Pandemic Film. A New Genre?: A Framework to Pandemic Genre Paperback

Abstract

Film is imprecise of classification as is always change overtime and suffers from overlap. A genre for film is commonly applied to a narrative for classification and little is known film style as may be representing systematic categorisation. This project combines narrative and mise-en-scene to identify the film style of pandemic especially to categorise a genre of pandemic. A genre recognition coincides with what a film is about through an identification known as codes and convention. Film makers are aware of these codes and what is expected to work on a specific genre. The thesis explores question concerning the absenteeism of pandemic genre classification and what attributes to its characteristics. This research intents to outlining, describing, the dominant features and typological of genre pandemic and to intent the existing genre taxonomy. Although films are indistinctly classified of a specific genre, film elements can be parameters to define the film belong. A Genre theory by Rick Altman and Andrew Tudor were adopted to identify similar patterns of five films with pandemic related release between 2002 and 2011. This project studied the recurring patterns of narrative and mise-en-scene to investigate the similar patters used. For methodology, the content analysis of descriptive and statistical approach was adopted for. The work of Redfern, Cutting DeLong and Barry Salt was used where the cinemetrics approach was applied for further emphasis. The model of architectural by Alexander et. Al. was adopted as well to identify patterns of settings, costumes, and make-up. Interview method was applied as an additional data. Sample of three films practitioners were also used as supporting data. The thesis was divided into two sections. First is the narrative content which includes the analysis of narrative, theme, and plot. Second is the mise-en-scene which includes shots. Average Shots length, settings, costume, makeup, and lighting. The analysis focuses on pattern of these elements by identifying the similarities in narratives and mise-en-scene shared by five films. Analysis of the codes and conventions were combination of methods such as models, coding. Interquartile range, Statistics, cinemetrics and interviews of descriptive approach. This linkage studies were applied for the purpose to identify the similarities in the films. The findings found that all films share similar patterns that resulted to distinguish film style of pandemic and suggestive tentative model of pandemic genre as well as introducing a pandemic genre category. It is hoped that this thesis would be used as a guideline for film community.