Narrative: Exploring The Different Genres

Action/Adventure (A goal to achieve)

Essentially one long quest with a succession of issues to overcome. It has rising tension and anticipation leading to the final 'sequence.'

          Examples:

          ~ Flying a toy plane

          ~ Using toys to escape (toy plane, bouncing on a ball, skateboard)

          ~ Trying to be the toy on the top shelf/on pillow

Comedy 

There are many different ways to explore a comedy genre. The conventions that allow this are; Types of Comedy, Setting, Iconography, Character, Theme, Bright Colours.

          Subgenres within comedy:

          American ~ Cheesy

          Slapstick  ~ Banana skin (silly usually involves pain, timeless)

          Horror      ~ Seeing something unscary, VERY scary

          Adult        ~ Cheeky, unaware of its nature

Crime

Commonly the narrative offers room for debate

          Examples:

          Race, Policing, Gender, Social Events

Romance

There is a common plot within Romance: Boy meets Girl - They become good friends - There are frequent hints made that they would make a great couple - Unfortunately an argument makes the characters hate each other - Until a huge over the top gesture is made and the characters leave happily ever after.

Sci-fi

Generally following a disaster in the past, mankind turns to robotics and scientists to build a new world. Following Todorov's Narrative Theory.

Thriller

There is usually a crime at the core of the narrative, often a murder. The film is sculpted around this, with complex structures and false paths, clues and resolutions.

Horror (A fear of something)

Horror's tend to follow Todorov's Narrative Theory in a linear fashion. With tension climbing for the duration of the film until the resolution that answers all the questions rose within the film. 

          Examples:

          ~ Loosing limbs

          ~ Scissors

          ~ Loose threads

          ~ Dogs chew toy