When it comes to moving images, the term genre can be used to describe thematic differences among feature films, such as “adventure” or “romantic comedy” or “documentary.” Using terminology like this provides a convenient way to classify movies.
Because your examination of moving images may go beyond feature films, however, this section uses the term genre to discuss format rather than theme. Moving images can range from simple animated sequences to complex full-length movies. The following chart defines common genres.
GenreDescription
| Flip book | A physical animation created by drawing the same figure with slight changes on multiple pages and then flipping the pages to create an illusion of motion. |
| Simple animation | A computer-based animation using a series of still images and applying software techniques to make the images appear to be moving. |
| Stop-motion animation | An animated video effect created by moving an object a small amount at a time, photographing it each time, and then sequencing the images together to create a sense of movement. |
| Photo-realistic animation | Animation created through complex drawing, drafting, and computer rendering. The movies Toy Story and Shrek are examples of this kind of animation. |
| Playable animation | Animation sequences created by software designers and programmers for the specific purpose of interaction by viewers or players. These can be as simple as banner ads that change when viewers hover a cursor over the ad or sequences in longer video games. |
| Video clip | A short video that is typically created with a cell phone camera or a digital camera and posted, often unedited, to a site such as YouTube. Some video clips are edited before posting, especially those used for instructional or news purposes. |
| Film | Usually a feature-length motion picture, or movie. Perhaps the most common genre of moving image, film is used to bring fiction and nonfiction to life for entertainment and education. |