to the
wide shots that indicate their initial space and creates the impression that a standoff or
ritual is taking place, the music used is also eerie which produces a sense of unease and
pressure . It typically results in the death of a character as he falls into an empty grave.
Techniques such as these would be identifiable in the Western Genre.
‘True Grit’
The use of Mise en scene13 has also
(2010)
been taken into great consideration.
Examples of this would be the likes of
clothing (Western Wear14 e.g.
Cowboy hats, Gun belts, Corsets for
Woman etc...), guns (Colt 45) and
horses. These are all key signifiers
that would relate to the 19th century
Western era therefore genre. It is essential when producing cotemporary Westerns and remakes
such as True Grit15 that mise en scene is researched and greatly considered. Without unique
signifiers such as these we could easily familiarize the camera techniques and content from
those used above to a Thriller, Crime or Action Genre.
An example of this would be the likes of Bad Boys 2 (2003) Directed by Michael Bay.16 We
can tell that this is not a western Genre film immediately as we see the sub machine gun.
Weapons such as these were not invented during the 20th century therefore cannot be
related to a western genre. Bad
boys 2 is commonly known as a
crime or action film. The Crime
and Action Genres are very
similar to the Western genre.
Although the difference is that
Crime and Action Genre are not
‘Bad Boys 2’
(2003)
confined to the era, year or age that they are set
in. Other Genre films can be set and based in
other times or centuries. Yet they must also
portray elements and signifiers that distinguish
them as a specific or type of genre. Crime genre
focuses more on matters set around the sinister
actions of criminals or gangsters and often
‘Scarface’
portrays conventions based on underworld
(1983)
activity such as Criminals, Drugs, Murder and
other subjects that relate to crime in general. The Action genre often consist of Strong
Masculine protagonists, high energy stunt scenes, Martial
arts and fight scenes, scenes of destruction like shootouts
and explosions as well as heroic rescues. A Drama however
would deal more with common life situations such as
romantic involvements, realistic characters and would
consist of less active screenplay and more poetic content
and dialogue that challenge issues of society (Racial,
Religion, Politics etc...).17
Science Fiction genre like a Western would have very distinguishing signifiers, yet they are
completely separate genres. Science fiction is known for its content of advanced scientific
technology, modernized societies, spaceships and imaginative portrayals of distant
planets.18 A Typical genre film like a western should not contain such elements due to its
constriction to the 19th century American old west. However these conventions can also be
challenged and combined through the use of Hybrid Genre. Hybrid genres “often exhibit the
conventions of more than one genre”19. Back to the Future (1990) Directed by Robert
Zemeckis20 is a perfect example of Hybrid genre. It takes two genres that conventions
contradict each other. It uses the narrative concept of time travel from the Science fiction
genre and takes it to the 19th century of the Western Genre. This therefore makes advanced
technology such as a car/ time
machine to seem relative to the
narrative of a 19th century based
Western. This makes it a prime
example of a Hybrid genre film.
There can also be different forms of
hybrid genre such as Sci-Fi Horror,
Action adventure, Horror Comedy
and many more.21 this means that it
is possible to find many problems
when trying to define a specific
genre.
‘Back to the future 3’.
(1990)
Overall I have found that there are many ways in Genre is used to construct meaning in film,
whether it is through visual signifiers such as Mise en scene. Or even the more technical
aspects such as camera techniques and Culture. I myself tend to use Genre as a way to
decide what film I’d like to watch, even before watching it. It is an easy and simple way of
categorizing film for your own preference. And has been used even from classical times in
‘12 Years
a Slave’
(2013)
order to identify style due to its context23. And it is still used and challenged till this day
which means it is a very common and well known system in media theory and other
mediums.
Reference’s
1
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/genre
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/intgenre/intgenre1.html / http://filminquiry.com/howto-analyze-movies-like-boss-signs-codes-conventions/
3
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/intgenre/intgenre1.html
4
Film Genre Reader (2012), Barry Keith Grant, page.7.
5
http://www.filmsite.org/subgenres.html /
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/intgenre/intgenre1.html
6
http://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/western / http://www.filmsite.org/westernfilms.html
7
http://filminquiry.com/analyze-movie-like-boss-story-genre/
8
http://www.filmsite.org/westernfilms.html
9
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060196/
10
http://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/western / http://www.filmsite.org/westernfilms5.html
11
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/spaghetti-western
12
http://www.filmsite.org/westernfilms5.html
13
http://filminquiry.com/analyze-movies-like-boss-mise-en-scene-editing/
14
http://www.westernwear.co.uk/
15
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1403865/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
16
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0172156/
17
http://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/ / http://www.filmsite.org/filmgenres.html
18
http://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/science-fiction / http://www.filmsite.org/scififilms.html
19
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/intgenre/intgenre1.htm
20
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099088/?ref_=tt_rec_tt
21
https://www.filmsite.org/subgenres2.html
2