EVALUATION - Genre Theory

In class we have been studying genre theories.

John Hartley said that "genres are agents of ideological closure - they limit the meaning-potential of a given text" This opinion applies to our trailer as we have been limited by our chosen genre. We have had to follow specific conventions of the thriller genre, such has building tension and mystery through editing, camera angles, a non diagetic soundtrack and diagetic sound effects. It is important for a thriller to have enigma not just in the teaser trailer but in the film itself;

"Thrillers are characterized by fast pacing, frequent action, and resourceful heroes who must thwart the plans of more powerful and better equipped villains."

Genre's give a set of expectations when the are attached to for example a film, the audience expects the film to follow a certain pattern and it to end in a particular out come. This is why hybrid genres are seem as postmodern as the audience has to mix the expectations of two or more genres, this gives the film a number of possible outcomes. In our trailer we have tried to follow the conventions of a thriller by showing both equilibrium and disequilibrium in the trailer, this shows how normal the female leads life was and then what it has become. This builds mystery for the audience as they do not know why her life has changed and as we have not shown the villain's face in the present sequences it creates enigma further.

The thriller genre has many subtypes, these are a few I have found on wikiepedia:

• Action thriller: This often includes a 'race against the clock', it contains lots of violence. It has elements of mystery films and crime films but these elements take a backseat to action. An example of an action thriller are anyone of the James Bond films. Our film has action thriller elements as it is a 'race against the clock' for the female lead as shown in the trailer(bag packing), there is also violence (knives).
• Conspiracy thriller: In which the hero/heroine confronts a large, powerful group of enemies whose true extent only he/she recognizes.An example of this is JFK. Our film has elements of this as only Megan knows what Eric is really like.
• Crime thriller: Is a hybrid type of both crime films and thrillers that offers a suspenseful account of a successful or failed crime or crimes. These films often focus on the criminal(s) rather than a policeman. They focus on the action. An example is The Killing.
• Disaster thriller: Main conflict is due to some sort of natural/artificial disaster, an example is The Day after Tomorrow.
• Drama thriller: Story consists of the elements of a thriller and drama film. These films are usually slower paced and involves a great deal of character development along with plot twists. An example is The Interpreter
• Horror thriller: The main character is put in danger and his main enemies are unrealistic creatures in which he must destroy to achieve his goal.
• Erotic thriller: In which it consists of erotica and thriller. Examples are Basic Instinct, Dressed to Kill
• Legal thriller: In which the lawyer-heroes/heroines confront enemies outside, as well as inside, the courtroom and are in danger of losing not only their cases but their lives.
• Medical thriller: In which the hero/heroine are medical doctors/personnel working to solve an expanding medical problem.
• Political thriller: In which the hero/heroine must ensure the stability of the government that employs him.
• Psychological thriller: In which (until the often violent resolution) the conflict between the main characters is mental and emotional, rather than physical. For example some of the Alfred Hitchcock films
• Spy thriller: (also a subgenre of spy fiction): In which the hero is generally a government agent who must take violent action against agents of a rival government or (in recent years) terrorists.
• Techno-thriller: In which (typically military) technology is described in detail and made essential to the reader's/viewer's understanding of the plot.
• Religious thriller: In which the plot is closely connected to religious objects, institutions and questions.

Most thrillers are a combinations of those above. ^^^^^

Our trailer is a combinations also, it does include violence but is probably more about a psychological plot line than action.

Rach.