Analysis of genres

We had to choose between 5 different genres for our opening sequence, these were:
1. A supernatural thriller with a strong female lead.
2. A British social realist drama.
3. An adventure story for younger audiences.
4. A teenage romantic comedy.
5. A crime caper with an ensemble cast.

A supernatural thriller is a film with a lot of tension and suspense, with fast moving story lines and there is always a main character who is in distress. Settings used are sometimes foreign cities, deserts, polar regions, or high seas, these settings build suspense as they are not places we know much about so we don't know what to expect around the corner. The lighting in these films is generally quite dark , there is also a distinctive gap between good and bad. It combines thriller elements with basic horror incidents such as ghosts. unnatural beings are used throughout,. Thrillers that we know include Pulse, the Bourne Identity and Phone Booth.

A British social realist film is a film that depicts working class activities it is a representative of real life, with all its difficulties, such as home life e.g. domestic violence. It's putting the experiences of real Britons on the screen. As these films are based around typical home life they are generally filmed on set and therefore is generally a low budget production. Also to make these films seem more realistic as if you are there, they generally use hand held camera throughout. The story lines and the people being shown are normal everyday characters. Typically, films within the social realist works are gritty, urban dramas about the struggle to survive the daily grind. British social realist films are also known as kitchen sink drama as they are based around home life which is generally known to be based in the kitchen as that is where most things happen in the household.

An adventure film for younger audiences is a film where the narrative is protagonist and other major characters are consistently put into danger. The characters throughout the film are forced to use skills to overcome the dangers. There is often sequels to the films, and throughout there is generally many stunts and special effects to make the films more exciting. Settings used for these films include exotic locations, deserts, jungles, dangerous places, all of these suggest isolation which means they have no help and makes the audience feel worried about the main character and they want to know what is going to happen to them. In adventure films the main character always seems to achieve what they were set out to do. Within the character group there is always tension, but they always seem to resolve what they are set out to do. Films we know include Harry Potter, which includes conflict but not much blood and gore as it is being viewed by younger audiences. Also Narnia, both these films include a magical theme, and use of supernatural beings, which involve youngeraudiences using there imagination.

A teenage romantic comedy film has a very specific formula. The 'bad' character is often less attractive than the others, and the 'good' character which the main character is in love with is generally good looking. Typical settings include high school. Provider of comedy is often black. The jock character often has muscles, is aggressive and wears there teams jacket. The geek is signified by glasses and enjoying their classes. The resolution of the narrative is the main characters fall in love and there is always a happy ending. The audience expect an emotional 'pay off' e.g. American Pie and She's All That. The soundtrack relates to the targeted audience.

A crime caper film with an ensemble cast is a film that involves one or more crimes, carried out by main characters in full view of the spectator. The audience is encouraged to identify with the criminals, there is a main leader of the group the other members have individual skills to help the crime happen. the main character is often the biggest star in the film and therefore gets the most screen time. Crime is against criminal or major corporations, not usually the innocent. The threat of being caught creates tension. Resolution is generally a cliff hanger or some main characters are not caught and get away with the crime. Films we know include Italian Job and Oceans Eleven. The costumes used in these films suggest sophistication or a luxurious lifestyle.