Genre and Hybrid Genres

Definition of genre

A Category of film which is based upon key elements, style, and conventions that also conforms to a specific target audience. 

A list of different film genres:

• Action 
• Adventure
• Comedy
• Drama
• Documentary
• Horror
• Science Fiction
• War
• Historical/period 
• Musical
• Crime
• Thriller
• Disaster
• Western
• Fantasy
• Romance
• Sport

Conventions of a particular film genre

Science Fiction               

• Technological advancements
• Hero/villain
• External threat
• Usually set in the future
• May not take place on earth
• Usually based on scientific technology or principles
• Could feature a range of different fictitious creatures or aliens
• The plot may evolve around the hero trying to save other people from the dangers of the villain or threat

Horror

• Suspense  
  
• Danger
• Distress
• Death and injury 
• Hero & villain
• A solution to a problem usually undertook by the hero of the film
• Graphic scenes featuring blood and gore, plus other sorts of nasties
• Important iconography, such as weapons (chainsaws, machetes, knives, and sharp pointy gloves) and costumes 
• A location that typically has dark history to it 

Hybrid Genre

A film that features characteristics or elements of two or more different categories of film is known as having a hybrid genre. An example of this is Shaun of the Dead which is a combination of horror and comedy element. The advantage to an audience of a film being a hybrid genre is that it appeals to a larger audience. This is also the reason why most big blockbuster films are a mixture of different genres.

Some examples:

• Horror & Comedy - Shaun of the Dead, Braindead, An American werewolf in London
• Romance & Comedy (Romcom) - Knocked Up, My big fat Greek wedding, There's something about Mary
• Western & Comedy - Blazing Saddles 
• Crime & Thriller - Se7en, The Silence of the Lambs
• Science Fiction & Action - Terminator 2: Judgement Day, The Matrix, Aliens, Predator 

Neo Noir

The Red Riding Trilogy

Conventional Noir elements 

• Dark lighting
• The opening scene is a flash forward to the ending 
• Crime related  
• Cigarette smoking and the smoke is used to create effect in conjunction with the lighting
• Iconography-pistol, cigarettes
• Voice-over from the perspective of the anti-hero
• Male detectives
• Music that builds up suspense
• Anti-hero main character 

Unconventional Noir elements 

• Sepia tone
• Set in England 
• Camera angles - intense close ups, panning
• The crime which features in the film is child abduction
• Set in a rural location
• The film is set in the 1970s 
• Acoustic guitar music

Mulholland Drive 

Conventional Noir elements

• Dark colours
• Urban setting
• Hand guns
• Femme Fatale, red lipstick, well dressed
• Men in suits with pistols
• Smoke or mist in the darkness
• Tense music

Unconventional Noir elements 

• Jolly swing music
• Brightly coloured superimposed title sequence
• Modern time setting and location
• Modern vehicles
• Two Femme Fatales as opposed to just one
• No male anti-hero
• High budget special effects
• Set in Los Angeles

Blade Runner

Conventional Noir elements

• Dimly lit setting
• Cigarette smoke 
• Set in an urban location
• Police/crime detectives
• Hand guns
• Flawed anti-hero
• Chiaroscuro lighting
• Femme Fatale
• Rain

Unconventional Noir elements

• Set in the future
• Science Fiction elements
• Electronic music
• Brightly lit areas, billboards, and lights
• Multi racial

Sweded Films

Definition

A Sweded film is a remake of a movie using amateur actors (or people who can't act at all), filmed on an extremely low budget or with no production budget at all and with any special effects being homemade. The idea of a Sweded film is that it isn't perfectly made with lots of detail, but instead just features recreations of key scenes and anything else iconic to the film. A Sweded film is usually between 3-10 minutes in length and quite humorous because you know what the original film is and also because it most likely turns into a spoof.

Another definition of a Sweded film can be found here and also with more information relating to it: http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/sweded-films


" Sweded Films are amateur recreations of famous films using limited resources and technology inspired by the 2008 comedy film Be Kind Rewind. The films are typically much shorter in length than their originals and use shoe-string budget props to mimic the source material."

An example of a film that has been 'Sweded':