Attached is infomation on a 50 page document that will hopefully be of interest to many list subscribers. The Motion Picture/Broadcasting/Recorded Sound Division of the Library of Congress, as part of a Library-wide project on genre and form terminology and access, is endeavoring to create the first comprehensive taxonomy to moving image genre, form, and format terms. Each term is fully defined and exemplified, and based on the other lists that archives and books over the years have developed of moving image genre and form terminology, relying in particular on the extensive literature of scholarly genre studies. The full document can also be found on Screensite: http://www.sa.ua.edu/tcf/res/bib/index.htm It may also be requested e-mailing [log in to unmask] and putting the following in the first line of the message: GET MIGENRE TXT The entire list will be sent to you automatically through regular e-mail channels. Please be advised that it is almost 700 lines long. The list is available through snail mail from Brian Taves ([log in to unmask]) Motion Picture/Broadcasting/Recorded Sound Division Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., 20540 202-707-9930. At present, as a fellow list subscriber, and the individual heading up this project in M/B/RS, I am informally asking the list for their input. The document is still very much in its draft stage, although it will remain dynamic and open to correction and update on a regular, ongoing basis. The final result will be published and utilized in cataloging by the Library as well as made available to other archives. I am presenting it to you at this early point because I am eager for your comments prior to the time a revised version of this guide is actually published by the Library. (Scholars will also note that the guide has, inevitably, had to find provisional solutions for some formidable theoretical problems as well as an appropriate way to deal with such issues as race and gender.) Over the next year, the guide will be presented at such organizations as the Association of Moving Image Archivists, the Society of American Archivists, the Modern Language Association, and the Society for Cinema Studies. Because of time constraints on the project, it is not as polished as I would like, and it has not been possible to thoroughly survey all resources. However, I suspect that many list subscribers may have written or taught on a variety of these specific genres and forms, and will be able to provide valuable suggestions for improving the definitions. While a list of genre terms for archives will inherently cover many unique types of material that are less often discussed by scholars, but may still encompass substantial groups of archival holdings, many genres may become evident in such cataloging that have received little or no critical recognition in film and television studies. I hope to achieve a positive interaction between the academic and archival community with this guide, one which will make it valuable to scholars using the archives, but which will also make it valuable to both communities in suggesting possible categories that may have been previously overlooked. In an age of internet searching of online databases, this guide should promote the likelihood of a scholar finding the desired bibliographic records through an intuitive knowledge of the basic terms in the field. Terms have been selected that are sufficiently broad to cross national boundaries while still remaining applicable to the most formulaic of Hollywood product. Many moving image works span or combine elements of several different genres, so multiple genre headings may occur on any given record, and indeed are encouraged. This will increase the likelihood of the item appearing in any particular search. List subscribers will also notice a lack of theoretical sophistication in the terminology and definitions. This is a result of two factors. One is the intensely practical and comprehensive purpose of this guide, which distances it from much of the more far-ranging and rigorous theoretical dialogues of the classroom. Second is that the guide must be designed to be accessible to non- professionals in the area of film studies; many of those actually applying the terminology to moving image items in libraries and archives do not have a background in the field. This posting begins with an overall list of terms below, then offers a page of examples of how the system, using the library MARC format, would be applied to sample titles. The first few pages follow. The remainder can be obtained on SCREENsite. The largest part of the guide offers an index to genres, including definitions and examples. The last portion of the guide does the same for form terms. Forms are defined here as the basic categories indicating a moving image work's original exhibition and release parameters, and which are separate from its actual content, not necessarily implying a particular narrative construction. Form terms include Feature, Shorts, Serials, Animation, and Television. Having both genre and form allows such combinations as "Western--Television series" (as opposed to, for instance, "Western--Feature") permitting a researcher to conduct a search for television westerns, a limitation that would not be otherwise possible. Disclaimer--This is not an official Library posting or document. Moving Image Genre list Actuality Adaptation Adventure Adventure (Nonfiction) Ancient world Animal Art Aviation Biographical Biographical (Nonfiction) Buddy Caper Chase Children's College Comedy Crime Dance Dark comedy Disability Disaster Documentary Domestic comedy Educational Erotic Espionage Ethnic Ethnic (Nonfiction) Ethnographic Experimental Exploitation Fallen woman Family Fantasy Film noir Game Gangster Historical Home shopping Horror Industrial Instructional Interview Journalism Jungle Juvenile delinquency Lecture Legal Magazine Martial arts Maternal melodrama Medical Medical (Nonfiction) Melodrama Military Music Music video Musical Mystery Nature News Opera Operetta Parody Police Political Pornography Prehistoric Prison Propaganda Public access Public affairs Reality-based Religion Religious Road Romance Science fiction Screwball comedy Show business Singing cowboy Situation comedy Slapstick comedy Slasher Soap opera Social guidance Social problem Sophisticated comedy Speculation Sponsored Sports Sports (Nonfiction) Survival Talk Thriller Training Travelogue Trick Trigger Variety War War (Nonfiction) Western Women Youth Yukon Moving Image Form list Advertising Commercials Political commercials Infomercials Company promotion Promotional announcement Trailers Public service announcements Amateur Animation Abstract animation Cameraless animation Clay animation Cutout animation Combination live action and animation Computer animation Pinscreen animation Silhouette animation Time-lapse animation Anthology Audition Feature Newsreel Outtake Performance Puppet Serial Series Short Stock shot Television Television commercials Television features Television mini-series Television pilot Television series Television special Unedited Complete Examples: AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (1956) 655 #av # Adventure#Feature. 655 #av # Comedy#Feature. 655 #av # Adaptation#Feature. AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (1989) 655 #av # Adventure#Television mini-series. 655 #av # Comedy#Television mini-series. 655 #av # Adaptation#Television mini-series. BRAVEHEART 655 #av # Adventure#Feature. 655 #av # Biographical#Feature. DR. QUINN--MEDICINE WOMAN 655 #av # Western#Television series. 655 #av # Medical#Television series. DR. ZHIVAGO 655 #av # Romance#Feature. 655 #av # Historical#Feature. 655 #av # Adaptation#Feature. FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE 655 #av # Science fiction#Serial. JURASSIC PARK 655 #av # Prehistoric#Feature. 655 #av # Science fiction#Feature. 655 #av # Adaptation#Feature. MEET THE PRESS 655 #av # Interview#Television series. OUTER LIMITS 655 #avv # Science fiction#Anthology#Television series. POCAHONTAS 655 #avv # Historical#Feature#Animation. 655 #avv # Musical#Feature#Animation. Moving Image Genre List (a short excerpt) Action-adventure see such genres as Adventure, Ancient world, Animal, Aviation, Caper, Crime, Espionage, Fantasy, Gangster, Jungle, Martial arts, Mystery, Police, Prehistoric, Prison, Science fiction, Singing cowboy, Sports, Survival, Thriller, War, Western, Yukon Actuality Nonfiction work made prior to 1910, usually of a very short length, that demonstrates the capacity of moving pictures to advance over still photography by recording a world in motion. The typical content of actualities were scenes of everyday life, people, and events, usually authentic but sometimes manipulated. Note: Not necessary to also use Documentary, since that is implied by the term Actuality. Examples: L'ARRIVEE D'UN TRAIN EN GARE DE LA CIOTAT / TRAIN ARRIVING IN THE STATION; ELECTROCUTING AN ELEPHANT; NEW YORK CITY "GHETTO" FISH MARKET; PRESIDENT MCKINLEY TAKING THE OATH; LA SORTIE DES USINES LUMIERE / WORKERS LEAVING THE LUMIERE FACTORY Adaptation Fiction or nonfiction work taken from a work already existing in another medium, such as a book, short story, comic strip, or play. This involves such questions as fidelity to the original text and the manner in which the adaptation has condensed or abridged aspects of the original work (or, on rare occasions, expanded it) to the standard length of a movie or television program. Note: Use only for specific works adapted to film or television, not for original exploits written for the screen that utilize characters but not plots created in another medium, such as the Charlie Chan or Perry Mason series. Feature examples: ANNA KARENINA (with Romance; Historical); BARRY LYNDON (with Historical); CAMELOT (with Musical; Romance; Adventure); CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT / FALSTAFF (with Historical); HAMLET; HENRY V (with Biographical); THE LAST TYCOON (with Show business; Historical); MAN OF LA MANCHA (with Musical; Parody; Historical); OTHELLO (with Romance; Historical); THE RAVEN (with Horror); THE RAZOR'S EDGE; ROMEO AND JULIET (with Romance; Historical); WAR AND PEACE (with Historical) TV examples: GULLIVER'S TRAVELS (with Fantasy); SHIRLEY TEMPLE'S STORYBOOK Adventure Fictional work set in a historical period, from the middle ages through the 19th century, typically dramatizing the exploits of actual historical figures or incidents, including kings and battles, rebellion, piracy and the Spanish Main, travel, exploration, and the creation of empires. Larger ideological issues are mythicized and conflicts personalized over historical accuracy. Adventure usually involves a courageous, altruistic and patriotic hero willing to fight for his beliefs, who becomes involved in a struggle for freedom by overcoming oppression and helping to create a more just society. Note: Not necessary to also use Historical since that is implied by Adventure. If work includes supernatural or magic, use Fantasy. Other genres often confused with Adventure include Ancient world, Animal, Aviation, Crime, Thriller, Science fiction, and War. Examples: THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD; AGUIRRE DER ZORN GOTTES / AGUIRRE--THE WRATH OF GOD; AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (with Adaptation; Comedy); BEAU GESTE; CAPTAIN BLOOD; CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE; CAPTAIN HORATIO HORNBLOWER; ELEPHANT BOY; GUNGA DIN; KING OF THE KHYBER RIFLES; LANCELOT DU LAC; LORD JIM; MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY; OMAR KHAYYAM; THE PRISONER OF ZENDA; THE SEA WOLF; THE THREE MUSKETEERS; TRADER HORN; TREASURE ISLAND; WHITE SHADOWS OVER THE SOUTH SEAS TV examples: THE BUCCANEERS (1956-57); THE LAST PLACE ON EARTH; ROBIN HOOD (1955-58); SEARCH FOR THE NILE; 77TH BENGAL LANCERS; SHARPE'S RIFLES; THE SWAMP FOX; ZORRO Brian Taves Motion Picture/Broadcasting/Recorded Sound Division Library of Congress Washington, D.C. 20540 202-707-9930 202-707-2371 (fax) Internet: [log in to unmask] ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]