Film genres
Films are often divided into genres, which describe the typical subject matter—what the film is about ---- Western films are about the American West, love stories are about love, and so on. This is distinct from film styles, which describes filmic conventions which can be applied to any genre (see below). Of course, the more that genres are defined, the more likely that a filmmaker will try to combine, transcend and evade categories, so not every film can be neatly labeled.
Some of the most common film genres are:
Film genres
See also:
Film Style
A film style is a recognizable group of conventions used by filmmakers to add visual appeal, meaning, or depth to their work. It can encompass every aspect of film: dialogue, cinematography, attitude (i.e., seriousness or lack thereof).
Film style is distinct from film genre, which defines what a film is about. Although some styles are strongly associated with certain genres, a style can be applied to any genre -- Barbarella is a surrealistic science fiction film, for example.
Obviously each filmmaker develops their own film style, but certain styles that transcend individuals include:
