Page 76 - A Handbook Genre Studies in Mass Media

FORMULAIC ANALYSIS

1. The individual genres
2. Both genres
3. Cultural attitudes, values, behaviors, preoccupations,
myths
21. Discuss how the appearance and characteristics of stock characters
in a genre furnish a perspective into aspects of self and human
nature. (Be specific in your analysis.)
22. Subplots: Identifying subplots in programs belonging to a particular
genre can disclose patterns with respect to characteristic themes and
messages in the genre.

Conduct a genre analysis, focusing on subplots. Select a sample of
programs belonging to a particular genre:

a. Examine individual programs. What do the subplots in these epi-
sodes have in common with respect to themes and messages?
b. Compare the subplots in these programs.
c. What does this analysis reveal with respect to themes and mes-
sages characteristic of the genre?
23. Taking a sample of programs from a genre, identify characteristic
trappings.
a. What messages do the trappings convey about the culture?
b. What messages do the trappings convey about the characters?
c. What do these elements reveal with respect to the worldview of
the genre?
24. Formulaic analysis provides a way to identify similarities in dis-
similar programming.

New conventions may make an established genre appear different.
Examine the trappings of one genre and see if substituting one set of
genric trappings for another furnishes perspective into the genre.

25. Examine an international program (e.g., television program, film),
focusing on formulaic cues. Be sure that you are not familiar with
the language, that the program is not dubbed, and that you do not
read the subtitles.
a. What genre does the program belong to? How do you know?
b. What nonverbal and formulaic cues enable you to follow the
narrative?

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