A Complete Guide To The Basic Types Of Movie Genres

10 types of film genres

There are many film genres available that classify movies and even more subgenres. Let’s explore the 10 most popular genres in filmmaking with TeeHolic.us:

1. Action

Action films traditionally contain dangerous situations and high-stake risks, and many require the use of physical stunts, fight choreography or disaster sequences. The high-energy elements in these films can aid in achieving audience escapism because viewers often appeal to the story of a hero who struggles against all odds and still achieves victory. The films in this category share a common theme, which is most of their content is action-oriented. They often include having some sense of danger through a majority of their scenes. Some familiar subgenres of the action genre are superhero, disaster and espionage.

2. Adventure

Adventure films typically involve a journey, and some may include a pursuit. They might also have action-oriented scenes like action films, but the travels and conquests of the main characters primarily define them. This emphasis on a character’s adventure can help the audience imagine themselves in those experiences. You can create an adventure film in any setting, as long as your narrative involves a journey.

3. Comedy

Comedies are films intended to make the audience laugh through their use of exaggeration of language, action or characters who add humor to a situation. Many comedies use everyday situations in their stories to provide a funny commentary on a common life frustration to relate to the audience. Two common comedy formats are comedian-led and situational comedies. There are many subgenres of comedy, including romantic comedy, spoof, parody, satire, sitcom, sketch comedy and mockumentary.

4. Drama

Films in the drama genre often include realistic settings and defining conflict between one or more characters and themselves, others or forces of nature. Dramas usually have the intention to provoke powerful emotions in the audience by including societal ills, such as addiction, poverty, racial prejudice, sexual inequality, classism or corruption. There are several subgenres within drama, including melodramas, docudramas and medical, legal and philosophical dramas.

5. Horror

The purpose of horror films is to cause an audience to feel frightened or have a sense of dread. They usually center their stories on unsettling situations, alarming events or the audience’s fears. Many include elements that alert primal fears, like nightmares, vulnerability, alienation and fear of death or injury, which aim to attract and repulse the audience. Some subgenres of horror include supernatural, found footage, slasher, occult, vampire and monster films. These can have a variety of settings, ranging from realistic to wildly imaginative.

6. Romance

Films in the romance genre typically involve intimate relationships and a journey of the love between the main characters. The conflicts that occur during the pursuit of intimacy or love often drive the narrative in these films. The main characters usually confront obstacles, such as hardships, illnesses, infidelity, family problems or common relationship issues, and in many romance films, they ultimately reunite to create their perfect life together. Their love is a narrative device that acts as a shield to help them overcome challenges and develop the journey of their love.

7. Science fiction

Science fiction movies are often a blend of science and imagination. You’re likely to see films in this genre that portray advanced technology and scientific developments, and they normally contain special or visual effects. Directors often choose from several observable sciences, like astronomy, physics, geology and biology to provide a sense of logic in a film’s proposed reality. Some common themes in science fiction films are the consequences of knowledge, the nature of humanity in existential crisis and interpreting science-based conspiracies.

8. Fantasy

Fantasies are films directors set in imaginary worlds that have little or no representation of reality. These movies often include magical, mythological and extraordinary elements, and they can transcend physical laws and have endless possibilities. The main characters in a fantasy film usually undergo a mystical experience that requires superhuman aid. Many fantasies derive from fairy tales, myths or legends and incorporate unique characters and odd phenomena in their stories.

9. Historical

There generally are two distinct sections of films in the historical genre, which are accurate representation and historical fiction. Some accurate representations include biographies, autobiographies and memoirs. Historical fiction movies typically limit their accuracy to the depiction of their setting, like period pieces, and they often present main characters in the context of great historical events. Many historical films recreate past events by having large casts, performing actions on a massive scale and incorporating elaborate settings and costumes as an attempt to rewrite history.

10. Crime

Films in the crime genre can portray either side of the criminal justice system. Many crime movies often entertain the idea of moral uncertainty, which makes identifying the hero and the villain more complex. Directors often derive crime stories from real-life historical accounts or provide a criminal’s point of view with the gangster subgenre. Some crime films glorify a certain criminal and their rise against personal power struggles, while others highlight criminals’ conflict and fall through law and order.

 

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