Film Genre Activity for Incoming Freshmen

1. What kind of movies or TV shows are these?
2. How do you know?
3. What elements separate films of this sub-genre from other types of films or media? Other horror films or media?
4. What do these films or media tell you about the qualities of this sub-genre?
5. How do you account for the differences among these film/media?
6. How well received would a film be if it deviated too greatly from your expectations for that sub-genre? For example, how would audience members react if they went to a movie billed as a comedy, and the film did not have a happy ending?
7. How important are audience expectations? How much should writers consider their audience(s), when they are beginning to write?
8. How does knowing a text’s genre help you as a reader?

• First think of a favorite movie and consider where you might find it on Netflix, if it were not a new release: It could be categorized as a comedy, a romantic comedy, an action/adventure film, a drama, a horror film, or a science fiction/fantasy film. It might also be an animated film/children's film, a documentary, or a classic or a foreign film, etc.

• Once you determine the category heading under which the movie would be placed in the store, you can get together with peers who have favorite films in the same category and begin analyzing the characteristics films in your category share—plus ones that seem unique to your particular film.

• In groups arranged by genre, or movie category, answer questions like the following to outline the characteristics of your movie's genre:

1. What is the setting (time and place) of the film like?
2. What is the plot like? Is there a happy ending? Is there an indication that a sequel might be possible? Are there recurring storylines?
3. What are the characters like? Are there stock characters? If so, what are they like? Are the characters well developed? Or is the movie more driven by the plot or story?
4. What kind of special effects are there in the movie? What purpose do they serve?
5. How does the cinematography contribute to the film and its content?

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