MIGRAIN analysis: Genre

1) What example is provided of why visual iconographies are so important?
The news broadcasters were given to use as an explanation of how visual iconographies works with different types of images and videos to indicate a certain genre.

2) What examples are provided of the importance of narrative in identifying genre?
Sit-Coms and Soap-opera were used to compare two different genres but with similar narratives but different genre codes to represent the genre.

3) What is the difference between character representation in action movies and disaster movies?
For example in action movies, the protagonist (the heroes) are portrayed to be looked as a lone-wolf. But in disaster movies, there is a group of different protagonist with different personalities and skillsets to work together and solve a certain task.

4) What are the different ways films can be categorised according to Bordwell?
These examples can be categorised to the Bordwell "Grand Theory":

Period or Country
Director/Star
Technical process
Style
Series
Audience

5) List three ways genre is used by audiences.
One way is using known knowledge which is collected from past movies and tv shows that follows the same genre, to predict where the storyline and narrative goes.

Another way is to use a shared characteristic within the genre type.

Finally is the use a certain piece of knowledge to have a certain type of expectations for the film/tv show.

6) List three ways genre is used by institutions or producers.
The range of production quality (graphics, marketing, actors, scene)

The relevancy to the media and audience.

Marketing to hook the audience in.

7) What film genre is used as an example of how genres evolve? What films and conventions are mentioned?

Using the Neal theory, producers have been able to add a uniqueness to their art, the audience sometimes feels that there is a piece of repetitive that goes on through different types of genres. One example is the gangster genre. The genre code follows the same sort of principle.

Read Media Factsheet 126 - Superheroes: A Genre Case Study and answer the following questions:

1) List five films the factsheet discusses with regards to the Superhero genre.

• The Avengers Franchise
• The X Men Franchise
•  Spiderman
•  Guardians of the Galaxy
•  Agents of Shield

2) What examples are provided of how the Superhero genre has reflected the changing values, ideologies and world events of the last 70 years?
The hero genre was made with the idea to relate with a certain type of ideology or values. To use it as a piece of propaganda in the old days. For example in the 1940s, Superman was first presented as a hero, battling Europeans which was portrayed as the main antagonist. Especially when WWII started they used the hero genre to push propaganda and different values and ideologies. But this has evolved to now being to most famous genre out there.

3) How can Schatz's theory of genre cycles be applied to the Superhero genre?
Schatz's theory can be broken down into 4 different parts.

Innovation: Starting a whole different visual and story code.

Classical: The genre is seen in its prime state (Climax point). Where it shows the true definition of the genre.

Parody: The genre became really famous and was is replicated. For example, DC started the whole trend with the hero genre with superman and batman. Marvel made their own parody with spiderman and the avengers.

Deconstruction: The genre is experimented to go beyond the meaning of the hero genre.

General:

Breaking Bad by Vince Gilligan

1) Why did you choose the text you are analysing?

This is the most critically acclaimed TV series out there. It is one of my favourites and thanks to media it made me go through some crucial episodes to analyse it. There is a lot of information that is being decoded by us that we cannot see, which makes this a really good show to analyse.

 

2) In what context did you encounter it?

My parents are movies and series enthusiasts. They recommended this series for me because I recently finished a series called "Better Call Saul". The series follows on the same universe and story-line of breaking bad.

3) What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of the text?

From different media sources and reviews. This was critically acclaimed from many sources so I had really high expectations.

4) To what genre did you initially assign the text?

In the beginning, I assigned this to be a piece of Crime. But later it turned out to be crime and drama.

5) What is your experience of this genre?

I love drama and crime because its one of the genre that makes me feel awake. Its some of my favourite genre's because the producers make a really good job to make me and the audience to have a perspective in the protagonist view.

6) What subject matter and basic themes is the text concerned with?

The text matter mainly concerns with the sense of "breaking bad". Meaning not following society order and law and becoming a new person. It does also goes into the subject of drug dealing and family issues.

7) How typical of the genre is this text in terms of content?

This text sets the bar of what a crime and drama genre should be. It pushes the limit of how it should be while experimenting with new concepts like adding some elements of thriller and horror.

8) What expectations do you have about texts in this genre?

In the beginning, I had really high expectations due to it being really acclaimed by media sources and my own parents as well. n the first couple of episodes it kinda disappointed, it didn't really hook audiences in due to the story and introductions not really introduced yet. But after a couple of episodes, my expectations keep getting higher and higher.

9) Have you found any formal generic labels for this particular text (where)?

The use of formal generic labels is rarely shown. Each episode there is a new story or narrative that adds on to the plot. The only repetitive is when they are making the meth, but it is rarely shown in the series.

10) What generic labels have others given the same text?

The generic labels that are shown are the location, but still, it is kept in a minimum view.

11) Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the text?

The conventions of the text get changed every episode. One day it could be a different theme or sometimes it could be a different location or showing a different icon. But the most recognisable one is the iconography of breaking bad is the drugs.

12) To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre?

It stretched the crime genre really far. It combines with drama as well which enables the audience to relate to the text.

13) Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?

The text departs throughout the series. The producers made it really clear when the main character (Walter White) starts changing character with the use of iconography and different costumes and makeup. In the beginning, Walter wore lighter colours, had more facial hair... But through the episode he starts fading into darker hues of colour to his clothes, start to lose hair to reveal more facial feature which in return shows more dominance, and the attitude shows that he has started to break bad.

14) Which conventions seem more like those of a different genre (and which genre(s))?

It reminds a little bit of mystery and horror genres.

15) What familiar motifs or images are used?
Similar motifs are greediness, secrecy and life and death.

Mode of address
1) What sort of audience did you feel that the text was aimed at (and how typical was this of the genre)?

This text is mainly aimed at audiences to teenagers. This text is mainly based on the dark humour and crime type, this fits perfectly with the teenagers age group and above.

2) How does the text address you?

This text does relate to me because of the character a certain type of personalities. About staying one step against everyone and making time last.

3) What sort of person does it assume you are?

It really goes into the first-person view. The series makes the audience relate to their situations and makes them be put in their shoes.

4) What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity?

Mainly in the lower class of life, Male.

5) What interests does it assume you have?

Making money with limited time.

Relationship to other texts
1) What intertextual references are there in the text you are analysing (and to what other texts)?

I would the references that are made is an unknown personality type, like the people that are has a two-sided personality and has secrets.

2) Generically, which other texts does the text you are analysing resemble most closely?

Mainly the text that follows the same universe like Better Call Saul or El Camino. But some other texts are for example "Prisonbreak" which same the same kind of personality traits like Walter, or crime genre which follows the main protagonist as the villain.

3) What key features are shared by these texts?

That they all have this one common trait. Staying one step ahead of the antagonist and having a secret side of their personality.

4) What major differences do you notice between them?

The main difference is how the narrative shifts into different codes. For example in the text like prisonbreak, it introduces the characters and the narrative early on so it can hook the audience. But with breaking bad it takes time to introduce the narrative and characters.