Transition Post (Portfolio Project)

     Talking from minimal experience on the whole media gist. I am extremely excited to fully put my all into this project and find a coherent way to show my abilities. My biggest goal for this project is to demonstrate my process thoroughly. I want to fully involve you in the development of my 2-minute film project opening.  As of right now, my ideas are flowing all over the place, and I have to get to a point in my project where I have a stable idea of what I want to do. Regardless, I can't wait to begin this final. Therefore, as I stumble upon the early stages of planning, the realization that I am going to find only one idea to perfect is hitting me. I need to decide on a genre, my actors, and even just my overall plan for the short film. If I'm being honest, I can't wait to see my capabilities. I'm going to use this project to force myself out of my comfort zone, and I'm going to experiment (hopefully with varieties of shots and editing). I am making this blog post to reassure...this blog will change its focus to strictly only things about the project. 

I will be talking about my project ideas, different lighting, dress codes, locations, music, etc. 

I can't wait to get started, and better yet, I can't wait till I'm sitting back reading these blogs I curated after finishing the project.

Portfolio Genre #2 (Survival)

 Survival

• What is the survival genre? The survival genre is something a select number of people find thrilling and inspiring. For many, seeing a human's capacity to fully adapt to our environment and to problem-solve is something that people look forward to seeing on their screens. In some type of way, a selected audience is able to face their biggest anxieties and affairs in a safe and controlled environment. Survival films offer a sense of escapism through the safe means of the theater and our homes.

• Regardless, the movie genre is something widely loved. It focuses on the protagonist's journey while they are fighting against or adapting to extreme life-threatening scenarios. Again, this is a pretty broad genre, thus it can span from post-apocalyptic to dystopian means.

Typical Target Audience

• The typical target audience for the survival genre is teens and adults. If we were to be more specific, we would understand that the ages tend to span from early teens (15) to around people who are generally a little bit older (40). But of course, just like any other genre, one must be inclined to more action-based or thriller-based movies to endure these types of films. Actually, post-apocalyptic and dystopian fans, due to some of the hidden psychological preferences, tend to find survival films a good hit.

• An important mention for this genre is that it has a slight lean towards male audiences

• The thrilling themes of the films keep younger audiences attached to their fast-paced and high-adrenaline scenarios. Older audiences tend to appeal to the emotional depth that the genre can hold.

Genre Conventions with Content

• The most common content conventions included in survival would be:

• A world has been destroyed by

• War

• Virus

• Robots

• Humans

• Lack of resources

• Natural disaster 

• The protagonist or very small group will most likely face survival challenges like hunger, thirst, lack of shelter, and isolation. (PHYSICAL STRUGGLES)

• The setting and environment will be the main antagonist

• It usually follows the physiological journey of the protagonist and their resilience throughout an experience.

• Living with limited resources

• Flashbacks and inner monologue are extremely common; this helps the audience view the character's past life.

Genre Conventions with Technique

• Lighting: 

• High Contrast (lowkey) lighting gives the film a higher sense of danger

• Natural, this unfiltred type of lighting will add realistic elements to the film.

• Limited light sources like a campfire, a candle, or a lantern/flashlight

• Chiaroscuro

• Cinematography:

• Tight shots, intimate close-ups are used so the audience can get a sense of the protagonists more co

• Handheld cameras can help enhance the energy of the situation and the instability of the human mind

• Extreme Wideshots to show the isolation of the protagonist and to emphasize the setting and its destruction. To emphasize character vs environment.

• POV shots are often used to show the genuine struggle of the character

• Sound:

• Diegetic Sounds

• Silence (minimal sounds)

• Sudden loud noises usually breaks silence and make the moment quite tense

• Dissonant Music (low-frequency sound) creates fear

• Editing:

• Long takes are used to create tension

• Jump cuts to heighten the audience's panic

• Linear Chronology (cause and effect structure)

Institutional Conventions 

• Trailers are heavily marked with intense and tension-building music, with quick visuals

• Posters usually involve a worried face or the protagonist with a face of fear

• The settings can be quite broad, and usually show the main antagonist, like empty streets, forest, city, etc

Two Films That Represent the Genre

127 Hours (2010)

A Quite Place (2018)

Portfolio Genre #1 (Coming-of-Age)

 Coming-of-age

• What is the coming-of-age genre? This genre is known for its plot surrounding a young protagonist's journey through major life changes and situations that press them to mature. Although this is usually the case, the genre has broadened its horizons and has made it a bit of a challenge to determine what defines it. These films follow the main character as they “come of age” and stumble upon the next stage of their life, which is noticed through their typical themes of growing up and self-maturation. 

• Nowadays, this genre is paired with many others and is usually never focused solely on its individuality. We usually get dystopian coming-of-age, romantic, and comedic coming-of-age, or maybe even horror coming-of-age. As some might think, this genre isn't paired with others for the sole purpose of helping the character reach their growth; rather,  it is blended with other genres to keep the audience engaged.

• This genre demonstrates to the audience that no matter how hard life gets, there is always hope. Therefore, it is something that is heavily enjoyed.

Typical Target Audience

• The typical target audience for coming-of-age films is usually adolescents (12), teenagers, and young adults (19). This is often the case because the themes that are generated and built throughout the film are themes that individuals in that age group can strongly connect to due to similar outcomes and current experiences. 

• This genre is not limited to its younger audiences; it is also generally known for its broader appeal to older audiences. Making them feel nostalgic about certain experiences, maybe some gone through during their youth, because they long to reflect.

Genre Conventions with Content

• Coming-of-age films are thoroughly recognized through their aesthetic and their common conventions, such as:

• Family (parental problems)

• Highschool life

• Relationships: First love (romance), friends

• Straying from the norm (social pressures)

• self-discovery/worth (identity)

• They more often involve a realistic setting like school, home, parks, and overall, everyday and familiar environments

• In the coming-of-age genre, there will always be a major event that forces the character to change (mature)

• Goes over the typical: loss, journey, conflict/growth, and maturity

• Most coming-of-age films include romance and are more known for the dramatic elements. 

• All coming-of-age films will try to capture the experience of growing up, and are usually focused on a protagonist who is in high school.

Genre Conventions with Techniques

• Lighting: soft and warm lighting, realistic tones, usually making an emphasis on the natural lights (sunlight, streetlight). The plan of keeping such naturalistic elements is to evoke a sense of reality and to be able to see the contrast between moments of conflict.

• Cinematography: close-ups and extreme close-ups are used to show the emotions and vulnerability of the characters. Hand held camera is also used to create a sense of realism and the chaos that surrounds adolescents. Shallow depth of field is commonly used to alienate the main character from their environment.

• Sound: Voice-over narration is often used to show maturity, change over time, and to provide a reflective perspective on certain events. Diegetic Music is also usually paired with these types of films in order to develop the character even further. Diegetic sound is very focused on to keep a realistic atmosphere.

• Editing: montages and flashbacks are used to show the passage of time and to explain events after a long period of time. Pacing usually focuses on characters' emotions, and will change depending on the moment.

Institutional Conventions

• Marketing

• Posters made usually either involve the main character alone, or with their friends, and maybe even their mentor. This allows the audience to see an up-close teaser of the relationships being presented in the film

• Taglines usually focus on growth.

• Trailers will be focused on making the story seem relatable and emotional.

• Narrative Image is someone finding themselves, this can be seen in symbolic shots…those of which include literal and indirect meanings of individual triumph.

Two Films that Represent the Genre:

                                                              Lady Bird (2017)

                                                   The Edge of Seventeen (2016)