Movie Genres – Purpose and Presentation

When crafting a story, one of the first things a filmmaker has to decide is what genre it fits into. Genre is an important aspect of storytelling, a way to let your audience know what to expect and sometimes surprise them.
In this post, we will explore many kinds of genres, what sets them apart, and how they are similar.
In movies, a genre is a category based on similarities in plot, aesthetics, or the intended emotional response.
The word genre comes from the French, which means “kind” or “sort.” The concept of the genre can be traced back to the Greek philosopher Plato, who believed there to be only two genres: “poetry” and “drama.” Since then, many genres have emerged, including Horror, thriller, romance, and comedy.
In fact, most genres can be further divided into more specific categories called sub-genres. For example, sub-genres within the action genre include martial arts, adventure, and superhero movies.
Different Movie Genres
Genre Subversion
Subversion occurs when a filmmaker uses the opposite of genre conventions. This may be with atmosphere, characters, plot, or any other element within the genre.
For example, when Sophia Coppola soundtracked “Marie Antoinette” with modern music, a simple subversion like this can breathe new life into a well-worn genre.
In Ari Aster’s “Midsommar” (2019), the film begins darkly and sombrely, consistent with our expectations from a horror movie. But then the characters travel to Sweden’s beautiful and pastoral setting, shockingly contrasting the gruesome horrors they encounter.
By subverting the familiar tropes of the horror genre, Aster undermines our association of daylight with safety to create a unique experience of dread and Horror in plain sight.
Genre Switch
Some films undergo a complete genre switch at a certain point in the story. In “From Dusk Till Dawn” (1996), screenwriter Quentin Tarantino and director Robert Rodriguez set up the story as a crime film.
Instead, midway through the movie, the genre shifts entirely, with the two finding themselves in a nest of vampires. By switching, a filmmaker can avoid cliches and tropes that the audience may expect from a genre.
Hybrid Genre
Hybrid genres don’t switch; they are composed of elements from two or more genres from beginning to end.
A prime example of a hybrid movie genre is “Blade Runner” (1982), blending film Noir and science fiction. On the other hand, “Cowboys and Aliens” (2011) is a mixture of sci-fi Western movies. Likewise, “Aliens” (1986) is a sci-fi horror film. “Men In Black” (1997) is a Sci-Fi comedy.
Hybrid films are becoming increasingly common as filmmakers explore and experiment with what is possible within and between different movie genres, before it becomes an extinct genre in Hollywood.
The Purpose of Genre
Now that we know what genre is, let’s explore the purpose of genres and why they’re so important in storytelling. Genre serves two purposes:
- Set up audience expectations.
- Provide a roadmap for storytellers.
First, audiences are well versed in genre rules, whether they’re aware of them or not. They are uniquely familiar with the patterns and characteristics of genre through a lifetime of watching movies.
For example, horror movies are expected to frighten, while comedy is expected to make the audience laugh. Failing to meet those expectations can create an unsatisfied audience and disappointing box office returns.
The second purpose of genre is to aid storytellers by providing a road map through which they can tell their stories. Just like a recipe has a list of ingredients, every genre has its own set of story beats, tropes, and aesthetics.
Following the basic recipe, a writer will create something that fulfils the audience’s expectations. This roadmap becomes more apparent as we move from basic movie genres into more specific sub-genres. Our only expectation from crime movies is that they will deal with criminal activity; this tells us very little about the characters’ situations, themes, etc.
However, if we step down to the murder mystery sub-genre, we have much more information about what to expect. We can guess the basic plot when a murder takes place. The movie clarifies the structure when a detective interviews suspects and collects clues until they solve the mystery. We can even expect the big reveal of the murderer in the end, with a specific type of scene.
Giving the audience something familiar and new simultaneously is not easy, but this is the tightrope writers must walk while working in movie genres. As Robert McKee points out in a short film formula:
“Writers must not only fulfill audience anticipations or risk their confusion and disappointment, but they must lead their expectations to Fresh, unexpected moments or risk boring them.”
In other words, to use genre effectively, writers must know the rules inside and out, knowing where and when to surprise the audience. Since movie genres function with repeated elements, let’s review them individually, starting with the plot.
Define Plot
The plot is how the story is presented to the audience. Many genre films follow the same basic narrative structure, major story beats, and specific scenes.
For example, a romantic comedy begins with introducing the two leaves. They have an awkward introduction called a meet-cute. They fall in love, but eventually, a significant obstacle breaks them apart. After some soul searching, they are reunited, often with a grand gesture, and they live happily ever after.
In slasher films, the plot often centers on a group of young people stalked by a killer and picked up individually. Until the final girl is finally able to stop them, for now. These plots are certainly formulaic, but eventually, they must evolve in some way to keep the genre alive and audiences entertained.
“Scream” (1996), written by Kevin Williamson, took the slasher film formula and made it part of the story. Knowing the rules of the self-genre means life or death for these characters. Williamson used our familiarity with the sub-genre to reinvent and revive the slasher film single-handedly.
Define Characters
Another common element that defines genre is recurring character types. Most movie genres have their own unique character tropes, characters that we see over and over in these films. In film Noir, we often see the hard-boiled Detective. This is a disillusioned character with a cynical view of the world.
“It can’t be a crook anymore,
because you used up your chances,
and you can’t be honest because nobody will let you.”

Such characters are vulnerable and broken, and they are often misled into danger by other familiar noir characters. Noir is a mysterious, alluring, and ultimately manipulative character who deepens the Detective into a web of deception.
In superhero movies, there’s a hero, but they can be quite variable in their characterization. They could be a refugee from another planet, a teenager with gifted powers, or a vigilante billionaire.
On the other hand, antagonists are often supervillains who oppose the hero. This age of antiheroes may have had similar origin stories to gain their special powers. Still, their motives and values are quite different from those of their heroic counterparts.
Like plots, these character types must evolve to stay exciting and relevant. When you decide which genre to write in, consider how to bring a fresh spin to familiar characters.
Present Set
So far, we’ve focused on the genre elements on the page. Now, let’s examine how presentations create genres on the screen.
Presentation is how the formal elements of a film are put together. Cinematography, costumes, editing, music, setting, and atmosphere majorly define movie genres.
For example, we automatically know the genre from the shot below: vast and expansive landscapes that evoke notions of natural beauty, conflict, or loneliness.

In fact, westerns are one of the only movie genres defined by their setting. We get cowboy hats, Sheriff’s Badges, and Spurs for costumes. The main street shootout’s shot choice and editing rhythms are generic tropes we all recognize. Westerns even have their own type of music.
Science fiction movies have a wider variety in terms of presentation than Westerns, but they, too, are dependent on distinct formal elements. Instead of the vastness of the Prairie, we get the Stars. Spaceships often have bold interior and exterior designs. Weaponry is often augmented with futuristic sound effects. Costumes range from completely normal to otherworldly.
Aliens are created with prosthetics, sci-fi soundtracks using pheromones, and later synthesizers. These formal elements are just as expected and useful when presenting genre films to the audience.
Creative Exceptions
Now that we know what the basics of genre look and sound like let’s move on
to creative exceptions of how filmmakers play with genre.
Genre is a rule book for both the audience and the filmmaker. It is a tacit agreement that expectations will be met, but with a new twist. In this way, the genre is an ideal Forum to subvert and challenge these expectations.
Here are four ways this can be done:
A Spoof
A spoof is a humorous fiction that focuses on specific genre conventions and exaggerates them for comic effect. “Austin Powers” (1997) takes on the Spy sub-genre. “The Naked Gun” (1988) sends up police procedurals.
“Hey, look at the missing evidence in the Kellner case; my God, he was innocent.
He went to the chair two years ago, Frank.
Well, I like to use.”

Mel Brooks has made a career out of spoofs, including his takes on the Western,
Frankenstein and Hitchcock movies.
The Verdict
Movie genres constantly evolve, and the most successful filmmakers Bend or break the rules. But this can only be done with a firm understanding of how genres work.
When you sit down to write your next genre screenplay, ask yourself what elements it needs to fulfil and what elements you can make your own.
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