26 Different Kinds of Films

06/05/23 • 15 min

I Don't Need an Acting Class

Film Genres

Genre Conventions are specific settings, roles, events, and values that define individual genres and their sub-genres.

Love Story

Buddy Salvation

Road Picture
Horror Film

Uncanny – source of horror is astound but subject to “rational” explanation – such as beings from outer space, science-made monsters, or a maniac.
Supernational – in which the source of horror is an “irrational” phenomenon from the spirit realm.
Super-Uncanny – in which the audience is kept guessing between the other two possibilities

Modern Epic – individual versus the state – Spartacus, Erin Brockovich
Western
War Genre

Pro-war – covertly glorifying war
Anti-war

Maturation Plot – Coming of age Story
Redemption Plot – film arcs on a moral change within the protagonist from bad to good
Punitive Plot – good guy turns bad and is punished
Testing Plot – stories of will power versus temptation to surrender – Forest Gump
Education Plot – Deep change within the protagonist’s view of life, people, or self from the negative (naïve, distrustful, fatalistic, self0hating) to the positive (wise, trusting, optimistic, self-possessed)
Disillusionment Plot – a deep change of worldview from the positive to the negative – Great Gatsby, Macbeth
Comedy

Parody
Satire
Sitcom
Romantic
Screwball
Farce
Black Comedy
Bro Comedy

Crime

Murder Mystery (master detective POV)
Caper (master criminal’s POV)
Detective (cop’s POV)
Gangster (crook’s POV)
Thriller or Revenge Tale (victim’s POV)
Courtroom (lawyer’s POV)
Newspaper (reporter’s POV)
Espionage (spy’s POV)
Prison Drama (inmate’s POV)
Film Noir (POV of a protagonist who may be part criminal, part detective, part victim of a femme fatale)

Social Drama – problems in society 0 poverty, the education system, then constructs a story demonstrating a cure.

Domestic Drama (family problems)
Woman’s film (dilemmas such as career versus family, lover versus children)
Political Drama (corruption in politics)
Eco-Drama (battles to save the environment)
Medical Drama
Psycho-Drama

Action/Adventure

High Adventure
Disaster/Survival Film

Historical Drama
Biography – must have point of view Gandhi becomes the hero of a Modern Epic, Nixon suffers from Punitive Plot
Docu-Drama
Mockumentary
Musical
Science Fiction – often marry the man0against0state Modern Epic with Action/Adventure: Star Wars
Sports Genre - a natural home for Maturation Plot, Redemption Plot, Education Plot, Punitive Plot, Testing Plot, Disillusionment Plot, Beddy Salvation, Social Drama.
Fantasy
Animation
Art Film

Film Genres

Genre Conventions are specific settings, roles, events, and values that define individual genres and their sub-genres.

Love Story

Buddy Salvation

Road Picture
Horror Film

Uncanny – source of horror is astound but subject to “rational” explanation – such as beings from outer space, science-made monsters, or a maniac.
Supernational – in which the source of horror is an “irrational” phenomenon from the spirit realm.
Super-Uncanny – in which the audience is kept guessing between the other two possibilities

Modern Epic – individual versus the state – Spartacus, Erin Brockovich
Western
War Genre

Pro-war – covertly glorifying war
Anti-war

Maturation Plot – Coming of age Story
Redemption Plot – film arcs on a moral change within the protagonist from bad to good
Punitive Plot – good guy turns bad and is punished
Testing Plot – stories of will power versus temptation to surrender – Forest Gump
Education Plot – Deep change within the protagonist’s view of life, people, or self from the negative (naïve, distrustful, fatalistic, self0hating) to the positive (wise, trusting, optimistic, self-possessed)
Disillusionment Plot – a deep change of worldview from the positive to the negative – Great Gatsby, Macbeth
Comedy

Parody
Satire
Sitcom
Romantic
Screwball
Farce
Black Comedy
Bro Comedy

Crime

Murder Mystery (master detective POV)
Caper (master criminal’s POV)
Detective (cop’s POV)
Gangster (crook’s POV)
Thriller or Revenge Tale (victim’s POV)
Courtroom (lawyer’s POV)
Newspaper (reporter’s POV)
Espionage (spy’s POV)
Prison Drama (inmate’s POV)
Film Noir (POV of a protagonist who may be part criminal, part detective, part victim of a femme fatale)

Social Drama – problems in society 0 poverty, the education system, then constructs a story demonstrating a cure.

Domestic Drama (family problems)
Woman’s film (dilemmas such as career versus family, lover versus children)
Political Drama (corruption in politics)
Eco-Drama (battles to save the environment)
Medical Drama
Psycho-Drama

Action/Adventure

High Adventure
Disaster/Survival Film

Historical Drama
Biography – must have point of view Gandhi becomes the hero of a Modern Epic, Nixon suffers from Punitive Plot
Docu-Drama
Mockumentary
Musical
Science Fiction – often marry the man0against0state Modern Epic with Action/Adventure: Star Wars
Sports Genre - a natural home for Maturation Plot, Redemption Plot, Education Plot, Punitive Plot, Testing Plot, Disillusionment Plot, Beddy Salvation, Social Drama.
Fantasy
Animation
Art Film

Previous Episode

Instinct is Developed

This week, our episode focuses on the idea of instinct. Most of us think of that word as something w’re born with, something that is innately part of us. But in the context of training and learning a process, instinct is learned. The more you exercise certain muscles of your technique, the more it is there for you when you need it. For example, one of our tools is slowing down enough to analyze “the nature” of an idea and then translate it into something actable. If we take the time to work these tools, eventually they become part of our instinct, and our way of working becomes almost automatic.

And if you ever get lost, you can always come back to the fundamentals.

Please join us for our Conversations on Acting session with Sharon Carnike this Saturday, June 3rd at 3pm EST. To receive the link by email, go to idontneedanactingclass.com and sign up for our mailing list. Or simply logon to our Facebook page or YouTube page and we'll be streaming live.

Have an acting question? Send us a voice message (link below ⬇️), or an email at [email protected] and Milton will send you a personal audio response.

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Next Episode

Conversation with Sharon Carnicke

In case you missed it live, this week we bring you our Conversation on Acting series with Sharon Carnicke. Sharon is an internationally acclaimed expert on Stanislavsky. Her latest book Dynamic Acting through Active Analysis follows the evolution of a radical rehearsal technique created by Stanislavsky. She is also the author of Stanislavsky in Focus: An Acting Master for the Twenty-First Century, Checking Out Chekhov: A Guide to the Plays for Actors, Directors, and Readers, and is the coauthor of Reframing Screen Performance. She is currently a Professor of Theatre Critical Studies at USC School of Dramatic Art. In this conversation, we break down "The Method" and the biggest confusions and misconceptions surrounding it.

Have an acting question? Send us a voice message (link below ⬇️), or an email at [email protected] and Milton will send you a personal audio response. WANT MORE? Become a subscriber for bonus content! https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/actingclass/subscribe