What is a Genre?

This term simply means any category of literature as well as various other forms of art or
culture, e.g., music, based on some loose set of stylistic criteria e.g. Hip-Hop. Genres are
formed by conventions that change over time as new genres are invented and the uses of old
ones are discontinued. Often, works fit into multiple genres by way of borrowing and
recombining these conventions.

Genre in the essence of Film/Movie also known as Film genres are categorised in various
ways for example a Thriller or Horror genre etc. Film genres are formed from literary genre
criticism.

Fictional films are usually categorised according to their setting theme topic, mood or format.
The setting is the environment where the story and action takes place. This could be
associated with media techniques like Mise En Scene, in which for an example a dark
lightening is used in certain area in order to heighten the mood of the film. Hence a thriller or
a horror genre can be identified. Also the positions and facial expressions of characters also
can reflect a film genre, if a character is positioned alone in a frame with a sad facial
expression, this pre dominantly would be seen as an antagonists this evoke a sympathetic
audience.

Also a film genre can be associated with the way the format is laid. The formatting of a film
refers to the way it was shot. Whether an anamorphic widescreen shot, or the size of the
screen often measured in millimeters (mm). This could also set different mood and themes to
a film in which will create an enigma to the genre. Another way of categorizing film genres is
by the target audience, mainly thriller and Horror genres are ranked from the age of 15+ /18+
by the British Board of film classification this is helped to see what is primarily acceptable
for different age groups, thrillers genres heightened suspense, and tension could raise ethical
concerns amongst younger audience. Although Film genre’s can be identified by these factors
it as been proven otherwise by other film theorists.

Thriller Genre

Thriller films, are types of films known to have given or promote a gravitated build up of
tension, it involves high level of suspense, a higher level of anticipation, uncertainty, reaction
from the audience in which encourages an audience in wanting to know what happens
further.

If the genre is to be defined strictly, a genuine thriller is a film that relentlessly pursues a
single-minded goal to provide thrills and keep the audience cliff-hanging at the 'edge of their
seats' as the plot builds towards a climax. The tension usually arises when the main character
is placed in a scary situation or mystery, or an escape or dangerous mission from which
escape seems impossible. Life itself is threatened, usually because the principal character is
unsuspecting or unknowingly involved in a dangerous or potentially deadly situation. Plots of
thrillers involve characters which come into conflict with each other or with outside forces
the menace is sometimes abstract or shadowy.

The Main Elements of a Thriller Genre

1. The central protagonist/s faces death, their own or someone else's.

 2. The force/s of antagonism must initially be clever and/or stronger than the
protagonist.
3. The main storyline for the protagonist is either a quest or the character who cannot be
put down.
4. The main plotline focuses on a mystery that must be solved.
5. The film's narrative construction is dominated by the protagonist's point of view.
6. All action and characters must be credibly realistic/natural in their representation on
screen.
7. The two major themes that underpin the Thriller are the desire for justice and the
morality of individuals.
8. One small but significant aspect of a great thriller is the presence of innocence in what
is seen as an essentially corrupt world.

The large category and explanation of thriller can be the subdivided in to the a sub genre, this
could be used as an evidence of why mood theme and topic are important in order to set a
Genre.

Conspiracy Thriller

Only the hero knows the truth about a particular person, group, or situation, and he or she
must prove it to the rest of the world before disaster strikes and the bad guys win. For
example The Manchurian Candidate (1962) and The Conversation (1974)

Action Thriller

These films are characterized by fast-paced, hero-centred narratives full of action and
excitement. They often have elements of mystery and crime films, but these elements take a
back seat to the action. The work often features a race against the clock, contains lots of
violence, and an obvious antagonist. E.g. James Bond and the Transporter

Psychological Thriller

In these types of thrillers the suspense is character-driven rather than action-driven.

Characters play deceptive games and try to destroy one another. Sometimes the conflict exists
within one character's mind. The conflict between the main characters is mental and
emotional, rather than physical. E.g. Saw I (2004)

Religious Thriller

Thrillers based on religious teachings, events, and customs. Religious prophecies, evils
unleashed and ancient scriptures often come into play. At times they can be quite
controversial as they examine people's beliefs, not always in a flattering way. The suspense
stories have always shown a significant affinity for religion and philosophical issues. E.g.
The Da Vinci Code (2006) and Angels and Demons (2009)

The sub genres include there own code and conventions in which creates an enigma. It is also
important to have a clear film genre so it doesn’t confuse the audience, which will be
essential to implement in any sequence.