A detailed study of a particular media genre, or genres, such as film noir, science fiction, horror, the musical.
An introduction to theories of media genres and methods of genre analysis through an in-depth study of the horror genre. We will investigate stylistic, thematic, philosophical, psychological, and historical elements of horror to grapple with the forms of the genre across media platforms, their development over time, the complexities of their appeal, their intersections with other genres, and their relationship to cultural and social contexts.
| Paper title | Media Genres |
|---|---|
| Paper code | MFCO213 |
| Subject | Media, Film and Communication |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Semester 2 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees (NZD) | $955.05 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- 18 FIME or MFCO points
- Restriction
- FIME 203
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music
- Notes
- Students may be admitted with approval from the Head of Department.
- Contact
- mfco@otago.ac.nz
- More information link
- View more information about MFCO 213
- Teaching staff
Convenor and Lecturer: Dr Paul Ramaeker
- Paper Structure
The paper begins with an an overview of the development and forms of film media both chronologically and topically.
Topics include:
- History and origins of the horror genre
- Intersections of horror and science fiction
- Gothic horror
- Intersections of horror and art cinema
- Horror, ideology and sociocultural critique in the New Hollywood
- Gender and ideology in the horror film, especially the slasher film
- Forms of horror on television and digital platforms
- Contemporary developments in the horror film
- Horror and race
Assessment:
- Tutorial Participation (including presentations)10%
- Research Exercise 20%
- Research Essay 30%
- Final Examination 40%
- Teaching Arrangements
- Two lectures and one screening per week.
- Textbooks
- Readings will be available on Blackboard.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
By the end of this paper, you should be able to:
- Describe major developments in genre theory
- Understand important conventions and patterns in horror media both generally and in its historical variants
- Understand the ways that horror media has been studied and interpreted from a variety of theoretical perspectives
- Analyze media genre, and specifically the horror genre, drawing on a range of methods
- Understand key theoretical, methodological, and analytical issues raised by the study of media genres in general and horror in particular
