This week we explored the fantasy and the fantastic genre within film and TV. Yet what i got out of the seminar and lectures was that instead of fantasy being of it's own single genre to a film piece, it is in-fact a genre that occurs within all other genres of films, just approached in different ways. For example, we watched an episode of 'Awake' (NBC, 2012), which is based on a man living in two different worlds, not sure which one is false. This programme has a drama genre within it, working out his relationships with his wife and son, yet as he is living two different lives. The show picks up the fantasy genre with the classic alternate realities element of the genre.
Horror is often a genre which involves a fantasy genre, using monsters, supernaturals and witch craft, such as creep, with much reality from the scenario in the tube station yet the 'mad man' is somewhat of a monster and very fantasy. There is also normally a confusion between sci-fi and fantasy yet i have learnt that they often combined in genres, such as LOST, with the sci-fi being that they back up the concept with science. Such as the island not being seen from satellite with the planes signals disappearing along with the islands magnetism's is all very science fiction along with the history of the real-life Bermuda triangle in North-Atlantic. This gives the audience a 'what if?' feel, a common factor of sci-fi, along with technology.
Fantasy includes elements of magic, alternate realities, special effects and a wide use of CGI. We also see in fantasy films, some having their own worlds and even languages such as Harry Potter and Avatar. This last factor of their own worlds, widely applies to the second screening we had within the lecture, Games of Thrones (HBO, 2011). This episode, spoke widely of monsters and creatures within the world which do not exist in our reality, making it fictional and fantasy. Fantasy allows the audience to be fascinated and has grown over the years, beginning in 1906 with the audience simply beginning fascinated with moving images on screen yet as we have grown with the norm of this, content has become important to fascinate. Such as from 'A Trip to the Moon' (George Melies, 1902) to Avatar (James Cameron, 2010). 
There is also a big debate on where fantasy begins and where reality ends in a film, such as do we class the cinematography as fantasy if it's CGI or green screened and the manipulation of space and time, such as flashbacks? Normally these two genres co-exist with 'Awake' being a prime example, which i mentioned earlier on, with the audience not sure on the mortality of the characters, which is also the case in LOST, with a number of flashbacks, flash-forwards and flash-sideways. Inception is also a confusion to time space and mortality to the audience and the characters. 
I think my favourite part of the fantasy genre is the fact that it can be put into so many genres and how anything within the imagination can be shown through fantasy films, especially through animation, where the viewer really can escape reality, such as in 'Cloudy with a chance of meatballs', with the character making his world rain food. However, fantasy can also include valuable messages and look into the future, such as 'The Lorex', a completely fantasy world, yet carrying a valuable message to children about the damage to nature and the big decrease in trees. 
consumtionblog, 2012. 'consumptive judgement'. Available at: http://consumptionblog.com/2012/01/17/consumptive-judgement-homeland-vs-game-of-thrones/
fanpop,2012. 'Awake'. Available at: http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/awake-nbc/images/24364390/title/awake-fanart
funscrape.com,2007-2012.'LOST plane crash' Available at: http://www.funscrape.com/Picture/61070/Lost
Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P, 2012. 'The Lorex printables'. Available at: https://h30495.www3.hp.com/detail/10000002.1
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