The Function Of Genre In Film

The Function Of Genre In Film Film genres are various forms or identifiable types, categories, classifications or groups of films that are recurring and have similar, familiar or instantly-recognizable patterns, syntax, filmic techniques or conventions that include one or more of the following: settings (and props), content and subject matter, themes, mood, period, plot, central narrative events, motifs, styles, structures, situations, recurring icons (e.g., six-guns and ten-gallon hats in Westerns), stock characters (or characterizations), and stars. Many films are considered hybrids they straddle several film genres. This is one of the many definitions for a film genre but the word genre itself is the French word meaning type or kind. So it can be said the genre of a film is basically what type of category a movie falls into e.g. Western, comedy, action, thriller, horror musical to name a few. However the are other subgenres (chickflicks), minor-subgenres (Blockbusters) certain movies can fall under more than one genre e.g. action-thriller.As a result some film experts will create new genres or subgenres to describe these combination films, such as action comedies or dramedies. In general, however, most films made in a specific genre, such as film noir or crime drama, follow the established structure and plot lines of that genre. Genres help prospective audiences choose movies and help indicate for whom a certain film was made and what they should expect to see i.e. in a western movie the viewer should expect to see cowboys on horseback. This categorisation also enables movie producers to target what type of audience they are selling the film too, e.g. horror movies will be aimed at thrill seeking youth audiences. By promoting films by their genre it helps the film industry from an economic standpoint since certain genres are known to generate larger box office profit than others .Film genre helps the cinematic industry as a whole by helping the audience choose which film they want to s ee. In addition, it also allows actors to show their talents and achieve popularity through a particular genre of film. In my essay I will discuss By the end of the silent era, many of the main genres were established: the melodrama, the western, the horror film, comedies, and action-adventure films (from swashbucklers to war movies). As many films started to use the same techniques and had similar plots, settings the categorization of Films into certain genres .Musicals were inaugurated with the era of the Talkies, and the genre of science-fiction films wasnt generally popularized until the 1950s. In the 1960s cinema was beginning to be recognized as a legitimate art form .Due to increased popularity in film .As a result of increased attention film guidelines were developed to attempt to understand the significance of film. From this environment emerged (in conjunction with the literary movement) an authorization of critical studies called genre studies.Each genre had its own elements that make it stand out from others such as story line, setting, characterization, style, star actors, and creative devices such as stunts or act ion sequences They were placed into specific genres based on these elements .There are various aspects to what makes a film fit into a genre an example of this is Westerns usually have certain codes: for example, a hero wears, while the villain wears a black hat; when more than one cowboy faces the other with no one in between them, there will be a shoot out, desert landscape.etc All Western films can be read as a series of codes and the variations on those codes. There are many benefits of Categorizing films by genre makes a movie easier to promote to its target audience .As most people have a particular preference for certain genres this makes it easier for them to distinguish what kind of films they would enjoy .By knowing the genre of a movie it gives the viewer a greater chance of what to expect and whilst watching the movie they unconsciously remembers similar plot lines from past films this give them greater appreciation of the plot and ending. Genres benefit actors because some actors may have had successful films within a particular genre and achieved popularity that way. By promoting films by their genre it helps the film industry determine the popularity of the movie and how much money it will make at the box office .Film genres are comparable to musical genres or literary genres in many ways. A filmmaker often understands what elements are expected in a specific film genre and steer the film towards that end. Some actors/actresses are generally associated with a specific type of film genre, as well as scriptwriters and directors. An example of this is the late director John Ford, who worked almost entirely in the Western film genre. Actor Hugh Grant is perhaps best known for his work in the romantic comedy genre .These actors usually stick to specific genres as they are suited best to them and are successful as a result .This is also true of movie producers .when promoting a film by its genre it helps the film industry from a money making viewpoint as since certain genres are known to generate larger box office intakes than others .The period of time is also relevant i.e. what genres are popular at that time an modern day example is the Fantasy/romance Movie Twilight saga a group of about a teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire .The success of the Movie has encouraged other movies of similar storylines about vampires like television programmes and movies(True Blood, Vampire diaries) .Finally, film gen re is useful in helping the director of the movie. Film genre makes good directors better. Film genre enables directors to use symbols and settings from past movies within the same genre to appeal to human emotions. Genre restricts the director into following the storyline accurately and prevent the use of themes that might be completely opposite from the original idea of the film and as a result lose the intended audience. The Director must still keep within the specified genres guidelines within reason. In conclusion, film genre plays a crucial role in the cinematic industry. It helps the scriptwriter to better focus his thoughts and words, the director to shape the flow and feel of the film in a way that will make the audience comfortable and it helps the movie going public to make choices that suit their personal taste

From Chiapas with Love Essay -- Graduate Law Admissions Essays

From Chiapas with Love One of the first mistakes I made in coming to IU was thinking that simply by studying I could understand the lives of people. I thought that if I learned enough- read enough books, talked to enough professors, attended enough forums, and developed my ability to artfully use jargon, I'd be powerful and wise before I knew it. The next mistake I made was to decide to study the Zapatistas. As I was soon to discover, the movement which has grown up around the Zapatista Army of National Liberation in Mexico is not something that can be studied, used, and forgotten. It is something that eats its way into you until you can't extricate yourself from it without seriously damaging who you are. These two bumbles led me, in my third year of university studies, to ask the IU Honors College for money to go to Chiapas to live in an autonomous community. I planned to study the people-their society, their culture, and their situation in the world. I thought it would be a nice way to top off my degree in Anthropology-an honors thesis, and something that could definitely be called an "international experience". Getting to Mexico was an international experience all in itself. I spent three days traveling through a foreign country before I reached the Mexican border. The country in which I was born seemed, in the full flower of September 11th hysteria, far more foreign than anything I could imagine down in the depths of the jungles of Southeast Mexico. After five days on buses of all shapes, sizes, and smells, I arrived in Chiapas, the Southeastern-most State in the Republic of Mexico. What I found there has left me, I think, a little outside the bounds of "appropriate distance" i... ...discomfort. I'm supposed to be a better person, and more adult. I can't say that. I'm ill-at-ease, pensive, and constantly seeing the faces of the people I know there in my dreams; hearing their voices telling their stories through my throat. I'm deeply uncomfortable in the world I live in, and I think about our future, the world's future, every day. I cry at night out of helplessness. I can tell you, my reader, that I learned from my time in Chiapas. I learned the most important lesson of my "university experience" there, from people who didn't understand what graduate school was. So here it is. After all, that's what the university is about, right? Sharing knowledge. Education provides the tools. It can never provide the quest. People tell their own stories best, and dignity is what you have left when everything else has been taken from you.

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 18

When it was over, I rested my cheek against his chest while still staying mostly on my side. His heart beat heavy beneath my hands, and the smell of his skin and sweat nearly overpowered me. I lay there, perfectly still, scarcely daring to breathe. I was afraid that if I moved too much, I'd break this spell, this dream that I'd somehow stumbled into. Slowly, carefully, Seth ran his fingers through my hair, idly twining the strands into loops. He let his hand drop and shifted slightly, just enough to press a kiss to my forehead. I exhaled and snuggled closer, realizing that I really wasn't going to wake from this dream. At least, that's what I thought until his cell phone rang. The ring was â€Å"Where the Streets Have No Name† by U2, not a particularly hard or jarring song but one that made me flinch anyway. For a moment, we each held our breath, both of us frozen. I wanted the phone to disappear off the face of the earth, to get smote the way I kept fearing some demon would smite me. I needed it to go away because if it kept ringing, it meant none of this was real. That we were going to have to face reality. But it was already too late. The spell was broken. The phone was reality. â€Å"You should answer that,† I said. He hesitated for the space of two heartbeats, sighed, and then slowly disentangled himself from me, still careful of my back. Sitting on the side of the bed, he reached down and pulled the cell phone from his jeans pocket. I shifted over, staying propped up on one elbow, admiring the shape of his body, even as a strange, bittersweet feeling began spilling through my heart. I knew, without knowing how I knew, that it was Maddie. â€Å"Hey. Yeah†¦I got caught up with†¦um†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Seth paused, and I sensed something monumental about to take place. â€Å"I got an idea for this latest chapter.† I closed my eyes. In all the time I'd known him, I'd never heard Seth outright lie. â€Å"Right. Yeah. Okay. Um, if I leave now, I can probably make it in†¦oh, twenty minutes. Mmm-hmm. You want me to pick you up, or†¦? Okay. See you there.† He disconnected and continued sitting with his back to me, clasping the phone in his hands. Although he sat up straight, he had the air of someone hunched over, weary with defeat. â€Å"You have to go?† I asked. He looked back at me, anguish on his face. â€Å"Georgina†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I managed a weak smile. â€Å"It's okay. I wasn't tricked here. I understand the situation.† â€Å"I know, but I want you to realize that it wasn't†¦that I didn't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He didn't need to finish. One of the things I'd always loved about Seth was his open, honest nature. Occasionally he'd been able to hide his feelings from me, but more often than not, they shone through on his features. This was one of those times. With a single look, I saw what was in his heart, that he hadn't had sex with me because I was easy or available. He'd done it because of how he felt about me, because he loved-still loved-me. It made all of this that much worse. â€Å"I know,† I said softly. After one more kiss to my forehead, he put on his clothes. I watched each move hungrily, uncertain if I'd ever see anything like it again. When he was dressed and ready to go, he sat beside me on the bed, playing with my hair again. Again, those golden brown eyes spilled over with emotion. He was overcome and confused. I was too, but for his sake, I tried to appear strong and articulate. â€Å"It's okay,† I said. â€Å"It was great. Amazing†¦but I understand that we shouldn't have and that we can't ever†¦Ã¢â‚¬  So much for articulation. â€Å"Yeah,† he agreed. â€Å"It was just this once. And it was perfect.† â€Å"Just this once,† he repeated. I couldn't read his voice, but something told me he wasn't entirely happy about that. Neither was I, but honestly, what could we do? We'd succumbed to passion, and now he had to go back to his girlfriend. End of story. He tipped my head back, and our lips met in a soft, warm kiss. It was brief, only a few moments, but I felt that same, soul-deep connection that had consumed me during sex. He stood up and studied me for a few moments more, as though he might not ever see me again. I felt a little silly lying there naked, but his expression told me he thought I was beautiful. He left after that, and I stayed in bed, drunk on my own feelings. Aubrey joined me, curling up against my leg. â€Å"Was that how it was supposed to be, Aubrey?† I couldn't decide. Certainly the sex had been everything I'd ever imagined with Seth. But this afterglow? It was a bit lacking. Nothing about the situation was normal. I had no prior experience to fall back on. After almost a half hour of staring at nothing and reaching no conclusions, I got out of bed. I was still reeling from what had happened, and my body burned with what Seth and I had done. I usually liked to shower after sex, but not today. I could smell Seth on me, his sweat and even a faint trace of the leather-and-apple cologne he used sometimes. I couldn't stand to wash him off yet, so I put the old cotton robe back on. Ratty or not, its fabric was soft against my bruised skin. As I was about to leave my room, I noticed the photo of the medallion on the floor. I picked it up, intending to set it on my nightstand, and froze. There was writing on it. Inked with a black Sharpie, neat handwriting read: Smoky quartz indicates earth or a oneness with the earth . The symbols on the medallion were circled, with lines drawn out from each one, leading to brief notes: this indicates an affinity for water, a harmonious, blending state; this is similar to the water one, except it's for the earth; this is a masking symbol, meant to shield the object it protects and keep the seal strong; this one's strange, indicates blankness or whiteness-maybe white sand or stones?; this is the symbol for tears-combined with the water sign, probably indicates salt water . I reread the notes three times. Where had they come from? When had this happened? I retraced my steps, trying to figure out when I'd abandoned the picture. There'd been no writing when I showed it to Dante. The most likely time would have been while I was out for food. Someone could have also theoretically broken into my home and done it while I was with Carter in the living room, but sneaking past the angel seemed pretty out there. Unless†¦was it possible Carter had helped me after all? He kept saying he couldn't; he'd even directly denied involvement with my assorted rescues. But the timing here was awfully coincidental. I kept staring at the symbols, at the notes, and the pictures of the seal. Whoever had written this was irrelevant for now. If their notes were correct, then I needed to use them to find Jerome. Carter had said the seal served two purposes. One was to infuse the vessel with power. The other was to serve as a â€Å"lock† that could open the vessel and release Jerome. The parts of the seal itself were with the demon and the summoner, but the symbols should give some clues to the vessel's location. Supposedly, these symbols would have been used in hiding Jerome, infusing the vessel with a type of energy specific to the location that would help blend and mask Jerome's presence. An affinity with the earth, as well as markings for water-salt water, specifically. A lot of places that were infused with power tended to be wild, natural places, though some had become centers of civilization and activity. Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle, for example, was one such ancient place of power that had been completely built upon by humanity. But these†¦what did they indicate? Some place near salt water, apparently. The vessel was probably close enough to the water that the symbols would resonate and camouflage its location. And the earth location? Buried in the dirt maybe? Was Jerome buried on some beach near the ocean? Jerome's kidnappers wouldn't want to keep him too far away from them, but nonetheless, the Pacific flanked the entire western half of Washington. That was a lot of beach, and I knew there were a lot of places of power along there. I didn't know of any white sand beaches anywhere in the area; only further investigation could say for sure. Groaning, I lay back on my bed, still holding the picture. The notes had only narrowed down the locations, but that was still a lot of area to cover. Yet what could I do? I had to find the vessel, sooner rather than later, or else Seattle was going to have a new archdemon. Studying the photo further, I willed it to give me some more info. Nothing. Just the medallion, the mystery notes, and Mary's cataloging info at the top which told me little- I frowned, rereading her header. It was brief, just the materials, name, and date the medallion had been created and then picked up. But the date it had been finished†¦the date stuck in my head. Why? It was from a week ago. Something about that date was important, but I couldn't figure out why. It felt likes years had passed in this last week, but I nonetheless counted backward, reassessing my recent activities. There. The seal had been made the day after I'd first gone to Vancouver†¦the day the vampire turf war had gone down. Would the seal's creation have triggered anyone's immortal radar? I didn't know, but if it had, Jerome, Grace, and Mei would have all been busy sorting out the ensuing vampire mess. Misdirection. From there, other things began to arrange themselves in my head. I thought back to the Army of Darkness, wondering what events their activities might line up against. The event in Queen Elizabeth Park matched the date the seal had been picked up. And the Army's impromptu visit to Seattle†¦? That had preceded Jerome's summoning, though no one would have wanted to direct attention to that, would they? The answer was here. I just couldn't quite make the pieces fit yet. The Army had staged their show. Jerome, Grace, and Mei had given it their full attention. Jerome had been summoned. Where had this game's other players been? I left the bed and its aching, alluring memories. Finding my cell phone, I dialed Kristin's number. â€Å"Hi, Georgina,† she said, pleasant but busy like always. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"How's it going?† â€Å"Crazy.† I could imagine the grimace on her face. â€Å"Cedric's stressed to hell-no pun intended-with all these demons in the area. At least that†¦that succubus is distracting him.† â€Å"Tawny?† â€Å"Whatever her name is. Cedric's actually out with her right now.† Bitterness and the tiniest hint of jealousy came through in Kristin's voice. I remembered her perpetual devotion to him-and the look on her face when he'd asked Tawny out. I felt for her but had too many romantic hijinks of my own to deal with. â€Å"Huh.† I didn't really know what else to say. â€Å"Look, I have a question for you. Do you know, did Cedric come to see Jerome the day the Army was down here?† â€Å"Yeah. Cedric came down after you left the message. I thought you knew.† â€Å"No†¦I only heard about it after the fact, and then, the whole summoning kind of took precedence.† â€Å"Why do you want to know?† I hesitated. I liked Kristin, but she was clearly loyal to Cedric. I didn't think it'd be wise to share my theories with her, like that the Army being in Seattle had provided a convenient reason for Jerome and Cedric to be together when Jerome got summoned. It occurred to me that I might very well owe Hugh an apology for my adamant denial of Cedric's involvement. Something else also occurred to me. â€Å"Um, it's a long story,† I said hastily. â€Å"Do you know if he's been hanging out with Nanette a lot?† â€Å"Why?† Her tone was quickly turning suspicious. She didn't like me interrogating her about her boss. â€Å"Well†¦I told him the other day that I thought Nanette might be involved with Jerome's disappearance. He didn't think so, but he told her†¦and she got really pissed off. She, um†¦. well, let's just say she got physical, and I have the scars to prove it.† My immortal friends had pointed out that Nanette's attack made her look guilty. If Cedric had done enough goading to make her angry when he told her, it could have very well sent her to me in a rage-and successfully shifted attention from him. Fuck. I didn't want another suspect in all of this. I didn't want it to be Cedric. Nanette had hitherto been a convenient explanation. Kristin was silent for several seconds. â€Å"I didn't know that,† she said quietly. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"Mostly. Mei healed the worst of it, but I'm still a little sore.† â€Å"I can't imagine†¦Cedric would never have told her if he thought that was going to happen. He likes you. He wouldn't condone that. He couldn't have known. I'm sorry.† She was sincerely contrite, hurt at the thought that her boss-even if he was a demon and a servant of evil-could have been involved with something that had turned out so terrible. â€Å"It's okay,† I said. â€Å"I've gotta run, but thanks for the info. Things are kind of crazy here too, as you can imagine.† We said our good-byes and disconnected. I flipped the cell phone around in my hand, feeling overwhelmed. Nanette wasn't off the table yet, but Cedric was right alongside her now as a culprit-maybe more so. If I had enough evidence, I could possibly take it to Grace and Mei†¦but I didn't have that yet. Besides, knowing who the culprit was wouldn't solve the immediate issue: finding Jerome. I glanced back at the photo, resting on my nightstand. Sore back or no, it looked like I had to do a little beachcombing. I nearly knocked Dante over when he came home that night. â€Å"Succubus,† he said, letting me wrap my arms around him. He was careful only to rest his hands on my hips. â€Å"Happy to see you too.† My eagerness was twofold. I was excited to see him because I wanted to pick his brain about the medallion and places of power. But also†¦well, while hanging around today, I'd had a lot of time to think about Seth and what had happened between us. The memory of his body still made mine burn, and I grew breathless recalling that amazing connection and sense of rightness between us. And yet†¦whatever rightness had been between us, it had still been wrong. He was with Maddie-my friend. I'd been upset when she and Seth had first slept together. I was no different. In fact, I'd knowingly done it, which made it worse. Now there was Dante to consider. Dante, who despite that dark, scowling nature really did love me and wanted to win my regard as more than just someone I had sex with. This was where my future lay, not with Seth. I kissed Dante on the lips, lingering several seconds. â€Å"I missed you.† His smile turned wry. â€Å"Don't look at me like that, or I'm going to have a hard time remembering that you're injured and that I should keep my hands off you.† Those words triggered a pang of guilt. My injuries certainly hadn't been enough to keep Seth off me. I could have told Dante that I was better, that it didn't matter, yet for whatever reason†¦I didn't. We broke apart, and I found the medallion picture for him. He stared incredulously as I showed him the phantom notes and explained my story. â€Å"What, you have no idea how they got there or who did it?† â€Å"Nope, but at this point, I'm not going to question it.† He shook his head, face still shocked. â€Å"Well. I wish I'd known this before I left. Would have been a lot easier to just wait and have invisible helpers come leave clues.† I recalled how he'd gone out to see what he could find about the medallion. â€Å"What'd you turn up?† He gestured at the picture. â€Å"Same thing.† I rested my hand over his. â€Å"Sorry. I really appreciate your help. And if your research found the same thing, it means I can probably trust this.† â€Å"Maybe,† he said, still not sounding happy about the wasted time. â€Å"What are you going to do? Something crazy?† â€Å"Look for saltwater beaches, I guess.† Dante let out a low whistle. â€Å"There are a lot of those around here. Not to mention you have no way of identifying this vessel anyway.† â€Å"I know. But I've got to start somewhere. Can you help me make a list?† We got an atlas of the Pacific Northwest area from my car and laid it flat on the kitchen table. Scrutinizing every detail, we each marked as many places as we knew. Dante knew a lot more than me, which didn't particularly surprise me. I'd once noted to Erik Lancaster that those who study religion tend to know more about it than those who practice it. Sometimes, I felt the same way about immortal affairs. We found twelve in all that were easy day trips-and many more beyond that. â€Å"Looks like you've got your work cut out for you,† Dante mused. â€Å"When are you going to look? Too dark now.† I stared at the map with dismay. â€Å"Tomorrow, I guess. Can you go with me?† A psychic like him might able to sense something, as Carter had pointed out. He grimaced. â€Å"Not tomorrow. I've actually got a few appointments people have scheduled. Crazy, huh? I probably can go the next day or the day after, if you can wait. I'd feel better if you didn't go alone.† I was glad for his business but sad at the delay. â€Å"I don't think I can wait. Don't worry, though. I'll find somebody.† â€Å"On the bright side,† he said, trying to cheer me. â€Å"I'll have money tomorrow. We can go out somewhere nice.† I mustered a smile. â€Å"Yeah, that'll be-oh, shit. I can't.† â€Å"What's going on?† â€Å"Fuck. I promised the people at the store I'd teach salsa after work.† â€Å"Cancel,† he said dismissively. My dance lessons didn't hold much importance, as far as he was concerned. â€Å"Tell them you're sick.† That wouldn't entirely be a lie†¦and yet, I hated to go back on my word. Furthermore, I could still see Maddie's radiant face, so excited and happy when I'd agreed. How could I deny her that after what I'd done to her today? â€Å"No†¦I've got to do it. Let's go eat out now. My treat.† He drove us over to Belltown for some of Seattle's best seafood. Wine and conversation flowed, and I discovered I was healing by leaps and bounds. When we got back to my place later and went to bed, Dante snuggled up to me and kissed my neck. â€Å"Looks like you're on the mend,† he noted, moving his lips up to my earlobe. â€Å"We could do it†¦I could be careful†¦Ã¢â‚¬  All around us were the sheets and blankets where Seth and I had made love earlier. The thought nearly smothered me. God. I really should have washed the bedding. I swallowed and shifted position so that I didn't meet Dante's eyes. â€Å"Maybe†¦but I'd rather wait, so we can not be careful.† I hoped there was enough of a seductive growl in my voice to make it believable. Dante sighed, fortunately unwilling to push me. â€Å"Fair enough.† He rolled over and left me to sleep, but it was a long time in coming.

English Language Education in Japan

In Japan, eigo-kyouiku (English-language education) starts the first year of junior high school and continues at least until the third year of high school. Surprisingly, most students are still unable to speak or to comprehend English properly after this time. Reasons for Lack of Comprehension One of the reasons is the instruction focusing on the skill of reading and writing. In the past, Japan was a nation composed of a single ethnic group and had a very small number of foreign visitors, and there were few opportunities to converse in foreign languages, therefore the study of foreign languages were mainly considered to obtain the knowledge from the literature of other countries. Learning English became popular after World War II, but English was taught by teachers who were trained under the method that emphasized reading. There were no qualified teachers to teach hearing and speaking. In addition, Japanese and English belong to different families of languages. There are no commonalities either in structure or words. Another reason in the Ministry of Educations guidelines. The guideline limits the English vocabulary that is to be learned during the three years of junior high school to about 1,000 words. Textbooks must be screened first by the Ministry of Education and result for the most part in standardized textbooks making the English language learning too confining. Recent Years However, in recent years the necessity has increased to communicate in English as the ability to listen and speak English is in demand. The students and adults who study English conversation have increased rapidly and private English conversation schools have become prominent. Schools are now also putting strength into eigo-kyouiku by the installation of language laboratories and the hiring of foreign language teachers.