Synergetic Fusion

The idea of synergy is very important, and is usually described as a whole being greater than the sum of its parts. The way in which this applies to genres is that a fantastic way to revive stale genres is to fuse them with other genres.

Again, "Blade Runner" is a valuable example. It fuses the elements of detective and noir films with that of a science fiction meditation on the nature of humanity. The result is an astonishing blend of the two that redefines both of the genres in new and unexpected ways. Each genre, in fact, helps redefine and subvert the expectations of the other.

The detective genre aspects of "Blade Runner" are completely transformed by the demands of its science fiction genre aspects, and vice versa. The detective, Deckard, is really a paid assassin; thus a traditional good guy is now, in one respect, a bad guy (which defines him as an anti-hero). The science fiction story is given all the trappings of a detective story, which provides an archetypal quest framework for the film's deep meditations about humanity and morality. Together, the two genres reinforce and enrich each other in order to create an intriguing tapestry of old ideas explored in brand new ways.

This idea of fusion of genres has become more and more common as writers look for new ways to expand their storytelling style and repertoire, while at the same time paying homage to the genres they love. Not only are such films fusions of genres, but these fusions often occur along plotlines. Some recent examples:

• "Witness"
  Plotwise a thriller, subplotwise a love story.
• "The People vs. Larry Flynt"
  The plot is basically "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (a man against the state), subplot A is a Horatio Alger success story, subplot B is a tragic love story. And while all of these genres are typically associated with noble characters, the big twist here is that the main character is a notorious publicity-seeking smut-peddler.
• "2001: A Space Odyssey"
  Plotwise a fusion of both science fiction and thriller genres, subplotwise an exploration of the evolution of consciousness -- almost a fusion of mainstream and experimental film.
• "Blade Runner"
  The plot is Deckard's detective story, subplot A is the love story between Deckard & Rachael, and subplot B is another detective story - the replicants' search for more life.

Fusion of genres not only revives stale story elements by creating mutant hybrids with other genre tropes, but gives you a chance as a writer to cram so much more into your narratives. You can:

• Use one genre to comment upon the other.
  The love story in "Witness", set in context of the pacifist Amish community, comments upon the violence inherent in the genre-world of the thriller.
• Draw parallels between the genres to illustrate your theme.
  In "Romancing the Stone", main character Joan Wilder's life is somehow lacking. Once she is drawn into the adventure of the film, it brings new, unexpected excitement to her life, and allows the romantic comedy between Joan and Jack to come to life. The story posits that love is like an adventure -- even the jewel that they find is called El Corazon ("the heart") and is a symbol for their discovery of love.
• Undermine the expectations of one genre by allowing another genre to provide resolutions to story problems.
  A straightforward example occurs in "Star Wars" during Luke's attempt to destroy the Death Star. He needs to precisely hit a tiny vent with a bomb, essentially a technical demand of the science fiction side of the story. Yet in order to do this, he needs to give in to the fantasy demand of giving in to the higher power of the Force.

There are many more examples of the ways in which you can mix and match genres and their demands in order to create the new and unexpected. Always be on the lookout for new ways to accomplish this task; such inventiveness is a writer's bread and butter.

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