Media Forms & Conventions

Media forms and conventions

FORM:

Form is the shape, structure, skeleton of a media text. Narrative provides the basic structure of a media text. Structuralists such as Propp/Todorov suggested all stories contain the same basic structures – but different media texts do have different structures which are individual to them. i.e. Soap operas don’t have the same kind of closure as films – for they are continuous, never-ending, multi-stranded storylines – usually ending with a cliff hanger. Films do conventionally have a beginning, middle and end and are often over 1hr25 mins etc

STYLE:

Style refers to the look of a media text – in films a directors style can be identified through use of MISE EN SCENE which would incorporate a particular or regular use of certain lighting, set design, editing, music , camera angles, movement etc.

Identifying films by Scorsese and Spielberg are easy to do as they have distinctive creative filmic traits –

GENRE:

If a group of media texts have a similar form/structure or pattern of elements – then this might be a link to particular GENRE. Film genres can sometimes be sub-divided in SUB-GENRES – this includes films which combine parts of traditional genres such as

HORROR/SCI-FI = ALIEN
ROMANCE/COMEDY = 2 weeks notice etc

Films which use combinations of different genres and create sub-genre films can also be called HYBRIDS

In your opinion what combination of film genres are the following films?

• PREDATOR (1987)
• SEVEN (1995)
• SAW III (2006)
• THE TERMINATOR (1984)
• DOG SOLDIERS (2002)
• BLADE RUNNER (1982)