This volume bridges the divide between film and media studies scholarship by exploring audience expectations of film and TV genre in the age of digital streaming, using qualitative thematic and quantitative data-driven analyses.
Through four ground-breaking surveys of audience members and content creators, the authors have empirically determined what audiences expect of various genres, the extent to which these definitions match those of scholars and critics, and the overall variation and complexity of audience expectations in the age of media abundance. They also examine audience habits and preferences, drawing from both theory and original empirical analyses, with a view toward the implications for the moving image in a rapidly changing media environment. The book draws from the data to develop a number of new concepts, including genre repertoire, genre hybridity, audience interest maximization, and variety seeking, and a new stage of genre development, genre bending.
It is an ideal resource for students and scholars interested in the symbiotic relationship between audiences and the moving image products they consume, as well as the way the current digital media environment has impacted our understanding of film and TV genres.
Author(s): Leo W. Jeffres, David J. Atkin, Kimberly A. Neuendorf
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 239
City: New York
Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
CONTENTS
List of Figures
List of Tables
Acknowledgments
1. Introduction
Genre: A Background
Four Stages of Genre Evolution
Industrial Process and the (Re)packaging of Television Genres
Identifying and Defining the Concept of Genre
The Audience Role in Defining Genres
The Media of Abundance
Four Studies Examining Audiences for the Moving Image
Study 1 (2015 Users Survey)
Study 2 (2021 Users Survey)
Study 3 (2021 Creators Survey)
Study 4 (2021–22 Young Creators Survey)
A Concluding Note
2. Audience Expectations for Film and Television Genres
Macro Factors Stimulating Genre Development
Defining Film and Television Genres
Profiles for 31 Film Genres
Musical
Western
Horror
Science Fiction
Detective
Comedy
Film Noir
Documentary
Action
Animated
Mystery
Dark Comedy
Biography
Parodies
Slasher
Mockumentary
Chick Flick
Slapstick
Drama Film
Fantasy
Adventure
Foreign
Romantic Drama
Romantic Comedy
Gangster
Samurai
Epic
Sports
Historical
Superhero
War
Evolution of Television Genres
Profiles for 11 Television Genres
TV Sitcoms
TV Dramas
TV Soaps
TV Detective
TV News Magazines
TV Musical Talent
TV Reality
TV Late-Night Talk
TV Children’s Programs
TV Animal/Nature
TV Sci-fi
Audience Expectations for Film and Television Genres—The 2015 Users Survey
A Concluding Note
3. Audience Viewing of the Moving Image—Film and Television Genres
The Diverse Roles of Audiences
Traditional Media Use Behaviors—Viewing the Moving Image and Using Mass Media
Uses and Gratifications Theory
Leisure-time Activities—the Moving Image and Other Options
Using Mass Media (2015 Users Survey)
Watching Genres of the Moving Image
Shaping Genre Preferences—One’s World View
Assessing the Moving Image—Quality and Representation
A Concluding Note
4. A Profile of Creators of Moving Images as Audience Roles Evolve
Producing Moving Images
Entrepreneurship—When Audiences Switch Roles
Focusing In On Creative Posting Activity
User-Generated Content (UGC): Video Genres
Typology of Online Video Genres
A Concluding Note
5. Audiences Coping with an Era of Content Abundance: Novelty Seeking and Interest Maximization
The New Media Environment—The Age of Media Abundance
Impact on Audience Choices
Audience Film and Television Genre Repertoires
Film and TV Genre Repertoires—and Novelty Seeking
Film and TV Genre Repertoires—and Interest Maximization
A Concluding Note
6. The New Viewing Environment—Matching Genres with Screens
A Short History of Screen Options
The Nature of the Screen
Screen Size
Screen Location
Access to the Content on the Screen
Adjuncts to the Screen, i.e., “Beyond the Screen”
A Note About Sound and Music
Audience Preferences for Viewing Film Genres—Theatrical, Home, and Mobile
Content Trumps Form
A Concluding Note
7. Developing Content Theory for Moving Images
Describing Creative Processes
A Case Example—Reality TV Genre
Uses and Gratifications
Genre Consensus and Clarity
Genre Reactions
Genre Development—Genre Hybridity
External and Other Influences
Beyond Parodic: Genre-Bending, Genre Hybridity, and Trope Appropriation
A Concluding Note
8. Responding to the Pandemic in a Streaming Environment
Responding to the Pandemic: How Did the Pandemic Affect Media Use Patterns?
Does Use of Services Relate to Genre Preferences?
Communication Roles and Orientations in the Pandemic Context
Audience Processes of the Moving Image in the Pandemic Context
A Concluding Note
9. Final Thoughts
References
Index
