Friday, 30 August 2013

Blake Snyder's 10 Film Categories

Monster in the house:
The monster in the house genre is essentially the horror genre. It usually tells a story of a creature or things hurting or killing others in the film. It is then the protagonist’s job in the film to eliminate this monsters or thing before they are eliminated by it. For example, Jaws.

Golden Fleece:
The Golden Fleece categorises films as being 'road movies', this means the protagonist in the film must hit the road in the movie and find themselves, or find out things they didn't know before in the movie. An example of this is ‘the hobbit’.

Out of the bottle:
The out of the bottle type of movie is a movie suck as a fantasy or a magical film, the can also be a film where the main protagonist is granted a wish, for example, in Bruce Almighty he is given gods powers. They are granted a wish which usually changes them as a person and the film will usually have a moral.

Dude with a problem:
The dude with a problem film category usually involves comedy, action and slightly horror genres. It will usually be about a normal character in the movie that will develop the heroism and throughout the movie they have will find they will have to deal with life or death situation and may have to save their loved ones or the planet. For example taken and taken 2.

Rites of passage:
Usually in this type of film the protagonist will come to a point in their life where they may be divorced from their loved one. Different things will happen in their life throughout the movie. The problem is not always solved but when it does the protagonist usually feels a huge relief at the end of the movie. An example of this is Crazy Stupid Love.

Buddy love:
Buddy Love films are typically centred around 2 characters and the problems they face together. These problems usually bring them closer together and they realise that they can't live as well without each other. These films aren't always about friends, but it can be able love, for example in the notebook the 2 main characters fall apart and end up getting back together many years later as they simply can’t be without each other.

Whydunit:
In these films, the focus of the story is more why the bad guy committed the evil deed instead of who did it - it is not about the characters discovering themselves, it' about the audience discovering the evil reason why the bad guy did his evil doing (the audience are almost like the detectives). There are many extremely famous 'Whydunit' type films such as Blade Runner, Seven, The Silence of the Lambs, and The Sixth Sense.

Fool triumphant:
Fool triumphant films tend to fall under the comedy genre. They are about a character that is oblivious to the world around them labelling them as an underdog who eventually comes out on top giving the film a happy ending. Examples include Dodge ball and Forrest Gump. 


Institutionalized:
This category follows movies that are centred around a group of characters/friends who often go on quests/adventures. There are happy and sad moments in these films, with the ending usually being that of a happy outcome. Examples include ‘Stand by Me’ and The Goonies.


Superhero:

The 'Superhero' category is usually about a hero who usually, saves the world for example. In the film 'The Avengers' this happens where all of the world’s superhero's team up to fight another world. These heroes’ are usually the most loved people in the film.

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