Codes and Conventions of Genres

Codes and Conventions of Genres

A genre is a particular type of commodity . It has characteristic

features that are known to and recognised by the audiences because the

same formula is reproduced many times.

Genre is a French word meaning that refers to types or categories of

media products. Soap operas, situation comedies, police series, quiz

shows and news programmes are just some of the genres to be found in

television. Genres are identified by the particular conventions they

use which are recognised through regular contact. Conventions are any

elements which are repeated in such a way that they become familiar,

predictable and associated in their use with a particular genre.

Conventions include:

· Character

· Plot

· Setting

· Costumes and props

· Music

· Lighting

· Themes

· Lighting

· Dialogue

· Visual style

The codes and conventions of genre, which are, incidentally, in a

state of constant adaptation, tell us a great deal about the beliefs

and values, at a particular time, of the society that produces them.

For the example of the news broadcast it could be suggested that our

society tends to put more faith in the word of a smartly dressed

'well-educated', middle-aged man or women standing four or five feet

away, looking us in the eye, rather then an unconventionally dressed

teenager with a strong regional accent within one or two feet of us- a

distance that normally signifies intimacy or aggression.

Genres then, reflect the dominant values of society. Like these

values, however, they are not fixed or uncontested. Consequently

genres change, sub genres evolve and new...

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... begin with a 'hook' in which the threads of the storyline from

the previous episode are taken up, but they also end with a

cliff-hanger, in which one or more dramatic situations are left in

suspense, encouraging us to view the next episode to see what happens.

These cliff hangers vary in intensity and importance.

The use of the cliff hanger is balanced by moments of temporary

resolution in the serial, these occur for example, at Christmas or at

communal occasions such as weddings or funerals.

Soaps cover issues that arise in the society that we are living in,

this will make the soap more successful in terms of viewers because

the audiences can then therefore relate to these issues. The issues

could be, relationships, health issues, teenage problems, underage

pregnancy, crime, domestic violence, drugs, alcohol etc.