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Genre Introduction
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By Noelle Buffam
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https://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/976-genre-introduction/
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Action: Action film is a genre wherein physical action takes precedence in the storytelling. The film will often have continuous motion and action including physical stunts, chases, fights, battles, and races. The story usually revolves around a hero that has a goal, but is facing incredible odds to obtain it.
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Examples:
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Die Hard – A New York cop gives terrorists a dose of their own medicine as they hold hostages in an LA office building.
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Raiders of the Lost Ark – An adventuring archeologist races around the world to single-handedly prevent the Nazis from turning the Ark of the Covenant into a weapon of world conquest.
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Adventure: Adventure film is a genre that revolves around the conquests and explorations of a protagonist. The purpose of the conquest can be to retrieve a person or treasure, but often the main focus is simply the pursuit of the unknown. These films generally take place in exotic locations and play on historical myths. Adventure films incorporate suspenseful puzzles and intricate obstacles that the protagonist must overcome in order to achieve the end goal.
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Examples:
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Pirates of the Caribbean – A meek blacksmith joins forces with a free-spirited pirate and his cursed ship to rescue his love, the governor’s daughter.
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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – When his father goes missing, famed archaeologist Indiana Jones must find him and ultimately stop the Nazis from obtaining the Holy Grail.
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National Treasure – A modern day treasure hunter is in a race against the FBI to find a war chest hidden by the Founding Fathers.
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Animated: Animated film is a collection of illustrations that are photographed frame-by-frame and then played in a quick succession. Since its inception, animation has had a creative and imaginative tendency. Being able to bring animals and objects to life, this genre has catered towards fairy tales and children’s stories. However, animation has long been a genre enjoyed by all ages. As of recent, there has even been an influx of animation geared towards adults. Animation is commonly thought of as a technique, thus it’s ability to span over many different genres.
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Examples:
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The Emperor's New Groove – When a selfish emperor is turned into a llama, he must find a way to regain his throne and help his new found friends.
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Finding Nemo – A clownfish father goes on an underwater adventure to find his son, Nemo, after he is taken from his coral reef home.
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Coraline – A little girl discovers an alternate world that seems to be a perfect version of her home life, but it isn’t long until she finds out the truth.
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Children: Children’s Film is a genre of film aimed at entertaining young audiences. The Children genre is usually rated G, and has simplistic content that is age-appropriate. As with the Family genre, children films cover a wide array of topics and can fall into multiple genres – such as adventure and musicals. Most often, this genre incorporates fantasy elements and plays on the possibility that imagination holds. Many films in this genre are animated and serve an educational purpose. The majority of Children’s films will demonstrate some kind of moral message, cautionary tale, or contain a plot that illustrates good overcoming evil.
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Examples:
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The Muppet Movie – The Muppet gang goes on a road trip to Hollywood, where Kermit is bullied by a mean fast food restaurant owner to be his new “spokesfrog.”
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Casper – A young girl moves into an old mansion and has adventures with a friendly ghost, who inhabits the house along with three other mean and taunting spirits.
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The Rugrats Movie – After getting lost on a family vacation, the toddlers have an adventure trying to find their way home.
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Comedy: Comedy is a genre of film that uses humor as a driving force. The aim of a comedy film is to illicit laughter from the audience through entertaining stories and characters. Although the comedy film may take on some serious material, most have a happy ending. Comedy film has the tendency to become a hybrid sub-genre because humor can be incorporated into many other genres. Comedies are more likely than other films to fall back on the success and popularity of an individual star.
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Examples:
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Groundhog Day – A grumpy weatherman finds himself living the same day over and over again.
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The Princess Bride – A farm boy must save Princess Buttercup from a forced marriage to the nasty Prince Humperdinck.
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Happy Gilmore – A reject hockey player takes up golf in order to save his grandmother’s house.
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Crime: Crime film is a genre that revolves around the action of a criminal mastermind. A Crime film will often revolve around the criminal himself, chronicling his rise and fall. Some Crime films will have a storyline that follows the criminal's victim, yet others follow the person in pursuit of the criminal. This genre tends to be fast paced with an air of mystery – this mystery can come from the plot or from the characters themselves.
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Examples: Fargo – A car salesmen from Minnesota is in debt, so he hires two men to kidnap his wife in order to collect her ransom money.
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The Silence of the Lambs – An FBI agent develops a relationship with the notorious serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lector, to gain Lector’s assistance in the hunt for another serial killer.
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Reservoir Dogs – An unacquainted group of professional criminals is brought together for a diamond robbery that goes amiss.
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Drama: Drama film is a genre that relies on the emotional and relational development of realistic characters. While Drama film relies heavily on this kind of development, dramatic themes play a large role in the plot as well. Often, these dramatic themes are taken from intense, real life issues. Whether heroes or heroines are facing a conflict from the outside or a conflict within themselves, Drama film aims to tell an honest story of human struggles.
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Examples: The Shawshank Redemption – A former banker convicted of murdering his wife develops a lifelong friendship with a fellow prisoner, and ultimately tries to defy the odds by keeping hope alive inside prison walls.
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The Godfather – The aging patriarch of an organized crime circle must secure the future of his family’s empire by leaving it in the hands of his reluctant son.
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Casablanca – A jaded nightclub owner must choose whether or not to help his ex-lover and her husband flee Nazi-occupied Morocco.
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Epic: Epic film is a genre that takes historical events and people and interprets them in a larger scale. Historical accuracy is not the main focus in Epics, but rather the telling of a grandiose story. The drama of an Epic film is often accentuated by a sweeping musical score, lavish costumes, and high production value.
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Examples:
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Lawrence of Arabia – The tale of a complex and controversial British military man who finds himself conflicted during wartime in the Arabian Desert.
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Gladiator – Betrayed by a corrupt prince, a former Roman General trains as a Gladiator and goes to Rome to avenge the death of his wife and son.
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Saving Private Ryan – A team of soldiers goes on a mission to save a soldier whose three brothers have already been killed in the war.
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Family: Family film is a genre that is contains appropriate content for younger viewers. Family film aims to appeal not only to children, but to a wide range of ages. While the storyline may appeal to a younger audience, there are components of the film that are geared towards adults- such as witty jokes and humor. This genre may fall into many other genres, including comedy, adventure, fantasy, and animated film.
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Examples:
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Shrek – A grumpy Ogre, seeking to reclaim his swamp, embarks on a journey with the help of a wise-cracking donkey to deliver a princess to the sinister Lord Farquaad.
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The Wizard of Oz – Dorothy is caught in a tornado and transported to a magical land where she embarks on a journey to visit the wizard, the only one who can send her home.
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E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial – A boy befriends a stranded alien and ultimately helps him find his way back to his home planet.
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Fantasy: Fantasy film is a genre that incorporates imaginative and fantastic themes. These themes usually involve magic, supernatural events, or fantasy worlds. Although it is its own distinct genre, these films can overlap into the horror and science fiction genres. Unlike science fiction, a fantasy film does not need to be rooted in fact. This element allows the audience to be transported into a new and unique world. Often, these films center on an ordinary hero in an extraordinary situation.
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Examples:
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The Lord of the Rings – The Fellowship of the Ring:When a young hobbit is trusted with an ancient ring, he must travel to fires of Mount Doom in order to destroy it.
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Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope – Luke Skywalker joins the Rebel Alliance and tries to save Princess Leia from the sinister Darth Vader.
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone – After discovering his true identity as a wizard, Harry Potter takes on adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
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Horror: Horror film is a genre that aims to create a sense of fear, panic, alarm, and dread for the audience. These films are often unsettling and rely on scaring the audience through a portrayal of their worst fears and nightmares. Horror films usually center on the arrival of an evil force, person, or event. Many Horror films include mythical creatures such as ghosts, vampires, and zombies. Traditionally, Horror films incorporate a large amount of violence and gore into the plot. Though it has its own style, Horror film often overlaps into Fantasy, Thriller, and Science-Fiction genres.
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Examples:
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A Nightmare on Elm Street – Freddy Krueger, an evil being from another world, stalks a group of teenagers and kills them through their dreams.
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Saw – Two men are held hostage by a psychopath, who is set on teaching his victims the value of life by putting them into demented life or death games.
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Friday the 13th – While trying to re-open a summer camp, a group of camp counselors are mysteriously murdered by a machete swinging slasher.
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Musical: A Musical interweaves vocal and dance performances into the narrative of the film. The songs of a film can either be used to further the story or simply enhance the experience of the audience. These films are often done on a grand scale and incorporate lavish costumes and sets. Traditional musicals center on a well-known star, famous for their dancing or singing skills (i.e. Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland). These films explore concepts such are love and success, allowing the audience to escape from reality.
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Examples:
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Grease – A good girl and a greaser must decide whether or not to continue their summer romance when they unexpectedly return to the same school.
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Funny Face – A shy and reluctant book clerk is taken to Paris to become a fashion model.
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Singin’ in the Rain – When the world transitions from silent film to sound, a star-studded cast must make an elaborate scheme to pull of their new film.
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Mystery/Suspense: A Mystery/Suspense film centers on a person of authority, usually a detective, that is trying to solve a mysterious crime. The main protagonist uses clues, investigation, and logical reasoning. The biggest element in these films is a sense of "whodunit" suspense, usually created through visual cues and unusual plot twists.
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Examples:
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The Maltese Falcon – A private investigator works to discover the whereabouts of the Maltese Falcon after his partner is murdered.
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Blue Velvet – A young man begins a relationship with a psychotic man and his girlfriend.
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Chinatown – A private investigator takes a case about adultery, but discovers a Los Angeles City Water & Power murder scheme.
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Romance: Romance film can be defined as a genre wherein the plot revolves around the love between two protagonists. This genre usually has a theme that explores an issue within love, including but not limited to: love at first sight, forbidden love, love triangles, and sacrificial love. The tone of Romance film can vary greatly. Whether the end is happy or tragic, Romance film aims to evoke strong emotions in the audience.
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Examples:
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Slumdog Millionaire – Knowing the girl he loves is a fan of the show, an uneducated boy becomes a contestant on the Hindi version of Who Wants to be a Millionaireto win her over.
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The Notebook – An old man who visits an elderly invalid woman, reads a love story to her that centers around two lovers torn apart by life events.
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Love Actually – A look at eight very different love stories that are loosely intertwined in England during the Christmas season.
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Science Fiction: Science Fiction film is a genre that incorporates hypothetical, science-based themes into the plot of the film. Often, this genre incorporates futuristic elements and technologies to explore social, political, and philosophical issues. The film itself is usually set in the future, either on earth or in space. Traditionally, a Science Fiction film will incorporate heroes, villains, unexplored locations, fantastical quests, and advanced technology.
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Examples:
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The Matrix – The fight for the future begins when a computer hacker learns the world exists in an alternate reality and he is chosen as “The One” who can save mankind in the war against the computer agents who control it.
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2001: A Space Odyssey – An artifact is discovered on the moon and humans set out on a quest, with the help of a sophisticated computer system named HAL.
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Star Wars: Episode VI- Return of the Jedi – Rebels rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt and go on to battle the Empire, while Jedi Knight, Luke Skywalker, attempts to bring his father away from the Dark Side.
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Sports: A Sport Film revolves around a sport setting, event, or an athlete. Often, these films will center on a single sporting event that carries significant importance. Sports films traditionally have a simple plot that builds up to the significant sporting event. This genre is known for incorporating film techniques to build anticipation and intensity. Sport films have a large range of sub-genres, from comedies to dramas, and are more likely than other genres to be based true-life events.
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Examples:
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Field of Dreams – An Iowa farmer hears a mysterious voice in his cornfield and takes it as a sign to build a baseball field for the Chicago “Black” Sox.
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Million Dollar Baby – With the help of a hardened trainer, a woman is determined to establish herself as a legitimate boxer.
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The Blind Side – The true-life story of Michael Oher, a homeless boy who became an All American football player with the help of a generous family.
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Supernatural: Supernatural film is a genre that centers around supernatural elements, such as ghosts, gods, goddesses, and miracles. Supernatural films deal with the unknown questions of life; therefore, they tend to incorporate religious elements into the plot. Since they emphasize the unknown, Supernatural films are considered quite suspenseful. These films often cross over into other genres, creating hybrids like Supernatural-Comedy and Supernatural-Drama.
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Examples:
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What Lies Beneath – While others believe her to becoming delusional, a woman is convinced that ghosts haunt her house.
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Poltergeist – A ghost haunts a suburban home and kidnaps one of the children through the television set.
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Ghost – After a man is murdered, he tries to communicate with his wife through a psychic.
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Thriller: Thriller Film is a genre that revolves around anticipation and suspense. The aim for Thrillers is to keep the audience alert and on the edge of their seats. The protagonist in these films is set against a problem – an escape, a mission, or a mystery. No matter what sub-genre a Thriller film falls into, it will emphasize the danger that the protagonist faces. The tension with the main problem is built on throughout the film and leads to a highly stressful climax.
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Examples:
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The Great Escape – A large group of POW’s plan an escape from a German camp in World War II.
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The Silence of the Lambs – An FBI agent develops a relationship with the notorious serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lector, in order to gain Lector’s assistance in the hunt for another serial killer.
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North By Northwest – Mistaken for a government agent by foreign spies, an advertising agent travels cross-country trying to survive.
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Western: Western Film is a genre that revolves around stories primarily set in the late 19th century in the American Old West. Most Westerns are set between the American Civil War (1865) and the early 1900s. Common themes within Western Film include: the conquest of the wild west, the cultural separation of the East and the West, the West’s resistance to modern change, the conflict between Cowboys and Indians, outlaws, and treasure/gold hunting. American Western Film usually revolves around a stoic hero and emphasizes the importance of honor and sacrifice.
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Examples:
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The Treasure of the Sierra Madre – The harsh realities of the Mexican South Western Frontier threaten three men in their search for gold.
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Unforgiven – A reluctant and retired gunslinger teams up with two sharpshooters for one last killing.
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Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – Two train robbers flee to Bolivia, with the law just one step behind them. |
