What are the rules? Understanding Genre Conventions
Last night, you uploaded the second draft of Project #1 to your appropriate group folder on Google docs. When you are reviewing your classmate's draft, reference last week's lecture but know that you can add comments and suggestions on the Google doc for things you catch which might not be on the list. You are providing a service to your classmates with the goal of helping them turn in a stronger paper.
This week's Twitter Assignment: What are the genre conventions of your favorite brand? For example, how do you know it is a Mac ad before you see the apple?
For Project #2, you will analyzing the best examples of a narrative subgenre. In order to understand that subgenre, you need to know the rules of the genre and subgenre.
All genres have guidelines which establish certain expectations. These expectations are called CONVENTIONS. First, let's begin with the broad ones.
The conventions of an informative genre: factual, clear, delivered by a person with established authority (ethos)
The conventions of a persuasive genre: compelling, contains a call to action, tries to connect with you on a human level (pathos)
The conventions of a narrative genre: contains character, setting, and conflict . Connects on a human level through storytelling.
When you get into subgenres, this is where the rules become more specific but also more flexible. When you scroll through your Netflix feed, it categorizes its movies according to subgenres it thinks you would enjoy.
Let's consider a few of the different subgenres of romantic movies and consider what are the conventions for these subgenres.
Quirky Romance
Adorkable couple
Roommates or best friends who look basic but have a lot of personality
Young, usually with entry-level jobs
Bright or Warm Colors
Polka dots
Conflict is usually that the couple stands in their own way
Example which follows these conventions: Moonrise Kingdom
Example which subverts some of the conventions: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Romantic Dramas
Epic couple fights
Dark shadowy corners or rooms
Couple is financially secure (good jobs or rich parents) or they are straight broke
Tortured passionate kisses
Someone dies (or at least the stakes are life or death)
Conflict is usually that life events stand in the couple's way
Follows the conventions: Atonement
Subverts the conventions: Silver Linings Playbook
Steamy Romance
Close camera shots on hands and open mouths
Dark, neutral color palate with splashes of red
So much silk and moveable fabrics
Irresistible desire
Sex
Conflict is usually that nothing will stop the couple from being together. NOTHING!
Follows the conventions: 50 Shades
Subverts the conventions: Brokeback Mountain
Romantic Comedies
Meet Cute, usually a female accidentally tripping and bumping into the intended
Wise-cracking Best friend confidant
Pink, Green, Blue and Yellow color palate: bright, bright, fun
Cityscape shots
Jazz music
Conflict is usually a misunderstanding
Follows the conventions: The Wedding Singer
Subverts the conventions: (500) Days of Summer
When you are putting together your Curation, consider what the rules are for the subgenre you wish to explore. And DO NOT rely on broad subgenres, like Romance, Horror, Action, etc, when you could choose something more specific like Teen Romance, Space Horror, Action Buddy Comedy. Just REMEMBER that you will need to list 10 conventions for your subgenre, (a list which comes from what you have observed about this subgenres-- don't copy a list from Dr. Google). You must also provide 10 narrative examples. Make your examples diverse. Don't just choose movies, but also TV shows, books, short stories, podcasts and other narratives which would fall under your subgenre.
Also, remember that you are looking at works of fiction, because you will be writing in this subgenre for project 3. Don't pick True Crime as a subgenre because you will not be writing anything true for Project 3.
Check out these subgenres if you are still scrambling for ideas:
Action Comedies
Jungle Adventures
Neo-Westerns
Spy Thriller
Crime Action & Adventure
International Action & Adventure
Military Action
Dark Comedies
Mockumentaries
Political Comedies
Screwball Comedies
Sports Comedies
Romantic Comedies
Slapstick Comedies
Courtroom Dramas
Cozy Mystery
Tearjerkers
Sports Dramas
Military Dramas
Political Dramas
Creature Features
Horror Comedy
Slasher
Supernatural
Sci-Fi Survival
Relationship Thriller
How to build the curation: Once you have decided on your subgenre, defined the 10 conventions of that subgenre, and located 10 examples, you must create a visually appealing hub for all your examples on your Project 2 page. You are persuading your reader that your subgenre is the best and your examples are representatives of the best of that genre. To be convincing, your reader will need to easily be able to click on each example view its source, like link to Hulu, Netflix, AmazonPrime, Amazon rental, or IMDB. You will be graded on:
Understanding of Conventions of the narrative subgenre and the Persuasive genre (is your convention definitions accurate? Are your examples plausible? Do your 50 persuasive words for each example convince the reader to click through and watch the movie?)
Style and Design (Is it pleasing to look at?)
Accessibility (Do the link buttons work? Is it easy to find everything? Is it easy to read?)
Whether the curation fulfills the prompt (Do you meet the word counts? Do you have all 10 definitions of the sub-genre conventions? Do you have all 10 examples on the page?)
Don't Forget
Classmate Feedback (editing your classmate's draft) is due TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8.
Classmate Evaluation Form is due WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9. Upload it as a doc to Canvas so I can assess the student's participation and provide a grade.
Curations are due TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15 before 11:59 pm.
