Media Studies Portfolio: December 2018

Within my project, there are many issues, and events that I am considering to represent. But, I am certain that the group that I would like to represent is teenagers, specifically teenage girls. Not only will these actresses be the most accessible to me, but as a member of this group, I believe for teenage girls to be quite interesting. The media loves to center films, or television series’ about this group, yet they are so commonly misrepresented. Every representation of them portrays teenagers as catty, entitled, and self-absorbed. And I don’t believe that is an accurate representation of what teenage girls are like.

A perfect example of a poor representation of teenage girls, is the film Jawbreaker. This film follows a tight clique of girls, who have a tradition of playing terrible tricks on their friends for their birthday. One of their tricks goes terribly wrong, and their friend ends up dead. It is a poor portrayal of teenage girls, because the clique seems to see themselves as better than everyone else. All girls who were not a part of this clique longed to join, and would do anything to do so. That is quite similar to the movie Mean Girls. We once again have another clique of girls with a superiority complex, and every girl longed for their approval. The members of the clique in these films are usually wealthy, their appearance is typically important, and they are far from nice.

The previously mentioned representation characteristics, are not fair representations of teenage girls. Prior to attending high school, I believed these representations, and feared whomever the high school “clique” was going to be. Yet, when I arrived there was no group of three girls prancing around in coordinating outfits. In my project, I am not sure if there any characteristics worth retaining, as the representation of teenage girls is almost always inaccurate. I would definitely challenge the stereotypes of girls being petty, needy, and reckless.

Genre -- Drama

Genre Conventions (Content) -- The drama film has many common themes. Hardships are usually depicted, along with difficulties, struggles, emotional, mental, and physical pain. The purpose of these films are to leave lasting impressions on audiences, and to move them emotionally. This is done by having a relatable protagonist experience some sort of conflict, or emotional journey. Having a realistic lead character, makes it easier for audiences to sympathize with the story. We also, commonly see the protagonist have a large character development. The plots of drama films, also usually have some sort of plot twist, or shock factor. The drama has numerous sub genres, including: comedy, historical, melodrama, period, romantic, crime, and many more.

Genre conventions (Production Techniques) -- The production techniques used in this genre vary from film to film. There is no typical setting used in drama films, as each film is quite different from the others. Historical dramas have a particular setting, while romantic dramas could be set in a small town, city, or be a historical drama as well. The only factor that ties the settings of drama films together, is that they are all based in realistic places. When it comes to shots and angles, directors usually keep it simple with those choices, but are quite free to use abstract shots/angles, as that is what would differentiate one drama from the other. Since, drama films are usually gloomy, and upsetting, the colors are usually darker or warm. This assists in creating the somber mood of the film.

Film Sample #1 -- A perfect example of a drama film, is the 2010 film Black Swan. It follows a ballerina named Nina’s downfall. A common theme of dramas are depicted, as we see the mental, and emotional pain that Nina experiences, leads to physical pain. She is a relatable character, as she is simply a sweet lady, who wants to be successful in her ballet career, The film definitely leaves a lasting impression on audiences, as the ending is quite shocking. Which fits the typical narrative of drama films.

Film Sample #2 -- Another great example of a drama film, is the 2016 production, La La Land. It follows a young man, and woman struggling with their careers who somehow find love. Many people can relate to experiencing a rough path in their careers, and to falling in love with someone at the wrong moment. That adds the realistic factor to the film. The film doesn’t follow simple drama film conventions, in that it is a musical. In real life, elaborate dance numbers do not casually occur. The plot does have shocking factors to it, which is typical of drama films.