A question for film-buffs/film students

[SymphonicX]

Ello....having a discussion at work about filmmaking and I remember a lesson in college about there only being 3/5 types of movie - not genres exactly but one of them was something like "stranger in a strange land" or "fish out of water" which basically describes movies like Forrest Gump, Back to the Future, Big....etc...

but what where the other types? who said this originally? Any info would be great - I didn't study film, I do everything by eye/ear, so I'm lost!

[_liam_]

I think maybe that refers more to character archetypes than plot, but I'm not sure. My brain isn't working, sorry :lol: Your basic 3 act structure is call to action - compication - resolution

If you find this sort of thing interesting check these out though

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hero_With_A_Thousand_Faces

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monomyth

[AcesandEights]

Ah, man...Joseph Campbell is great. I must have watched the "Power pf Myth" series of interviews with Bill Moyers over a dozen times.

Follow your bliss.

[bassman]

If I had to guess all the genres I would go with something like Comedy, Drama, Horror, Action, Children, and Suspense.

[SymphonicX]

It's not genres, it's actually plots - there are only a certain amount of plots, I think I found something earlier but it's not exactly as I remember it...but it did include a fish out of water type plot....will post later :)

[clanglee]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archetypal_literary_criticism

[Mike70]

you might also find the work of carl jung interesting. jung believed in psychological archetypes and a collective unconsciousness that all humans share. he rejected utterly the tabula rasa theory of human psychological development and instead argued that all human attributes/attitudes are a priori.

[MinionZombie]

I think I know what Symph is on about - something like:

1) Man VS Man
2) Man VS Nature
3) Man VS Himself

But there are other variations that go up to five types as well I think...different models out there, so there are.

...

Why did I end up talking like Yoda?

[DjfunkmasterG]

Coming of Age is another style.