Genre in Film

What are genre and sub-genre? Sometimes it's hard to know the difference.

In this blog post, I will explain what genre and sub-genre are.

Genre:
A genre is a category in which a film falls into, depending on it's storyline and aspects of the film.
Films tend to follow set storylines depending on the genre.
For example, a romance will typically have a male and female who meet unexpectedly. The two characters will build a friendly relationship and to the audience, seem perfect together. There will always be an obstacle in the way, whether it be another person or a situation to overcome. The obstacle will always be tackled and the two characters live 'happily ever after'.

Genres are important for film-makers and producers because they allow them to have clear investment opportunities. For example, if a certain genre is popular at a certain time, they know that the best option would be to make a film in that specific popular genre.

Genres also make budgeting easier as film-makers and producers can estimate how much needs to be spent on a film

Sub-Genre:
A sub-genre is a more specific category that may condense aspects of a larger genre, or add aspects of a different genre to create a different genre.
This allows for much more creativity and freedom to take the film in different directions because you are not restricted to just one set of film aspects to work with.
For example, a horror-thriller will have a typical horror storyline that has a specific tendency to follow typical aspects of a thriller film like creating suspense and keeping people hooked or 'on the edge of their seats'.