Genre Lesson

Genres;

- involve a process of categorisation
- used by both film producing/distributing institutions AND audiences
! used by producers/directors to define easier and to sell
! used by audiences to judge whether they want to see it
- work through a prior knowledge
- minimises economic risk
- aides advertising
- institutions like things they can 'package' easily
- give the audience predictable pleasures
- involve innovation, inflection/subversion of the generic conventions

A good genre piece should live up to its certain expectations, but shouldn't be too predictable. Most are predictable with a twist