The Teachers' Animation Toolkit

48
The Teachers’ Animation Toolkit
WORKSHEET: EXPLORING GENRE
Teachers’ note:
Genres are different types of fi lm and animation, defi ned by the kind 
of stories they tell and the production style. For example, we know 
that a science fi ction fi lm tells a different kind of story to a romantic 
comedy. Interestingly, you can combine genres.
Below is a list of commonplace genres and suggested defi nitions. 
(You might like to print, hand out and discuss these defi nitions in 
class, and consider other variations or hybrids.)
Show an animated fi lm with a clearly identifi able genre, stopping 
before the climax. Based on their knowledge of the story so far, 
invite students to make predictions about how the fi lm will end. After 
the real ending is revealed students should refl ect on their reasons 
for their predictions.
Ask the following:
What genre/s does the fi lm belong to?
How close were your predictions to the actual ending?
Was the ending typical of this genre?
Were the main characters typical of this genre?
Invite the class to write a synopsis for the story, but this time 
adapted to another genre of their choosing. Invite students to read 
out the results and discuss with the class.
Extension work: adapt the synopsis into a six-shot storyboard.
2.2 EXPLORING GENRE

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Cineliteracy
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Materials:
Data Projector, whiteboard or screen and sound, paper and pens
Resources:
Any genre-specifi c animation. (See 
A Brief History
p. 9 for 
examples.)
Handout: Genres
Storyboarding in progress

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50
The Teachers’ Animation Toolkit
HANDOUT: GENRES
What does the word 
genre
mean?
Genres are different types of fi lm and animation, defi ned by the kind 
of stories they tell and the production style. For example, we know 
that a science fi ction fi lm tells a different kind of story to a romantic 
comedy. Interestingly, you can combine genres. Below is a list of 
commonplace genres and suggested defi nitions. (You might like to 
discuss these defi nitions and consider other variations.)
Crime: places its character within realm of criminal activity.
Film noir: portrays its principal characters in a nihilistic and 
existentialist realm or manner.
Historical: taking place in the past amidst notable historical 
circumstances.
Science fi ction: a setting or plot defi ned by the effects of 
speculative (not yet existing) technology for example future 
space travel, cyberpunk, time travel.
Sports: sporting events and locations pertaining to a given 
sport.
War: battlefi elds and locations pertaining to a time of war.
Western: fi lms set in wilderness on the verge of civilization, 
usually in the American West.
Action: generally involves a moral interplay between ‘good’ 
and ‘bad’ played out through violence or physical force.
Adventure: involving danger, risk and/or chance, often with a 
high degree of fantasy.
Comedy: intended to provoke laughter.
Drama: mainly focused on character development and 
interplay.
Fantasy: speculative fi ction outside reality (e.g. involving 
myths and legends).
Horror: intended to provoke fear in audience.
Slasher: A variation of Horror that focuses less on suspense 
and more on death and gore; also called Splatter fi lm.

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Cineliteracy
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Mystery: the progression from the unknown to the known by 
discovering and solving a series of clues.
Romance: dwelling on the elements of romantic love.
Thrillers: intended to provoke excitement and/or nervous 
tension in the audience.
Documentary: based on events that happened in real life.
Musical: songs are sung by the characters and interwoven 
into the narrative.

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