There are numerous types of genres, such as the subgenre and hybrid genres to keep films less predictable and more unique and memorable as a result. Most of the time, film makers stick to the conventions of the major genres: horror, action, comedy and romance, and use them as a guideline when it comes to telling a story. The generic conventions of any genre are broken up into the three categories visual, thematic and audio, with each genre elaborating on different elements depending on the mood and tone they want to establish.
An example of the generic conventions of a genre being displayed can be found in the opening sequence to 'The Expendables.' This opening conveys the genre of action by constantly referring to violence and the stereotypical element of emptiness that's associated with the characters as a result. Props such as dog tags, knives and military clothing relate to the iconography and conventions of the action genre, while the non-diegetic music relates to the depression that resembles the characters on screen seem, due to a minimal amount of expressionism within their mannerisms.
Another example, contrasting in genre while still succeeding in displaying the conventions of it's genre can be seen in 'Superbad.' This opening takes a more stylised approach with the lack of realism and intentionally bad dancing, imply that the genre is comedy. In terms of sound, the non-diegetic jazz music creates quite a fast pace and connotes immaturity, linking to the stock characters that can be seen in the rest of the narrative. The vibrancy and variety of the colours has connotations of diversity and a lack of formality, mirroring particular aspects of society, which is often used in such comedies.
An example of the horror genre conventions being shown can be seen in the opening sequence to 'Saw.' The low lighting conditions and suspenseful non-diegetic music has connotations of the horror genre. With one of the main protagonists screaming for help also conveys his character as quite humanising and we as an audience can therefore better relate to him and thus empathise for his current state of panic. This also links with the stereotypical convention of characters in the horror genre being quite young and helpless. The titles are also quite enigmatic, with their movement coinciding with the background of water within a bath tub, making them feel more integrated into the scene and symbolising the enigmatic theme that can be seen throughout the film.
In the case of the romance genre, the conventions of the genre are illustrated with the montage of happy greetings among friends and family. Because love plays a bit part in this genre, similar greeting patterns can be seen in numerous examples of the genre and is therefore a stereotypical convention. The non-diegetic voice over also provides context by directly addressing the theme of love and discussing his opinion on the matter, and because love is a part of everyone's life it makes the genre very relatable. Another convention is referring to more realistic and darker themes to contrast and differentiate love, such as historical events (in this case the twin towers), incorperating verisimilitude and thus creating an emotional connection between the characters within the narrative and the audience.
In conclusion, each genre of a film has their own specific conventions that are unique to them and used throughout the media to convey a particular tone and atmosphere. These conventions are spread across the four technical areas to create an element of consistency, solidifying the message that the creators want to get across, in this case identifying the genre and preparing the audience for what is to come.
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