{"id":125956,"date":"2022-08-29T11:27:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-29T16:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=125956"},"modified":"2023-09-12T10:52:16","modified_gmt":"2023-09-12T15:52:16","slug":"guide-to-basic-film-genres","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/guide-to-basic-film-genres\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to the Basic Film Genres (and How to Use Them)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Let\u2019s look at genre theory, what it entails, and how to utilize genres with a bit more practicality and creativity in your own projects.<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

One of the few rare things that one can actually learn in film school is the simple trick of taking a step back to view something you already know\u2014through a new, academic lens. As filmmakers and film fans, we already know about film genres. It wasn\u2019t until one of the first film theory classes I took that I actually learned how to view, deconstruct, and understand something as seemingly innate as genre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding \u201cgenre theory\u201d is both very simple and very complex. In general, we all know the basics. The Hobbit<\/em> is a fantasy book. Star Trek<\/em><\/a> is a sci-fi television show. When Harry Met Sally<\/em><\/a> is a rom-com. So, what do all those genre names actually mean? And, what exactly are the writers, filmmakers, and storytellers really doing to work within and against these modes?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s a brief introduction into how filmmakers can understand and use \u201cgenre theory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

What Are Film Genres?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/a>
A hybrid genre, <\/em>Forbidden Planet<\/a> is considered a drama\/fantasy. Image via MGM<\/a>.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Taking the word at its definition, genre<\/a> is the \u201cterm for any category of literature or other forms of art or entertainment, e.g. music, whether written or spoken, audio or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The term dates back to ancient Greek literature. But, for writers, artists, and filmmakers, it\u2019s usually the simplest, most practical way to categorize different styles of stories and content. We see genres while scrolling through Netflix, giving us a rough idea of what the stories are like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to understand, though, that what we consider film genres today are, more often than not, hardly pure film genres, as they were in the early days of film. The majority of content produced in the last several decades often includes genre hybrids, using the rules of genre theory to produce new, unique, and different stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The Basic Film Genres<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/a>
Gone with the Wind<\/a>\u2014considered a drama\/romance\u2014is a perfect example of a hybrid genre. Image via MGM.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the early days of cinema, genres were much more uniform and defined. Just as they were in literature and other forms of art and entertainment, people would go to the theater to watch a war<\/em> film, a musical<\/em>, or a comedy<\/em>. The basic genres were well defined and included some of the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n