Friday, June 10, 2011
Film Projects Due Today!
Get them done. Finish up. Work on putting your portfolio together. Done with everything? Go online and play or write on your blog or read your fantasy book.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Film Project
Please complete your film documentaries.
HOMEWORK: Complete your filming/editing. Continue reading your fantasy book.
HOMEWORK: Complete your filming/editing. Continue reading your fantasy book.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Fantasy Genres: A brief overview
There are quite a few speculative and fantasy genres that writers tend to write in. Each has its own "feel" or "tone" and there are a few rules writers in these genres follow.
It can be helpful to note which genres are which so that you can select reading material more accurately. Why waste your time reading a pleasure book you don't like?
Fantasy fiction is a wide genre suited to the fantasist reader. It has what fantasists like best: a strange or exciting world in which to lose themselves in, often an epic story with a lot of action, weird occurances, strange characters, and the best part: it's not OUR reality. Laws and physics do not work the same as in realist fiction.
Fantasy can be described as fiction with elements of magic, unknown monsters, creatures, strange beings, and make-believe worlds. While many consider knights in armor, mystical elves, and burly dwarves swinging axes (thanks to the role playing industry) to be the staples of fantasy, there are other aspects to it as well. Here's an overview of the fantasy genres in fiction:
High or Epic Fantasy Genre
The high or epic fantasy genre is probably the most recognized by the general public. In high or epic fantasy, knights go on quests, fair maidens need rescuing, and the general theme is usually Good vs. Evil. This fantasy genre is set in a pseudo-medieval world of kings and queens. It often has powerful wizards, bands of adventurers, and multiple quests to undertake. The narrative scope is large and vast, and often spread out over several books in a series. The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan and J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece The Lord of the Rings are just two examples.
Sword and Sorcery Fantasy Genre
The sword and sorcery fantasy genre is akin to Dungeons & Dragons games put in type. With similar characteristics of high or epic fantasy, sword and sorcery has a much smaller scope. One band of adventurers is going on one quest. There is often a lot of action involved.
Alternate History Fantasy Genre
This fantasy genre takes a snippet of real-life history and warps it to include fantasy elements. For example, an alternate history fantasy novel may be about WWII and how the goblins played a hand in defeating the Nazis.
One popular sub-genre of alternate history is steampunk. Set in Victorian or Edwardian era, steampunk fantasy incorporates steam-powered technology in often suprising or fantasic ways.
Urban or Contemporary Fantasy Genre
Urban or contemporary fantasy differ only in that urban fantasy is set in a city and is sometimes darker in nature than contemporary. Harry Potter is an example of contemporary fantasy (although taken together it is also Epic). These fantasy genres combine magical beings or spells with modern socity.
Dark Fantasy
The dark fantasy genre is, by definition, dark. It often overlaps both the urban fantasy genre and horror. Vampires, demons rising from the underworld, and Lovecraftian stories are dark fantasy. What makes a story dark fantasy rather than straight horror is often the medieval type setting, or more emphasis on paranormal themes over simply scaring the pants off the reader.
Other Fantasy Genres
There are other fantasy genres besides the ones listed above. Elfpunk is a sub-genre in which fantasy creatures such as elves, dwarves, and fairies enter into, or are a part of, ultra-modern 'punk' society. Erotic fantasy has a strong overshadow of sex, while romantic fantasy is more subtle in the love plots. Mythic fantasy uses classic myths or legends to introduce the fantasy elements. There are science fantasy crossovers from classic science fiction, and even comic fantasy.
There are many worlds in which to explore. Next post I'll get you some links to some of the more significant writers of fantasy with links to their work. This makes excellent summer reading.
HOMEWORK: Please begin reading your chosen novel: The Sword in the Stone, The Hobbit, or A Wizard of Earthsea. Please post comments on your blog about the books as you read.
It can be helpful to note which genres are which so that you can select reading material more accurately. Why waste your time reading a pleasure book you don't like?
Fantasy fiction is a wide genre suited to the fantasist reader. It has what fantasists like best: a strange or exciting world in which to lose themselves in, often an epic story with a lot of action, weird occurances, strange characters, and the best part: it's not OUR reality. Laws and physics do not work the same as in realist fiction.
Fantasy can be described as fiction with elements of magic, unknown monsters, creatures, strange beings, and make-believe worlds. While many consider knights in armor, mystical elves, and burly dwarves swinging axes (thanks to the role playing industry) to be the staples of fantasy, there are other aspects to it as well. Here's an overview of the fantasy genres in fiction:
High or Epic Fantasy Genre
The high or epic fantasy genre is probably the most recognized by the general public. In high or epic fantasy, knights go on quests, fair maidens need rescuing, and the general theme is usually Good vs. Evil. This fantasy genre is set in a pseudo-medieval world of kings and queens. It often has powerful wizards, bands of adventurers, and multiple quests to undertake. The narrative scope is large and vast, and often spread out over several books in a series. The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan and J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece The Lord of the Rings are just two examples.
Sword and Sorcery Fantasy Genre
The sword and sorcery fantasy genre is akin to Dungeons & Dragons games put in type. With similar characteristics of high or epic fantasy, sword and sorcery has a much smaller scope. One band of adventurers is going on one quest. There is often a lot of action involved.
Alternate History Fantasy Genre
This fantasy genre takes a snippet of real-life history and warps it to include fantasy elements. For example, an alternate history fantasy novel may be about WWII and how the goblins played a hand in defeating the Nazis.
One popular sub-genre of alternate history is steampunk. Set in Victorian or Edwardian era, steampunk fantasy incorporates steam-powered technology in often suprising or fantasic ways.
Urban or Contemporary Fantasy Genre
Urban or contemporary fantasy differ only in that urban fantasy is set in a city and is sometimes darker in nature than contemporary. Harry Potter is an example of contemporary fantasy (although taken together it is also Epic). These fantasy genres combine magical beings or spells with modern socity.
Dark Fantasy
The dark fantasy genre is, by definition, dark. It often overlaps both the urban fantasy genre and horror. Vampires, demons rising from the underworld, and Lovecraftian stories are dark fantasy. What makes a story dark fantasy rather than straight horror is often the medieval type setting, or more emphasis on paranormal themes over simply scaring the pants off the reader.
Other Fantasy Genres
There are other fantasy genres besides the ones listed above. Elfpunk is a sub-genre in which fantasy creatures such as elves, dwarves, and fairies enter into, or are a part of, ultra-modern 'punk' society. Erotic fantasy has a strong overshadow of sex, while romantic fantasy is more subtle in the love plots. Mythic fantasy uses classic myths or legends to introduce the fantasy elements. There are science fantasy crossovers from classic science fiction, and even comic fantasy.
There are many worlds in which to explore. Next post I'll get you some links to some of the more significant writers of fantasy with links to their work. This makes excellent summer reading.
HOMEWORK: Please begin reading your chosen novel: The Sword in the Stone, The Hobbit, or A Wizard of Earthsea. Please post comments on your blog about the books as you read.
Documentary Project
Please continue working on your documentary project.
Please plan on attending our last coffeehouse of the year. Friends and family are welcome!
We will be sending the seniors off and saying goodbye to our senior class. But we also want to hear from you! You've worked a lot, put in a lot of effort, and spent your time writing, performing, thinking, procrastinating, and learning.
Please join us at 7:00 on Monday in the Ensemble Theater. Refreshments will be provided.
NOTE: If you have a film project you would like to present, please copy the MP4 file and send it to my teacher email address by end of day Monday.
Also: we would like to put together a 2011 literary booklet with your favorite and best written work. Please send me the attached file and we'll put you in the booklet. I need the files by Monday, June 6.
Please plan on attending our last coffeehouse of the year. Friends and family are welcome!
We will be sending the seniors off and saying goodbye to our senior class. But we also want to hear from you! You've worked a lot, put in a lot of effort, and spent your time writing, performing, thinking, procrastinating, and learning.
Please join us at 7:00 on Monday in the Ensemble Theater. Refreshments will be provided.
NOTE: If you have a film project you would like to present, please copy the MP4 file and send it to my teacher email address by end of day Monday.
Also: we would like to put together a 2011 literary booklet with your favorite and best written work. Please send me the attached file and we'll put you in the booklet. I need the files by Monday, June 6.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)