2. WELCOME TO MEDIA STUDIES This course will introduce you Film - its techniques, its genres, its narrative, representations and audience

3. WARNING Some of this course will require a lot of film viewing!! Some of the course will require a lot of reading - not just film reviews… Some of the course requires you to write …… a lot!!!

4. Film Genres The Western

5. Cool Hand Luke

6. Fist Full of Dollars

7. Midnight Cowboy

8. Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid

9. Film Genres Science Fiction

10. Dr Strangelove

11. If

12. Fantastic Voyage

13. 2001 Space Odyssey

16. Film Genres Horror

17. Zombies

19. Predators

20. Vampires

21. Towards a definition of Genre Genre can be defined by reviewing the images on the slides you have just seen. Each group of slides showed “ a group of films having recognisably similar plots, character types, settings and filmic techniques, such as, camera shots, sound, music, lighting, editing, themes..” These elements, or conventions, are repeated from film to film and allow the audience to group them into categories - the film-maker relies on this familiarity to “reassure” the audience about his / her film.

22. Towards a definition of Genre Genre films are popular because they deal with universal dilemmas and appeal to universal psychic needs. Genre groupings include:  Action / adventure  costume drama  Gangster  Horror  Science Fiction ………. The list can be extended.

23. Towards a definition of Genre Note: The codes and conventions of a genre can over lap so one can get a Science fiction Western like Star Wars or comedy science fiction like Men in Black or a Action Horror film like Van Helsing. This is because the film-maker will mix the elements to increase the audiences’ pleasure and anticipation from the new twists and surprises he creates. Genre films tend to be studio driven (the institution) as such films have high audience appeal and thus high box office returns. Decisions on the type of film made will be based on audience research.

24. Towards a definition of Genre Genre films conform to audience expectations about narrative. Nearly all the stories are about situations which are disrupted by a problem which is resolved in some way thus allowing the characters to re-establish a new satisfactory situation. Genre films are popular because they deal with universal dilemmas and appeal to universal psychic needs. E.g. good overcoming evil, the restoration of order in a world of chaos, clearing ones name, finding true love and happiness… All of these can be signaled by the film codes and conventions.

25. Codes and Conventions

26. Film uses language which is both literal (denotative) as well as symbolic (connotative) in meaning. This language includes camera shots, image, costume, music and sound, lighting and editing.

27. Codes and Conventions This picture uses film codes and conventions to convey a message about the girl. Look carefully at the picture - what are the symbolic codes (connotative meaning) used and what do they imply?

28. Codes and Conventions This picture uses film codes and conventions to convey a message about the man. Look carefully at the picture - what are the symbolic codes (connotative meaning) used and what do they imply?

29. Characters Genre uses stock character types to assist the audience towards understanding the direction the narrative will go. Look carefully at the character above. What sort of person is he? How do you know?

30. Characters Genre uses stock character types to assist the audience towards understanding the direction the narrative will go. Look carefully at the characters above. What sort of persons are they? How do you know?

31. Representation Representation is the meaning the audience brings to the image that appears on the screen. The meaning will be coloured by beliefs, attitudes, behaviours and understanding of situations, symbols and codes brought to the film by the individuals in the audience.

32. Representation Look carefully at each slide: What is represented about each character by: The objects being held, The clothing being worn, The way they appear to be behaving, The settings they are in?

33. Summary From this presentation you should have the following definitions: Genre Codes & conventions Narrative Representation Character Audience Institution All of these are important in Media Studies and will be examined in detail during the year.