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Genre: 'Something New Based on Something Familiar'

McWilliam, Kelly (2008) Genre: 'Something New Based on Something Familiar', in Stadler, Jane and McWilliam, Kelly, Eds. Screen media : an introduction to film and television analysis, chapter 8. Allen and Unwin.

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Abstract

This chapter defines and overviews the concept of 'genre' in the context of contemporary screen studies. Using recent examples from film and television, including a case study of popular US television series Grey’s Anatomy, the chapter is divided into two main parts. The first part discusses what genre is, how it operates (in theory and in practice), and the roles of the different stake-holders throughout the life cycle of a genre text; the second part overviews six key approaches to studying genre, namely structuralist, aesthetic, political economy, socio-cultural, family resemblances, and discursive approaches. Ultimately, the chapter discusses 'genre' as an intuitive category negotiated between audiences and the screen media industries and demonstrates this negotiation with a new diagram of genre.

Item Type:Book Chapter
Status:In Press
Place of Publication:Crow's Nest, NSW
Keywords:genre, film, television, media, screen media
Subjects:420000 Language and Culture > 420300 Cultural Studies > 420304 Screen and Media Culture
410000 The Arts > 410300 Cinema, Electronic Arts and Multimedia > 410302 Cinema Studies
ID Code:13104
Deposited By:McWilliam, Kelly
Deposited On:29 April 2008
Alternative Locations:http://www.allenandunwin.com/
Copyright Owner:Copyright 2008 Allen and Unwin
Additional Information:For more information about this book please refer to the publisher's website (see link) or contact the author.