Remix and the Art of Genre-blending

In the last post, I discussed how the remix process led to using an array of different genres side-by-side inside one single project. Genre is used as a shorthand term to define the theme of each piece, as genre theory suggests that audience familiarity with established genre conventions can be used to bypass long character and plot setups and concentrate on the style. This was important for my project given that most motion graphics are short in duration.

Some thought then had to be given to how a multi-genre approach might work. The first solution was to create an overarching spine to hold the whole thing together. This was achieved by having a beginning and end that takes place inside the same space – essentially finishing where it began. This left the larger middle section to deal with. I decided to position the nine motion graphic narratives in reverse chronological order, starting with the most futuristic descending toward the distant past, borrowing an idea (from Red Dwarf) that as the universe heads toward a second big bang, time begins to run backward. In my story, this big bang was re-imagined as a creativity reboot.

The nine genres. © copyright Zak Waipara

The timeline was simply a way to organise these motion graphic genres logically. I also developed a series of icongraphic motifs (in theme), one for each motion graphic. Furthermore these motifs were embedded within each scene and their recurrence was designed to help the audience segue seamlessly between genres.

Triptych from the Western styled motion graphic. © copyright Zak Waipara

In addition to situating different genres side by side, one or more were mashed together to form a kind of hybrid genre (in remix culture this is referred to as a mash-up). Genre-mashing seems to be a natural outgrowth of using remix with narrative. So not only can material forms be merged, but ideas and themes can be hybridised as well.

Screen grab from the Steampunk styled motion graphic. © copyright Zak Waipara

All in all, I was surprised at how successfully this worked, so much so that I hope to apply this multi-genre idea again to a new project in future, only one that will have to take place beyond the current Masters’ transmedia project!