Genre is a classification system. It is commonly applied to films, and brings several ideas, standards, and expectations. There are numerous types of genre, that each holds its own particular set of standards. Without the great organization of genre in the film world, it would be nothing more than an unorganized list. The importance of genre, as well as the role it plays in film decides the audience, ratings, and sometimes even the directors and producers. Genre has become a tool used to draw in particular groups based on its organization of films. It has helped expand the world of film, because it directly points the audience where they want to go. According to Shylon Baumann, "To the extent that there is a distinct form of symbolic capital available to consecrate cultural products of a particular genre, the field is more autonomous" (405). Baumannn notably points out that genre has distinction. He also points out it is through this distinction that it is able to control and grant classification to cultural products. Genre has the power to direct a film where it is going to be classified. He notes that with this "capital" power, genre has become a strong independent source.
Genre's strong independence influences the media and cultures. It has the governing principal to praise or downgrade a film. Society uses it as a source of classification, whether positive or negative. The numerous forms of genre point distinctly to a particular category, no matter how unfavorable. With genre's ability to classify films, it also delivers certain prospects or anticipations about a film. Since the list of genres has dramatically grown over the years, these anticipations have come to create a sort of standards about themselves as well as distinctions. It has also caused for a sort of blending of genres within films.
The mixing of genres has become a staple in many films. The films’ either cannot escape it or use it as a tool to attract a wider audience. Since the genre classification system has expanded, it is finding more and more films which honor one or more types of classification. According to The Media Student's Book, "Media forms have consequently become more and more cross-generic or hybrid, as audiences have grown accustomed to a huge amount of media output, so that different kinds of music, television and film clash and mix genres" (77). Society is being slammed with media, it seems only natural that eventually the genres would start blurring together, thus creating a new type of genre. The overwhelming flow of media being produced has begun to recognize the numerous appetites of its audience. It has agreed to satisfy it with the hybrid film. By fulfilling the desired prospects of several different audiences, the hybrid film has an appeal which attracts not just a particular group, but several different ones. According to Stanley Solomon, "Since film genres are usually determined by the nature of the subject matter and since so many films are created to fit particular popular types, we have an overwhelming number of plausible groups" (279). Solomon notes that films are created with the intention of which genre they will fall in. But he also points out that films are created to fit into "particular popular types." These films will fit into more than one genre, and will attract many interested groups.
An excellent example of a modern hybrid film is Pirates of the Caribbean. The film takes on a seriousness of the pirate life, while leaving room for comedy between battles. The film constructs an action and comedy duo. The characters are busy living the rough, pirate lifestyle, but the film allows for accidental mishaps that lighten the seriousness of this lifestyle. The blending of action and comedy complete this films and allow it to be among the growing list of hybrid films. The audience is able to take this films for its bursts of action, as well as its comedic aspects.
Genre dominates and classifies films into a well developed list. It has the power to direct a film where it belongs. It also has the notion of providing the audience with particular anticipations about a certain group of films. With the popularity of the film, the list of genres has grown. It has now added a new form of genre, the hybrid film. The hybrid film still requires the help of genre, but the hybrid film has also created its own list of combinations. With these two powerful forms of classification dominating the film industry and the audience's probable expectations; they have created a sense of power and structure within the world of film.