Film Genres | Film and Video

Film Genres

Introduction

I have picked two films for each genre. The main genres are: ACTION, COMEDIES, CRIME, DRAMAS, EPICS, HORROR, MUSICALS, SCIENCE FICTION, WAR, WESTERN, ANIMATION, DOCUMENTARIES.

Genres

Sub-genres

Genres

Action

Action films typically consist of large budgets for physical stunts and chases, possibly with rescues, battles, fights, escapes, races against time and crises featuring non-stop motion breakneck rhythm and pacing.

Comedies

Comedies are usually light-hearted stories deliberately designed to amuse by exaggerating the situation, the language, action, relationships and characters. However, there are many different sub-genres of comedy, due to humour being subjective to the viewer.

Crime

Crime films normally feature of the sinister actions of criminals, mobsters, bankrobbers, underworld figures and ruthless hoodlums who operate outside the law stealing and murdering their way through life. It is a popular genre, often favoured by audience members due to the intriguing look into human behaviour by providing an entertaining and even informative film.

Dramas

Drama are customarily serious plot driven films betraying realistic characters, settings, life situations, and stories involving intense character development and interaction. Audiences enjoy being drawn into films, so the use of an interesting plot and theme/subject, which is understandable is one of the many successes to dramas.

Epics

Epics ordinarily take a historical or imagined event, mystic, legendary; with focus on a heroic figure and an extravagant setting and lavish costumes. This is often accompanied by grandeur and spectacle, dramatic scope, high production values and sweeping musical score.

Horror

Horror films are designed to frighten into invoke a hidden worst fears, often in a terrifying, shocking finale, while captivating and entertaining us at the same time in a cathartic experience. They were popularised into mainstream films in the 1970s (mainly be impacted by "The Exorcist"), and are a popular genre, as audience members want to be impacted by cinema, and the use of fear effects on a large scale (which is why they are so successful).

Musicals

Musicals and dance films are cinematic forms that emphasise full scale scores or song and dance routines in a significant way, or they are films that are centred on combinations of music dance, song or choreography. They are impactful films that offer the audience with an interesting plot, as well as music and other art forms that develops the moment/ scene to allow the viewer to become more emotionally invested.

Science Fiction

Science-fiction sci-fi films are often quasi scientific, visionary and imaginative-complete with heroes, aliens, distant planets, quests, fantastic places, new technology, and extraordinary monsters. Sci-fi films often features multiple genres. The are popular due to their enjoyable and compelling plots that are intertwined and adapted with the existence of surreal (often futuristic/ other worldly) elements in the story.

War

War films acknowledge the horror and heartbreak of war, letting the actual combat fighting (against humans or humankind) on land, sea, or in the air provide the primary plot or background action for the for the film.

Western

Westerns are the major defining genre of the American the film industry. They are eulogy to the early days of the expansive American frontier. They are one of the oldest, most enduring genres with very recognisable plots, elements, and characters.

Animation

There are many types of animation styles used to make various different animated films, it is an important genre as the films are able to tell stories and display emotions and themes in a independent ways. Often used in film storytelling for children, but providing an enjoyable element (often nostalgia) for adults. It is a film genre that connects people and tells stories in ways that live-action films are unable. However, I personally would argue that animation itself is not a genre, but a film format of telling other genres. The animation industry is extremely diverse and different, yet forced to be labeled under one genre due to it's film style. Overall, it is a fantastic and beautiful way storytelling, that effects millions of audiences in different ways by the art form.

Documentaries

Documentary films are often used to spread light on interesting matters that a director has believed to be important and should be shared with an audience. Through documentary films, the audience is shown an existence that they may not have been aware of previously and are educated through artistic film.