GENRES OF SHORT FILM

Genre – Layers of codes and conventions that can be categorized together. By using this codes and conventions, it can help create attract audiences as they know what to expect from the film before they have even seen it. For producers, it means that they have a clear direction for their film, giving them focus. Settings, themes, structure and filmic style can help guide a film into a genre.

Due to their short content, short films often cross over in their genre, creating a hybrid. However, all films stem from the basic forms of genres Animation Comedy Drama Horror Romance Sci-Fi and Fantasy Thriller

ANIMATION Whilst animation has several themes

within its genre, the very fact that animation technology is used in the production and editing makes the genre.

Animations can be in many different formats;

Still images and drawings – digital or physical.

Puppets and models Drawing straight on to the film or

celluloid. These images are joined together in a

particular sequences, creating movement.

COMEDY An intricate set of language, mise-en-scene,

characterization, and action that is used together to make the audience laugh.

Most narratives also include aspects of other genres such as horror or romance.

The resolution usually ends happily according to Aristotle’s theory about Greek theatre.

Another feature of the comedy genre is that it is usually based on real-life events and issues, making it so popular as it reaches across society and connects to them in a way some genres struggle.

Bruce Lee Played Badminton Too is an Australian short film that deals with masculinity and dreams. It was part funded by the Australian government.

http://vimeo.com/30006625

DRAMA Drama is very similar to comedy, in which that it is one

of the Ancient Greek genres. Furthermore, it relies on the language, mise-en-scene,

characterization and action to display its genre. Also as Aristotle said that dramas end with an upsetting resolution.

Drama also society’s problems to highlight them, connecting to the audience and make them leave with the message of how awful things are, or how they can solve these problems.

Floating is Easy (2009) is a Scottish short film about how a daughter deals with her mother who has a severe case of Alzheimer's. However all does not end well to the family. It was screened at the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/films/p00gpvvf

HORROR Setting and mise-en-scene are key features for this

genre. They give the audience the message of a horror genre before any of the action has even started.

However, music is also a key feature as, with action, it helps create high levels of tension

Its main aim is to scare the audience, therefore producers use people’s inner most fears and exaggerate them to disturb and in turn, entertain the audience.

Dark Times (2010) sees a zombie apocalypse occur during Christmas. What makes this film so interesting is that it filmed completely in first person, which makes it almost like a game but also creates a heightened sense of suspense.

http://youtu.be/sU9iReUwF4M

ROMANCE The main feature of the romantic genre is that love

is the only thing that drives the characters together. However the genre can be split into sub-genres –

comedy and tragedy. Combined with comedy, the quest for love between

characters is disrupted by comic events, but the characters do eventually join together and they are happy.

Yet with the tragedy, the characters never fully come together due to circumstance.

Post-it Love(2010) falls into the first category as it tells a heart-meltingly sweet story about a blossoming love between two shy office workers.

http://youtu.be/TsKghhQ41FM

SCI-FI AND FANTASY Sci-Fi – Mise-en-scene is the most important feature of this

genre. Technological advances, aliens and futuristic settings all give the genre its name.

It bends the conventions of reality by showing development such as time travel and technology that the audience could only dream of owning. This escapism is what makes the genre so popular as it provides exciting action in the a futuristic setting.

Fantasy – This genre holds many of the conventions of the Sci-Fi genre but in a different location. Where as Sci-Fi is usually based in space, fantasy takes the characteristics of Earth.

The normal conventions of Earth are broken, leaving the audience not knowing what to expect next. Fantasy world use magic and the supernatural, based on old folk legends, to create action and to also make the audience escape reality.

Panic Attack (2009) is a Uruguayan short that was on a budget of only $500. It is a prime example on how technological advances have meant that special effects can be done on a low budget.

http://youtu.be/-dadPWhEhVk

THRILLER The whole genre is about the layering of tensions and

suspense to have the audience on the edge of their seats.

It shows how the main character, usually a male, overcomes certain problems, such as the enemy through violence.

This violent action has the audience thrilled when the protagonist defeats his enemy or anxious when it looks like he may be defeated. This leaves the audience on a high level of suspense throughout the film as they are never sure what is going to happen next.

Little Favour (2013) stars and was produced by Benedict Cumberbatch is filled with tension music and high violence. http://youtu.be/acFoLScolvM

OUR FILM After this research I feel that our film falls into the

social drama genre. This is because dementia is a wide scale illness will effect 135 million people by 2015, not to mention the families of these people. Furthermore, this illness could happen to anyone and therefore strikes the heartstrings for the audience. Through the language and action, putting our film in any other genre would not feel right as we want to make the audience feel sympathetic emotions, rather than to make them laugh or scare them intentionally.

Nelson Goodman stated 'Realism is relative, determined by the system of representation standard for a given culture or person at a given time‘. As we have the setting of a home with all “homely” mise-en-scene feature, it makes our film, the social drama realism.