Genre characteristics - characters, style and theme
| Genre | Characters | Style | Theme |
| Horror | Mad scientists, masked killers, doomed victims, heroic survivors, misunderstood monsters. | Moody, low-key lighting. Unsettling music. Sudden scares. Point of view camera work to place us in the mind of a killer or monster. | Good versus absolute evil. Humans fighting monsters. Everyday life threatened by supernatural forces. |
| Western | Reluctant gunslingers, violent bandits, saloon girls, bankers, sheriffs, outlaws. | Wide-shots of spectacular landscapes. Use of close-ups during showdowns. Use of stirring music - often using guitars. | The taming of the West. Reluctant heroes battling outlaws. Violence and its impact on society. |
| Action/Adventure | Heroes and their sidekicks. Villains and their henchmen. | Fast-paced editing. Thrilling music. Energetic camera work. | Saving the day. Questing for a valuable object. |
| Romantic comedy | Men or women looking for love. Quirky best friends. | Use of bright colours and high key lighting. Upbeat music - sometimes using classic love songs. | The search for true love. Choosing true love over career happiness. Relationship struggles. |
| Science Fiction | Brilliant scientists. Alien beings. Robots. Heroic adventurers. Strange monsters. | Stylish sets which create new worlds. Heavy use of special effects. Use of unique sound effects. | What is humanity’s place in the universe? What does it mean to be human? |
| Crime | Gangsters. Detectives/cops. Professional thieves. Hired killers. Innocent bystanders. | Often uses gritty, real-world locations. Low-key lighting is used to suggest shadowy criminal worlds. Suspenseful scenes of bank robberies and other forms of criminal activity. | How far should the police go to pursue justice? What does it mean to be a criminal? What can society do about crime? |
| Genre | Horror |
|---|---|
| Characters | Mad scientists, masked killers, doomed victims, heroic survivors, misunderstood monsters. |
| Style | Moody, low-key lighting. Unsettling music. Sudden scares. Point of view camera work to place us in the mind of a killer or monster. |
| Theme | Good versus absolute evil. Humans fighting monsters. Everyday life threatened by supernatural forces. |
| Genre | Western |
|---|---|
| Characters | Reluctant gunslingers, violent bandits, saloon girls, bankers, sheriffs, outlaws. |
| Style | Wide-shots of spectacular landscapes. Use of close-ups during showdowns. Use of stirring music - often using guitars. |
| Theme | The taming of the West. Reluctant heroes battling outlaws. Violence and its impact on society. |
| Genre | Action/Adventure |
|---|---|
| Characters | Heroes and their sidekicks. Villains and their henchmen. |
| Style | Fast-paced editing. Thrilling music. Energetic camera work. |
| Theme | Saving the day. Questing for a valuable object. |
| Genre | Romantic comedy |
|---|---|
| Characters | Men or women looking for love. Quirky best friends. |
| Style | Use of bright colours and high key lighting. Upbeat music - sometimes using classic love songs. |
| Theme | The search for true love. Choosing true love over career happiness. Relationship struggles. |
| Genre | Science Fiction |
|---|---|
| Characters | Brilliant scientists. Alien beings. Robots. Heroic adventurers. Strange monsters. |
| Style | Stylish sets which create new worlds. Heavy use of special effects. Use of unique sound effects. |
| Theme | What is humanity’s place in the universe? What does it mean to be human? |
| Genre | Crime |
|---|---|
| Characters | Gangsters. Detectives/cops. Professional thieves. Hired killers. Innocent bystanders. |
| Style | Often uses gritty, real-world locations. Low-key lighting is used to suggest shadowy criminal worlds. Suspenseful scenes of bank robberies and other forms of criminal activity. |
| Theme | How far should the police go to pursue justice? What does it mean to be a criminal? What can society do about crime? |
