Macro Elements: Genre Theory

Genre Theory 

Genre is a type or category of text. Firstly are the main or basic genres, by which a film is typically modelled around, such as horror, action or comedy. However when looked at from a wider perspective there are sub-genres. Such as for horror you can have slasher or gore, and for action you can have action adventure and action comedy. These genres and sub-genres can also be identified by iconography, such as knifes for horror and roses for romance. 

Barry Keith Grant 

Barry Keith Grant refers to sub-genres as a way of targeting for specific audiences, as opposed to the mainstream audiences. He also suggests that this allows audiences to identify them specifically by their familiar specifics and what becomes recognisable when looking at characteristics.  For example, the quick cut editing would match the 'hero' action films where there is lots of intensity and frantic activity. This helps hold the audience through suspense. Subsequently the audience can then identify the sub-genre through the characteristics. 

Steve Neale

"Genres are instances of repetition and differences"

This is a quote of Steve Neales. What is meant by this is that a film should follow the stereotypes and conventions enough so the film can be identified as the genre it is trying to perceive. 
For example, Horror films will always have similar eerie non diegetic sound to match the intense close ups and various camera angles, however the location or the characters may be a countertype of what is typically represented in other films of the genre.