HNC Diploma Creative Media Production Unit 11:

Film Studies:
How genre is used to construct meaning in film through visual
and technical signifiers.
The word Genre originated from the 19 th century French word for Kind.1 it
is widely used to relate to a style of art, music or literature. In Film we use
Genre as a way to Distinguish and construct meaning from a certain style
of film. This is done using visual and technical signifiers which codes and
conventions2 that are recognizable and varied amongst certain styles of
film Genre.3
Conventional definitions of genres tend to be based on the notion
that they constitute particular conventions of content (such as themes or
settings) and/or form (including structure and style) which are shared by
the texts which are regarded as belonging to them.
-Daniel Chandler, (The Problem of Definition), 2012. 4
People use genre as a way to categorize film in order to differentiate or
decide what it is they would like to watch. There are many different film
genres. It ranges from the likes of Drama, Action, Western, Horror and
many others including Sub Genres and Hybrids 5. A typical Genre Film
would be a Western. We primarily relate Westerns with the late 19 th
century American culture6 which themes and subject matters deal with
the Civil war, industrial age (Rail road/ weaponry), Treasure hunting,
conflict between Cowboys and Natives, issues amongst civilisation and
shootouts between law enforcement and outlaws.
The
There are many other visual and technical
Great
signifiers that are used to differentiate one genre
Train
Robber
from another. Location, Camera techniques,
y
screenplay, era and cultural differences 7 can all be
very important when identifying a specific genre
especially for a Western which is specifically set in
19th century
Western
America
during
the
industrial
age. This shows how a western can
be very limited in conventions due
to its constriction to era unlike
The Horse
Soldiers
other genres. There content often
(1959)
portrays
themes
and
subject
matters relating to the Civil war,
Mexican Revolution ...or the confiscation of the territorial rights of the
inhabitants of the frontier. 8

Camera angles and techniques are also a signifier when recognizing

specific film genres. Take The Good the Bad and the Ugly (1966) Directed
How the
Sergio Leone9. A Spaghetti Western which is a sub-genre that comes from
War Was
the Western Genre.10. Spaghetti Westerns are low budget Westerns with
Won
an Italian director and produced in Europe 11. They often related to
(1962) emphasized violence, had a larger than life visual style e.g. (Wide-screen
Close ups to extreme wide shots), choreographed gunfights and a harsher
view of the frontier life12.

Scenes from The good,

the bad and the ugly
(1966)

The
exaggerated use of
extreme close
ups of the actors
expressions and
weapons, to the
wide shots that
indicate their initial
space
and
creates
the
impression that a standoff or ritual is taking place, the music used is also
eerie which produces a sense of unease and pressure . It typically results
in the death of a character as he falls into an empty grave. Techniques
such as these would be identifiable in the Western Genre.
True
The use of Mise en scene 13 has also been taken
Grit
into great consideration. Examples of this
(2010)
would be the likes of clothing
(Western Wear14 e.g. Cowboy
hats, Gun belts, Corsets for
Woman etc...), guns (Colt 45)
and horses. These are all key
signifiers that would relate to
the 19th century Western era
therefore genre. It is essential when producing cotemporary Westerns and

remakes such as True Grit15 that mise en scene is researched and greatly
considered. Without unique signifiers such as these we could easily

familiarize the camera techniques and content from those used above to a
Thriller, Crime or Action Genre.

Scarface
(1983)

An example of this would

be the likes of Bad Boys 2 (2003) Directed by Michael Bay. 16
We can tell that this is not a western Genre film
immediately as we see the sub machine gun. Weapons such
as these were not invented during the 20th century
therefore cannot be related to a western genre. Bad boys 2 is
commonly known as a crime or action film. The Crime and
Action Genres are very similar to the Western genre.
Although the difference is that Crime and Action Genre
are not confined to the era, year or age that they are set in.
Other Genre films can be set and based in other times or
centuries. Yet they must also portray elements and signifiers that
distinguish them as a specific or type of genre. Crime genre focuses more
on matters set around the sinister actions of criminals or gangsters and
often portrays conventions based on underworld activity such as
Criminals, Drugs, Murder and other subjects that relate to crime in
general. The Action genre often consist of Strong Masculine protagonists,
high energy stunt scenes, Martial arts and fight scenes, scenes of
destruction like shootouts and explosions as well as heroic rescues. A
Drama however would deal more with common life situations such as
romantic involvements, realistic characters and would consist of less
active screenplay and more poetic content and dialogue that challenge
issues of society (Racial, Religion, Politics etc...).17
Science Fiction genre like a Western would have very distinguishing
signifiers, yet they are completely separate genres. Science fiction is
known for its content of advanced scientific technology, modernized
societies, spaceships and imaginative portrayals of distant planets. 18 A
Typical genre film like a western should not contain such elements due to
its constriction to the 19th century American old west. However these
conventions can also be challenged and combined through the use of
Hybrid Genre. Hybrid genres often exhibit the conventions of more than
one genre19. Back to the Future (1990) Directed by Robert Zemeckis 20 is a
perfect example of Hybrid genre. It takes two genres that conventions
contradict each other. It uses the narrative concept of time travel from the
Science fiction genre and takes it to the 19th century of the Western
Genre. This therefore makes advanced technology such as a car/ time
machine to seem relative to the narrative of a 19th century based Western.
This makes it a prime example of a Hybrid genre film. There can also be
different forms of hybrid genre such as Sci-Fi Horror, Action adventure,

Bad Boys
2
(2003)

12
Years a
Slave
(2013)

Horror Comedy and many more. 21 this means that it is possible to find
many problems when trying to define a specific genre.
Overall I have found that there are many ways in Genre is used to
construct meaning in film, whether it is through visual signifiers such as
Mise en scene. Or even the more technical aspects such as camera
techniques and Culture. I myself tend to use Genre as a way to decide
what film Id like to watch, even before watching it. It is an easy and
simple way of categorizing film for your own preference. And has been
used even from classical times in order to identify style due to its
context23. And it is still used
and challenged till this day
which means it is a very
common and well known
system in media theory and
other mediums.

References
Back to the
future 3.
(1990)

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/genre
2
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/intgenre/intgenre1.html /
http://filminquiry.com/how-to-analyze-movies-like-boss-signs-codes-conventions/
3
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/intgenre/intgenre1.html
4
Film Genre Reader (2012), Barry Keith Grant, page.7.
5
http://www.filmsite.org/subgenres.html /
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/intgenre/intgenre1.html
6
http://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/western /
http://www.filmsite.org/westernfilms.html
7
http://filminquiry.com/analyze-movie-like-boss-story-genre/
8
http://www.filmsite.org/westernfilms.html
9
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060196/
10
http://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/western /
http://www.filmsite.org/westernfilms5.html
11
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/spaghettiwestern
12
http://www.filmsite.org/westernfilms5.html
13
http://filminquiry.com/analyze-movies-like-boss-mise-en-scene-editing/
14
http://www.westernwear.co.uk/
15
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1403865/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
16
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0172156/
17
http://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/ /
http://www.filmsite.org/filmgenres.html
18
http://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/science-fiction /
http://www.filmsite.org/sci-fifilms.html
19
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/intgenre/intgenre1.htm
20
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099088/?ref_=tt_rec_tt
21
https://www.filmsite.org/subgenres2.html