Discussing a Media Theory - Genre Theory

Genre Theory

This theory created by Steve Neal is about how genres work by staying the same but also changing a little. People enjoy movies that feel familiar, but if every movie within the genre is the same it can get oversaturated and people wont enjoy it. But, if a movie is too people might not enjoy it because its not what someone expects. Each genre has something to make them special and different from each other. Like horror movies have jump scares, and rom-coms focus on corny/comedic love stories. But if every horror movie or rom-com was exactly the same, people wouldn't watch them. That’s why adding fresh ideas works but without straying to far off the genre to keep things familiar and enjoyable for the audience. Genres can also mix as well. Its called genre hybridity. Some movies take two genres and put them together like action/comedy (Suicide Squad) or a sci-fi/horror (Alien).

 These mixes within genres  help create new interesting stories that still feel familiar. Genres aren't just about story telling either. If the movie has a clear enough genre it can attract many fans and also be used to make a lot of money. Guardians of the Galaxy is a good example of the theory. It mixes sci-fi with comedy keeping the superhero story fresh. The film uses familiar ideas but adds comedy and space to make it fun and different.

I want to integrate this media theory into my project due to the genre I'm trying to take on which is sports/drama which has heavy aspects of both genres. 

CITATIONS: https://media-studies.com/steve-neale-genre/