more learning

Hello! So in my last blog post, we explored the genre of "coming of age" and I learned a lot throughout my research. Today I want to dive deeper into my learning and focus on two examples of "coming of age" films I mentioned in my last blog post: Lady Bird and Perks of Being A Wallflower. Before we begin, I want to preface that I have seen these two films entirely and hope to use them as inspiration for my upcoming trailer creation.

Lady Bird

Lady Bird follows a young girl Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson's journey to discover herself during her senior year of high school. Christine is loving, strong-willed, and deeply opinionated. After her mom makes her get a job, Christine starts working at a coffee shop where she meets an edgy musician named Kyle Scheible. He and Lady Bird begin a romantic relationship, and she begins to drift away from her best friend Julie in favor of a friendship with a popular girl named Jenna Walton. The movie emphasizes the complex relationship between a mother and daughter during this age and highlights themes of class struggle as Lady Bird's parents were struggling financially. 

Genre Conventions It follows:

-Romantic relationship involved in the movie

-Utilizes comedy and music throughout the film

-Highlights the uncertainty of a teenage girl

-Emphasizes the relationships and internal struggles of the character

Things I liked about the film:

-I liked how strong the protagonist was as a character. In my opinion, some protagonists can be quite boring but she really stood out to me and she made the movie very relatable

-Doesn't romanticize teenage years as much, it highlights the struggles and is realistic

-The film didn't revolve around a romantic relationship. Although it was involved in the plot, it was centered around it

-Does a great job of portraying relationships

-Visually aesthetic and nice to watch

learning.

Hello! Today I am doing something that is integral to the development of my project... research on my genre! If you've been paying attention you would know that I am leaning towards doing a coming-of-age film, and therefore I am going to research that. Let's get into it!!

What is a "coming of age" film?

This genre refers to any work of literature, film, or other media forms that focuses on the personal growth and transition of the protagonist from childhood to adulthood. This genre often highlights the emotional and social changes that the protagonist experiences during the process of maturing.

What are some characteristics of a "coming of age" film?

-Usually emphasizes the internal thoughts of the characters as opposed to just focusing on external action

-Centered around teenagers

-Centered around major life changes and milestones

What are some genre conventions of a "coming of age film"?

-These films include dramatic elements and often inject elements such as comedy and music

-Most films include a degree of romance, often the protagonist's first romantic experience

-Most films highlight the awkwardness and uncertainty of youth

-Coming of age films lend themselves well to slice of life narratives and highly personal stories

What are some examples of coming of age films? (Will expand on these movies in later blog posts)

                             Lady Bird                                     Perks Of Being a Wallflower    

                                        

                                                                                                            

                       The Breakfast Club                                             Juno

                                       

Target Audience?

-12-18 (teenagers-young adults)

-Female and Male

-People who are learning to navigate the world

-People in the midst of their adolescence

-Older audiences who wish to reminisce on their youth

Other Info:

-Coming age film comes from a broader genre of "Teen Films"

-In the early twentieth century, coming of age films were usually adaptations of books like Little Women (1933) and The Wizard of Oz (1939)

-Teen dramas started becoming a popular in the 1980's due in part to the influence of John Hughes releasing a series of these films throughout the decade such as Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), and Pretty in Pink (1986). These films became hits which likely affected the popularity of the genre

-A lot of films address issues that teens face today such as being open about your sexuality (Moonlight), teen pregnancy (Juno), or race(Boyz n the Hood).

After doing all of this research, I feel a lot more familiar with the genre and I think I have an idea of how I might want to approach this film. But we'll get into that later. See you soon.

Arguably the most important part...

Something that I did do very well last year was plan my blogging, filming, and editing. This year I aim to do the same, while also giving myself flexibility on what each blog post will be specifically about. Note that my blogging schedule is ideal and does not have to be followed day by day. Here is my schedule:

Something that I did last year that helped me stay motivated was add a checklist next to each blog/task that I had to complete that week, giving me something to look forward to when I complete a task. As you can see on some weeks I don't provide specific information for what each blog will contain I put "Production process" or "Critical Reflection" because right now I really don't know what my project will grow into, so the most I can do is just plan generally. Something that I want to include in this post (for me to look back on) are some reminders. Here they are:

-Don't overthink this process

-Don't get too stressed

-This is more for yourself than it is for the grade

-Prioritize the value of what you are making over the result

-Things happen all the time, how will you move on?

-Will you look back on this and be proud?

-Get out of your comfort zone

With that being said, this project feels like a fresh start and an opportunity for me to make something great. I am very excited. See you soon.

IM BACKKK

Did you miss me? Because I missed you. Hello and welcome back to my blog!! It's a new project with a new range of possibilities, which is super exciting to me. Before we get into the specifics I just want to do a short reflection on last year's project choice. In hindsight, I felt that the idea I chose to make my film opening about was very superficial and not important to me which is a mistake I want to avoid making this year. The story that I told last year, was not one that I wanted to tell, rather it was a story I thought others would enjoy seeing, and I craved that validation. This year, I want to create something meaningful and important to me and not some random thriller about cults. That being said, here is a little ramble I went on this weekend before being presented with the instructions for the project (Please ignore my grammar, my brain was going a thousand miles an hour)

I think this gives you an idea of where I am in terms of genre and general ideas about this project. I am aiming to create something I am truly proud of, not because I want it to look cool, but because I want this story to be told. I am still brainstorming the perfect way to translate my vision into film, but I have time. See you soon.