Universal Studios.

Universal Studios.



Universal Studios, is a division of the well known NBC Universal. The studios is one of the Six major studios, alongside: Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures and 20th Century Fox. It also owns 11.3% of the market share in U.S/Canada. Universal is one of the longest-lived motion picture studios to be located outside Hollywood.
Founded in 1912 by the German-Jewish immigrant, Carl Laemmle. The studio is the oldest in the States and the third oldest in the world – that is still in production, after number one, Gaumont pictures and number two, Paramount. 

Universal has had many owners, from being an independent business, to having Major companies like Panasonic or Vivendi. In May 2004 Vivendi decided to sell the Pictures to General Electric (conglomerate) who still own Universal alongside Comcast today. 

Other Divisions and brands include: Universal Animation Studios, Illumination Studios and Working Title Films. 

Although Universal Studios has many films under its belt over the 100 years like: Jurassic Park franchise, The Blues Brothers, Back to the Future Trilogy and E.T: The extra terrestrial, it has a sizeable collection of TV shows through its Subsidiary with NBC Universal Television Distribution.

Universal Studios, do not have one genre they tend to focus on, however, it seems they enjoy and are mostly successful with Sci-Fi.
Even though, Universal has made huge blockbuster movies, it can always be hit and miss for them to make a profit from release. On average in the few years their margin is approximately 35.8%. Most Successful film for them was E.T.: The Extra- Terrestrial, making them a total gross of $359,197,037 – It was also the most successful film of the 1980s. Jurassic Park and Meet the Fockers were runners up.



Having seen the Universal Logo many times, it is one of the most recognizable logos in the world. The original globe spinning around a space/starry background and their name orbiting around the globe has changed and adapted many times throughout the years. However it has always maintained the familiar logo everyone knows so well. I have Also posted a video showing how the logo has changed through the years....

Film Genre

Film Genre

In film theory, genre is referred to the method based on similarities in the narrative elements from how films are constructed and created.
Fictional films are usually categorised (as the main genres we know) according to the setting, theme or mood. Target audiences can also categorize a film into a certain genre, for example, Disney creates films for families and children, and so the genres would mostly be adventure/fantasy crossover.
Film genres can branch out into sub-genres. E.g. Romance (sub-genre) is usually linked to comedy or drama… Romantic Comedy and Romantic Drama.
Genre is a vague term with no boundaries. Movies are never 100% fixed on one genre of film. Films tend to crossover/mix two or even three genres at once like Horror/Comedy, Action/Thriller etc. Another example of an actual film could be, ‘Back to the Future Part III’ because of its Western/Science-Fiction mix.

One film theorist argued that genre could be defined in four ways:

1) Idealistic Method- Judges films by predetermined standards.

2) Empirical Method – Identifies the genre of a film by comparing it to a list of films already deemed to fall within a certain genre.

3) The Apriori Method – Uses common generic elements that are identified in advance.

4) Social Conventions Method – Identifying the genre of a film based on the accepted cultural consensus within society.

Some screen writers use genre to determine the plot or content to put in their own screenplay.They find examples and copy it into their own. It is likely that such fail in originality and fall into that category.They defy the elements found in past works. Originality and surprise is what makes a film good.

Main Film Genres


Action – This genre includes high energy, big budget over exaggerated physical stunts and chases, rescues and fights. Destructive crises like fires and explosions are near enough always used. Typically there is a hero/heroin battling evil ‘bad guys’. A sub-genre for action is usually Disaster films. Also, more then often it is crossed over with other genres like Thriller and Adventure. There are so many different examples of Action movies, however, the most well known are the ‘James Bond’ series.


Adventure - Usually includes exciting stories/plots for new experiences or exotic locations for the audience. It is very similar to the genre and often paired with action. Often there will tend to be swashbucklers or historical spectacles. Searching for lost objects/places or the unknown. An example of an movie would be ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’.


Comedy – A comedy has light–hearted plot what is designed to deliberately and amuse and provoke laughter towards and audience with one liners and jokes etc. Situation of the film is overly . Different types of comedies are: Slapstick, screwball, spoofs, parodies, rom-coms and black comedy (dark comedy).


Crime (and Gangster) – Developed around the sinister actions of criminals or mobsters e.g. Bank robbers, Ruthless hoodlums etc.Characters either operate outside law; stealing, murdering their way through life or are totally against crime and will go at nothing to avoid and prevent it. Crime can often be categorized as Black Noir or Detective mystery.


Dramas – This genre has serious plots and will portray characters, setting and life situations. It is very unlikely to see special effects in these movies. Drama tends to have one of the largest genres of subsets.



Epic/Historical - Could be a costume drama, historical, war, medieval or period drama. This genre will have serious plots and will portray realistic characters, setting and life situations. It is very unlikely to see special effects in these movies. Drama tends to have one of the largest genres of subsets.


Horror - A horror intends to frighten or to invoke worst fears to an audience. Often enough is terrifying and shocking while captivating and entertaining. There is a wide of styles that include, Nosferatu classic to today’s CGI monsters and de ranged humans. Sci-fi genre is usually combined. Examples of sub-genres are: Slashers, teen horrors, serial killers, satanic and Dracula.


Musical/Dance - Musical/Dance films are always in cinematic form that emphasizes a situation with, full-scale scores or song and dance routines. Major Sub-genre is - ComedyMusical.


Sci-fi (Science Fiction) - Visionary and imaginative, complete with heroes, aliens, distant planets, impossible quests, sometimes time travel, dark villains, future technology, unknown and monsters.Sometimes can be off shot of a fantasy film. Can crossover/combine with action/adventure films. Can also overlap with horror.

War (and anti-war) - These films acknowledge horror/heartbreak or war. Always involve, combat, fighting on land, sea or planes that provide the primary plot or background. Can be paired with action, adventure, drama, romance, comedy (black), suspense and epics or westerns. Can include POW or stories of military, operations and training.

Westerns - A major defining of the American film industry. This is the oldest most enduring genre with plots, elements, characters, horses, guns, dusty towns , cowboys, Indians, saloons etc. Overtime, this genre has been re-invented and expanded, dismissed, re-discovered and spoofed.

Sub-genres - Sub divides films of a larger category.


Here is a list of some well-known sub-genres:

-Biopic
- Chick Flicks

- Detective Mystery

- Disaster 

- Fantasy 

- Film Noir

- Melodramas

- Road Films

- Romance- Sports

- Supernatural

- Thriller suspense

Other Film categories:
- Animation
- British/UK

- Children/Family
- Cult
- Documentary
- Serial
- Silent