Tutankhamun, Get Out

It’s genre week! This is #3 of 3. (Here are #1 and #2.)

Can you invent a genre? 

For sure.

But inventing one from scratch is rare:

• Jaws was the first summer blockbuster. 

• Toy Story was the first CGI movie.

• Psycho was the first slasher film.

In exhibitions: 

• Treasures of Tutankhamun was the first blockbuster. 

• Ateliers des Lumières pioneered immersive projection. 

• Meow Wolf was the first … Meow Wolf.

They took a risk and people liked it. But a hundred others lost their bet.

It’s easier to make a new sub-genre:

• Get Out pioneered a new sub-genre of horror / social satire. 

• Bridgerton pioneered a new sub-genre of period epic.

• Halloween took what Psycho started and made a new standard.

This usually means adding to an established type. 

That’s why:

• Adding paintings to a natural history exhibition sounds plausible.

• Enlivening a sculpture garden with performance art might be terrific.

• Wrapping a science exhibit with digital immersive could be great. 

Here’s the thing:
Inventing a new genre is rare — but does happen. 

Trying to make a new sub-genre is much less risky — you’ll just need a strong idea.

Warmly
Jonathan

P.S. That’s a wrap for genre week! Thoughts? Hit REPLY and LMK.