Hutson 1

Caitlin Hutson
Brandi Bradley
ENC 2135
27 November 2015
Genre and Rhetoric Artists Statement
My composition project revolves around the constant debate between union and nonunion acting work, specifically in film and television. The commercialization of the
entertainment industry has prompted the strong role the Screen Actors Guild plays in a
professional actors career. However, for rising actors the Guilds requirements, restrictions, and
fees often make it more difficult to advance in their careers than remaining non-union would.
This conundrumthe answer to when an actor should make the jump to unionis what my
three genres address.
My audience consists of young, aspiring actors who lack knowledge on the business side
of the entertainment industry. I planned my genres to be narrative to appeal to the pathos of the
audience and informative to educate the audience about the topic so they can make informed
decisions. I did not want to use persuasive genres, because even though I have personal opinions
regarding the best time to join the union, my goal is not to persuade other actors to do what I
plan to do; it is to ensure that they are fully prepared when they make their own decisions.
In the pre-production stage of my project I planned for my three genres to be a comic
strip, a poster, and a monologue. The comic strip and monologue would both be narrative, using
exaggerated stories to make points about specific aspects of the Screen Actors Guild that actors
should be aware of. However, quickly into my process I realized that a monologue demonstrating
a characters individual experience with the union was not a good choice because every actors

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experience is different; I needed to connect with a broader audience. I then decided to change the
monologue to an Instagram account that showcases notable acting work of non-union actors.
This genre features a larger scope of actors while still using pathos to show followers the virtues
of non-union acting.
The Instagram account proved to be my most effective genre. I mimicked the
presentation style of the popular photo blog Humans of New York by seeking out non-union
actors and asking them for a story of their greatest acting work and a picture (either behind the
scenes or a headshot) to complement it. The use of first person accounts as well as my personal
reviews made the genre very reliant on pathos. As I made more posts I attempted to include more
history and accreditations to increase the ethos of my genre, however much of this was
dependent on the actors worka caption about a student doing community theatre is not as
credible or convincing as a Florida actors principal role in a new PBS series. This genre does
not utilize logos, as the stories have no logical sequence or factual reasoning. Instagram posts
rely solely on entertainment value, empathy, and the potential to go viral.
In my opinion, the biggest reason my Instagram account was more successful than my
other two genres was because of its accessibility. The social media-centered composition not
only appeals to my young adult audience, but it follows a two-click rule that enables my posts
to be spread quickly and easily. Furthermore, since the account is linked to my Facebook
account, my Facebook friendsspecifically, the ones who are aspiring actorswere notified of
its creation as soon as I made it. The notification is instant advertising.
My comic strip is my second narrative genre. It differs from the Instagram account in that
it does not narrate real experiences; it is a fictional exaggeration of SAG-AFTRAs Global Rule
One. Global Rule One is the most well-known and heavily mandated rule that the actors union

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has. It prevents union actors from working on any project that is not also union. I wanted to
address Global Rule One not only because of its caricatured depiction (its a rule, its global,
AND its Number One!!!) but because it provides considerable strife for actors just joining the
union. A comic was the best choice rhetorically because it has the means to create pathos through
humor and illustration. I included graphic metaphors such as the actor drawn as a star and
Showbiz drawn as the Earth to satirize the apparent grandeur of Global Rule One. As with the
Instagram account, the comic strip has very little ethos and logos. The ethos comes from the
knowledge I gained through the SAG-AFTRA website, which I reference within the narrative (in
addition to citing it at the bottom of the illustration).
Since I do not have the means to mass distribute a graphic narrative on paper, I chose to
scan my comic and dispense it online through social media. Because all of my genres are viewed
via the Internet I am able to connect them through hyperlinks and direct posting. The comic was
not as successful as the Instagram account in terms of viewers and promotion because it only has
one post to Instagrams twenty and counting. It also lacks the real-world connections that made
the Indie Acting posts so heartwarming. However, I do suspect that in the long run the comic will
be more popular than the infographic because it appeals to the audiences emotions. Based on
what we have discussed in class, it is safe to assume that a pathos-filled genre will be more
successful in grabbing a young audiences attention than a logos-filled one.
I wanted to include some logical reasoning for my third genre, so I chose an infographic
that could concisely explain the means of joining the Screen Actors Guild. The information is
laid out in a bullet point system, so viewers can quickly skim through it. It is also organized into
eight sections so that an audience member knows specifically what each bullet point pertains. All
the data originates from the sources I used in my research paper, which are referenced at the

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bottom of the infographic. The application of sources gives this genre ethos as well as
opportunities for interested viewers to expand upon the information they read in the composition.
While logos and ethos are the primary rhetorical devices used in the infographic, pathos
is also prevalent due to the imagery and creative layout. It is set up in a web-friendly way that
allows viewers to simply scroll through the information. Furthermore, the color scheme and clip
art are associated with stereotypes of the entertainment industrythe color red for Hollywood
and drama masks for actingthat draw in potential viewers with an interest in show business.
Even though the infographic has a greater balance of rhetorical devices than the comic
and Instagram account, it is the least successfully dispersed genre due to its lack of viral appeal.
It does not have the emotional stimulation or wide audience connection necessary to become
viral. The infographic, while valuable, is meant for the niche community that my topic revolves
around and little more.
Overall the process of composing genres that were received by an actual audience helped
me more clearly understand the necessity of rhetorical appeals and marketing strategies to make
the composition successful. While the process is as involved as I imagined, having applied them
myself I now have a better grasp of the concepts of rhetoric and genre, and how they pertain to
real-world situations. Especially in an era where social media is prevalent both on a personal and
commercial scale, having the knowledge to use it to ones advantage is extremely valuable. After
working on this project, I definitely have a greater appreciation for the art of rhetoric, especially
when it applies to the Internet.