Page 43 - A Handbook Genre Studies in Mass Media

CHAPTER 3

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Formulaic Analysis

Overview

Genres are characterized by common formulaic elements. Formula
refers to patterns in premise, structure, characters, plot, and trappings.
As John Cawelti observes, “Individual works are ephemeral, but the
formula lingers on, evolving and changing with time, yet still basically
recognizable.” Formula serves as a guide for the audience, providing
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clues and cues that help them negotiate meaning as they read a novel or
watch the news on television. Early on, children learn the “language” of
film: for instance, how to recognize a flashback or identify heroes and
villains. Film critic Neal Gabler explains:

Formulas are designed to elicit predictable responses through predictable
means—predictable because they have worked in the past. You show an
audience an attractive young man and woman who playfully bicker at the
beginning of a movie and it roots for them to wind up together at the end.
Or show a bully pushing around a decent fellow and viewers root for the
latter to defeat the former. The audience reacts not because it knows the
formula—it reacts because the formula knows the audience. 2

Thus, despite language and cultural differences, international audiences
can pick up the cues provided by a genre’s formulaic elements. The British
game show Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire, which is now exported to
thirty-one countries, maintains a standard formula throughout its “empire.”
British technicians are sent to train the local crews so that the look of each
set is identical. A computer program standardizes the music and lighting in
all countries. Ravinath Menon, executive producer of the Indian version of
Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire (Kaun Banega Crorepati), states, “It’s
all a formula. . . . They send us a production bible, about 300 pages. Our
idea was not to reinvent the show, but to duplicate the show.” 3

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