While viewing the selected films/videos, you will fill out the Element of Genre Response Sheet and

make notes and observations about the elements of film and video genre using the
Elements of Genre Chart. These terms were taken from www.filmsite.org.

 Elements of Genre Chart

Term Definitions 

Name of Film:_________________ Name of Genre:_________________  Audience:_____________________  

Film Style Film Form Film Content and Conventions

Look and Feel of Film/Video Storyline of Film/Video Theme of Film/Video

·  Setting  What is the time, place, and circumstances? · Characters The fictitious or real individual in a story,
performed by an actor; also called players.
· Time Period Year or Era
 

·  Props abbreviation for properties - refers to the furnishings, fixtures, · Plot refers to a series of dramatic events or actions that make up a
hand-held objects, decorations, or any other moveable items that are seen film's narrative
or used on a film (or stage) set but that are not a structural part of the set; ·  Specific Stars Any stars that you are already familiar with
usually the responsibility of the prop man or property master. their works. You can name the movies that you have seen them in.

 
· Costumes refers to the garments or clothing worn by actors/performers
in a film
·  Stereotypes the act of portraying a particular character (or · Situation The present conditions that surround that person’s
group) with a formulaic, conforming, exaggerated, and life/choose one or two characters to describe here.
oversimplified representation, usually offensive and distorted

 
· Photography/Lighting refers to the illumination of a scene, and the
manipulation of light and shadows by the cinematographer
· Dialogue any spoken lines in a film by an actor/actress; may be ·  Structure is the arrangement of the events in the film: From morning
considered overlapping if two or more characters speak to evening, from country to city, from before the accident to after the
  simultaneously. accident, etc. (Flashbacks, parallel editing, complications, crises,
establishing shot are all part of the structure)

 
· Music Can include diegetic or non diegetic; soundtrack; singers; any · Relationships Interpersonal or intimate relationships between · Conflict/Issues
music that stands out the characters war: warfare between opposing forces, especially a prolonged and
bitter but sporadic struggle

  difference: a disagreement or clash between ideas, principles, or people

mental struggle: a conflict within oneself

 
· Imagery /Symbols/Special Effects · Action/Body language · Resolution

Imagery: refers to anything that excites one or all of your five senses… Body language is a form of non-verbal communication, consisting the outcome, or the "untying" of tension in the scenes after the climax of
of body pose, gestures, and eye movements. Humans send and a film; refers to how things turned out for all of the characters; some
interpret such signals subconsciously. films abruptly end without a scene following the climax; aka
Symbols: an object in a film that stands for an idea, or that has a second denouement
level of meaning to it, e.g., a window or train=freedom, a rose=beauty, a Action is (1) any movement or series of events (usually rehearsed)
cross-roads=a decision point, etc.; the more a symbol is repeated, the that take place before the camera and propel the story forward
greater its significance (e.g. In Citizen Kane, the sled Rosebud toward its conclusion; (2) the word called out (by a megaphone) at
represented Kane’s lost youth and innocence.) the start of the current take during filming to alert actors to begin
performing; (3) also refers to the main component of action films -
that often contain significant amounts of violence
Special Effects: a broad, wide-ranging term used by the film industry
meaning to create fantastic visual and audio illusions that cannot be
accomplished by normal means, such as travel into space. Many visual
(photographic) or mechanical (physical) filmic techniques or processes
are used to produce special illusionary effects, such as optical and digital
effects, CGI, in-camera effects, the use of miniatures/models, mattes,
rear-camera projections, stop-motion animation, bluescreens, full-scale
mockups, pyrotechnics (squibs (miniature explosions, i.e. a gunshot)),
stunt men, animatronics (electronic puppets), rain/snow/wind machines,
etc.; F/X are coordinated by the visual effects and the special effects
supervisors; known negatively as trick photography; see also visual
effects - a sub-category of special effects.