Steve Neale Genre Theory

Genre is a way of categorising a particular media text according to its content and style. Genre can be usefully be understood as one of many forms of classification. The audience operate akin of classification or framing of it – a system of expectation (conventions) is set up around it, involving both repetition and difference, and depending on how well you know this classification. Genre can be recognised by its common set of distinguishing features (codes & conventions).

*Framing means the power of media to shape and set limits to how audiences are invited to perceive certain groups, issues and genres.

Back to the Steve Neale’s theory which is Repetition and Difference. Steve Neale states that ‘genre are instances of repetition and difference’.

Repetition:

  • Repetition is needed for a film to conform to the codes and conventions of a certain genre and to be classified as that genre.
  • Following all of the codes and conventions would be classified as an imitation of previous media text, therefore would bring up the controversy also dull narrative pushes the audience away rather than attracting them.
  • Thus difference is significant in film to bring out the ‘newness’ and to confront the problem of repetition.

Difference:

  • Having a repetition of codes and conventions would help to classify the genre. However, we don’t have to follow the codes and conventions fully. Following bits of the codes and conventions may already classify the film as the genre we intended to convey. Films should subvert other conventions to have an interesting plot line thus captivate wider audience.
  • Differences that a film has would bring out the uniqueness of the film and this is one of the key to promote the film excellently.
  • Genre codes and conventions evolve throughout history to anchor the changing ideologies of our society.
  • Media texts often display the conventions of more than one genre. This would be called as generic hybridisation. John Hartley says that ‘the same text can belong to different genres in different countries or times.
    • Films can have 2 or more elements of different genres for example:
      • Romance + Comedy = Romantic comedy
      • Action + Comedy
      • Action + Romance
      • Horror + Romance
      • and many more.
  • Difference in repetition describes the contemporary media text with the help of advanced technology.

Frozen are one of the animation films that follow the repetition of codes and conventions of fantasy but the film turns out to have a complete twist at the end of the film. The narrative subverts the conventions of fantasy about true love.

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