Genre

Genre is an important aspect to consider when writing a story. It is how we differentiate one film to another, using a set of codes and conventions that signify what type of film it is. These signifiers can vary depending on how they are accomplished, for example, setting and location is considered when establishing genre; is the film based in a suburban area in a modern-day setting or a dimly lit graveyard in a 17th century setting? Is it set in a high school? Is the high school dark and abandoned or is it a regular day in the school? These are all aspects that are important. Animation is technically a sub-genre because it created using a technique completely different to live-action, but the signifiers still work in the same way.

"a family picture!"

Adventure Time, for instance, has multiple signifiers that point to different genres. The major signifiers, writing, primarily bright and colourful setting, and simplified art style are all signifiers that it's a comedy series. The strong reliance on romantic tension throughout the series is a signifier that it's a romance series too. The surrealism is often used to present the world in a very grim manner, often using the silly looking characters in a more grim, bleak setting, that contrasts greatly from the usual bright and vibrant setting; the music also tends to shift from the light-hearted tunes to very low-key synth; these signifiers point the show towards horror genre very often. The characters also break into song at times, and often the songs are used to contribute to the narrative, making the show a musical as well.