Film Styles - Difference Between Genre and Film Style

Difference Between Genre and Film Style

Film style is distinct from film genre, which categorizes films based on similar narrative structures. For instance, Western films are about the American West, love stories are about love, and so on. Film style categorizes films based on the techniques used in the making of the film, such as cinematography or lighting. Two films may be from the same genre, but they will probably look different based on the film style. For example, Independence Day and Cloverfield are both sci-fi, action films about the possible end of the world. However, they are shot completely differently, with Cloverfield using a handheld camera for the entire movie. Films in the same genre do not necessarily have the same film style. Therefore, film genre and film style are distinct film terms.

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