The three genres I’ll be focusing on to research and further develop my knowledge on are drama, comedy and coming-of-age. I decided on these three specific genres by making a list of my all time favorite movies and looking up which genres they fell under whether it was romance, music, crime, fantasy, action, or science fiction. I then ranked the genres from the ones that had the most to the ones that had the least and decided on the genres that had the most amount of movies under. I did this to further explore and research genres I’m familiar with and genres of some of my favorite movies instead of picking three random genres. I also asked myself questions I would ask myself about each genre and how it would affect my future project so I was more mindful with which genre I want to even research.
From each genre I picked one specific movie that fall under that genre.
For drama I picked “La La Land” .
For comedy I picked “Pitch Perfect”.
For coming-of-age I picked “Lady Bird”.
I wanted to make sure I had already watched these movie prior to me writing this blog so when rewatching the movies I was already familiar with the story being told and focus solely on the technical and symbolic codes of each specific movie and genre.
Codes and Conventions
Drama technical and symbolic codes;
“La La land”
(Pinterest)
Camera work: The camera work in this film is consisted of long takes, close-ups, and wide shots among with many others. The films opening starts with a long tracking shot on the freeway with heavy traffic, symbolizing the energy and chaos that comes along with the Los Angeles lifestyle. Close-ups in the film are used to capture intimate emotions between the two main characters, especially during certain musical numbers and showcases small romantic moments between the two main characters Wide shots often display the characters very small compared to the large city that they live in, emphasizing how small their dreams are compared to the reality that they find themselves in.
Editing style: The editing style this film consist of is smooth transitions, cross-cutting and montages. Smooth transitions are used in the musical sequences to flow seamlessly between the reality they live in and the fantasy that is the musical aspect of the movie, blurring the line between the two for the viewer. Cross-cutting shows the parallel lives of the two main characters lives, highlighting how their ambition towards their dreams both connect and separate them. Montages are used to show the passage of time and the process of their careers and relationship.
Sound (music, effects, dialogue): The sound displayed in the film include jazz score, dialogue, diegetic sound, non-diegetic sound as well as meaningful silence. The jazz score symbolizes the creativity, passion and longing the characters have to their lifelong dreams they work for throughout the entire film. The jazz score is a very big part to the storytelling of the story as well as a big connect between the two main characters as that was how they met for the first time and how they reconnected years after not seeing each other. It was a large way they were expressing and communicating themselves to each other and the audience. Diegetic and non-diegetic music sometimes came from within their world such as one of the main character playing the piano and other times it was used as a way to reflect emotions such as the dream sequences in the film. Dialogue was natural and rhythmic, creating a balance between realism and musical rhythm. Silence was used as a powerful tool during emotional scenes, especially at the end of the movie when the two main characters share a wordless goodbye to each other with a simple nod.
Mise-en-scène (lighting, setting, props, costumes): The films lighting was consisted of very bright and saturated colors such as blue, yellow and red. These colors create a nostalgic Hollywood look as well as feel and symbolizes the mood changes that occur throughout the film. The settings in the movie are iconic Los Angeles locations such as Griffith Observatory, Hermosa Beach pier, Colorado street bridge and Warner Bros. Studios lots. The settings represent the intersection of dreams and daily life. The most important prop used in the film was the male main characters piano which symbolizes art, dedication, his lifelong dream and emotional connection between the two characters. The costumes are another way the storytelling is used in the film. The female main characters dresses reflect her emotional journey throughout the film. In the beginning bright colors are seen on her at all times, but towards the end the color of her cloths are muted tones.
Themes and common narrative elements: The themes addressed in the film were dreams vs. reality, sacrifice, art and identity. Dreams vs. reality was explored through the tension between achieving success and being able to maintain love as well as a relationship. Sacrifice was a big element of the story in the ending since when the characters decided to pursue their passion, it meant having to give up their own personal happiness and caused them to lose each other in the process. Art and identity is a big factor of the story since both characters struggle to find balance with their creative integrity with career ambitions resulting in the characters at times losing themselves and what their true dream life is.
Drama research codes and conventions
Drama films aim to portray realistic characters, intense emotion, and human conflict. They focus on relationships, moral struggles, and personal growth, often reflecting real-life experiences or social issues.
Technical Codes:
Camera work: Close-ups allows the audience to feel the character’s emotions, medium shots showcase conversations, and certain angles can make someone look powerful or vulnerable depending on the use of them.
Lighting: Soft or natural lighting helps set the mood and makes the scene feel real.
Sound: Music and sound effects add emotion, while moments of silence can make scenes more intense.
Editing: Slow cuts allow the audience to reflect on moments, and cutting between characters showcase their different perspectives.
Color: Cool, muted tones often feel sad, while warm colors can feel hopeful or comforting.
Symbolic Codes:
Settings and props: The characters' homes and the things they interact with reveal a lot about their lives and their struggles.
Costumes and Body Language: Cloths show personality and social background, and gestures or expressions communicate feelings without words.
Colors and Symbols: Colors and objects can carry extra meaning. For example blue for sadness or mirrors representing self-reflection.
Narrative Conventions:
Story structure: Most dramas follow a familiar path that are the setup, building conflict, reaching a climax, and then resolving.
Characters: They are realistic and multi-dimensional, often flawed but relatable.
Themes: Love, family, identity, morality, and social issues are commonly explored.
Conflict and Dialogue: Characters face both internal struggles and external challenges, expressed naturally in their conversations.
Tone: Usually serious or reflective, making us feel deeply invested in the story and characters.
Sources for Drama Film Codes and Conventions
1. SCIRP Article: “Film Text Analysis—The Coming-of-Age Genre”
Article by Tatafu (2022)
https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=117754
2. SlideShare Presentation: “Codes and Conventions of Drama” by Matthew Cooper
https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/codes-and-conventions-of-drama/15481222
3. SlideShare Presentation: “Codes and Conventions of Drama” by Matthew Cooper
https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/codes-and-conventions-of-drama/60946285
4. Fiveable: “Codes and Conventions in Film Language”
5. ResearchGate: “An Overview of the Codes and Conventions of Drama Film Music” by Emanuela Izabela Vieriu
Comedy technical and symbolic codes;
“Pitch Perfect”
Camera work: The camera work in the film is consisted of medium shots, close-ups, wide shots and over-the-shoulder. Medium and close-up shots focus on the characters’ facial expressions and their reactions during humorous moments and the musical performances in the film. The wide shots are utilized in the movie when capturing group choreography and the performance settings, focusing on the development in the characters team work. Over-the-shoulder shots are commonly used during rehearsals or during conflicts to highlight relationship dynamics and tension within the group. Camera movements in the movie are quick pans, zooms and tracking shots during the cappella battle to make the audience give a feel of the competition and make the performance more energetic.
Editing style: The editing style for this movie has a great deal of montages, cross-cutting, comedic timing editing and fast-paced editing. Comedic timing editing has quick cuts and reaction shots to enhance punchlines and reactions while using awkward humor. Fast-paced editing matches the rhythm of the music in the performances and the comedic timing in so said performances. Cross-cutting is used in the competition scenes to compare performances between different teams and showcase their performances to the viewer. Montages show the group’s progression, growth throughout the entirety of the film and the group’s rehearsal.
Sound (music, effects, dialogue): The sound design in the film includes diegetic sound, non-diegetic music, a cappella soundtrack and dialogue. The a cappella soundtrack is the center of the film which symbolizes creativity, collaboration and unity through the blending of the characters voices. The non-diegetic music is used to transition between scenes and to heighten emotions. Diegetic sound is mostly used for when songs are performed live in the story’s world. Dialogue is witty and fast-paced, with comedy, sarcasm and banter.
Mise-en-scène (lighting, setting, props, costumes): The mise-en-scene in the film includes bright lighting, the setting as a college campus and performance stages, props as microphones, and costumes as matching coordinated outfits for the group. The lighting is mostly bright and colorful, especially in the group performances, reflecting the upbeat and playful tone of the songs and the group dynamic. The films setting is the groups college campus along with the performance stages that highlight their youthful culture, creativity and the overall competition. Some of the props used in the film are microphones, musical equipment, and trophies. These props symbolize talent, ambition and competition. The costumes are coordinated outfits in the performances to showcase the groups unity. Casual cloths are also used to reflect the characters individually when they are offstage and sometimes without the group.
Themes and common narrative elements: The themes in the film are teamwork, friendship, self-expression, personal growth, and female empowerment. Personal growth is shown through characters evolving from insecurities developing into confidence. Teamwork along with friendship comes from the collaboration the group went through when performing. Self-expression is mostly expressed through music in the film with singing representing identity, belonging and confidence. Female empowerment is shown within the group with the women supporting each other and heading towards success in a male-dominated competition.
Comedy film codes and conventions
Comedy films are all about making us laugh while reflecting life’s quirks and awkward moments. They use specific tools and patterns to create humor and exaggeration.
Settings: Funny situations often happen in busy, everyday places like schools, offices, or public spaces, where characters can get into awkward or hilarious scenarios.
Characters: Characters are often exaggerated or contrasting like a serious person paired with a carefree one to make interactions funnier. Comedic protagonists usually have quirks or flaws that make them relatable and funny, rather than perfect heroes.
Props: Everyday objects can become key sources of humor, turning ordinary items into something unexpectedly funny.
Narrative Structure: Comedies often follow a pattern such as normal life is disrupted, chaos and confusion happen, and things eventually settle back into a new balance, creating a satisfying and funny story arc.
Lighting and Cinematography: Bright, natural lighting sets a cheerful, lighthearted tone, and camera work often frames characters in ways that enhance the humor.
Sources for Comedy Film Codes and Conventions
1. SlideShare Presentation – Codes and Conventions of a Comedy (Matthew Cooper, 2020).
https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/codes-and-conventions-of-a-comedy/256050905#4
2. Film Inquiry / Educational Resource – De Reeper, M. How to Analyse Movies #2: Signs, Codes & Conventions.
https://www.filminquiry.com/codes-and-conventions/
3. Fiveable Educational Guide – Film Language: Codes and Conventions.
Editing style: The editing style is consisted of quick cuts, montages, elliptical editing and seamless cuts. Quick cuts are often used in arguments Lady Bird is having or awkward social interactions the main character finds herself in to showcase realism and tension. Montages are used to show growth and changing relationships. Elliptical editing skips over time between key moments in the main characters year, which symbolize how fast time is moving for her. Seamless cuts in the film keep the main focus on the characters dialogue and the emotions shown by the characters.
Sound (music, effects, dialogue): The sounds of the film are non-diegetic music, dialogue, diegetic sound, and indie music. Indie and early 2000s music is used throughout the film to reflect Lady Bird’s age and to reflect the film’s nostalgic tone. Dialogue is very natural and fast-paced, filled with emotional honesty, humor and sarcasm. Diegetic sound is heard in the school events, parties, and overall local noises that are present in everyday life as a teenager. Non-diegetic music is subtle and emotional in the film, mainly used to underscore moments of self-discovery and shared sadness between Lady Bird and her mother. Silence in the film has a strong effect on highlighting moments of personal growth going on in Lady Bird’s life.
Mise-en-scène (lighting, setting, props, costumes): The lighting of the film is soft, warm tones that create a memory-like atmosphere that form a nostalgic feel to the movie. The costumes are realistic early 2000s outfits that showcase the characters personalities. The main characters outfits are all slightly mismatched to reflect her rebellion and individuality. The props used in are report cards, college applications and different prom dresses that all symbolize a transition in the main characters life and growing up overall. The different settings are middle-class Sacramento homes and Catholic school hallways which all reflect the life that Lady Bird finds herself in.
Themes and common narrative elements: The themes explored in the film are identity, self-discovery, family and independence, social class aspiration and acceptance. Identity and self-discovery is shown as Lady Bird struggles to define where she belongs and who she really is. Social class aspiration in the movie highlight how different economic states can form certain struggles and cause one to miss some opportunities. Family and independence is explored through the mother-daughter relationship between Lady Bird and her mother as they explore their conflict as well as love for and with each other. Acceptance comes in the movie through mistakes, recognizing the value of home despite the difficult circumstances they might be in and forgiveness the main character undergoes in the film.
Coming-of-age research codes and conventions
Coming-of-age films focus on young characters learning about themselves and the world around them. They show the challenges of growing up, including friendships, family dynamics, love, and personal identity, highlighting the changes and growth of the protagonist.
Technical codes:
Camera angles: Close-ups show emotion, handheld shots add realism, and slower edits give space for reflection.
Symbolic codes: Costumes, props, colors, and body language communicate meaning like letters representing connections or colors reflecting mood.
Written codes: Dialogue, subtitles, and on-screen text show what characters are thinking, their culture, or key story details.
Narrative structure: Most stories follow a clear path of introduction, conflict, climax, and resolution which highlights the character’s growth.
Characters and performance: Protagonists are relatable and multi-dimensional, shaped by friends, family, and mentors.
Themes: Identity, friendships, love, rebellion, and social pressures are common.
Tones and moods: These films often feel reflective and heartfelt, with moments of humor, tension, and endings that are hopeful or bittersweet.
Setting and costume: Everyday locations and clothing show the character’s age, personality, and development, making the story feel real.
Coming-of-age films combine codes and conventions to create stories and characters that feel real and relatable, helping audiences connect emotionally with the journey of growing up.
Sources for Coming-of-Age Film Codes and Conventions
1. SCIRP Article – Tatafu, A. (2022). Film Text Analysis — The Coming-of-Age Genre. Open Access Library Journal.
https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=117754
2. Film Inquiry / Educational Resource – De Reeper, M. How to Analyse Movies #2: Signs, Codes & Conventions.
https://www.filminquiry.com/codes-and-conventions/
3. Fiveable Educational Guide – Film Language: Codes and Conventions.
Plot Sketches
Drama: A determined high school senior spends her days studying, working at a diner, and taking care of her little brother and sister while her mom works late shifts. She dreams of going to college and building a better life, but when she’s offered a full scholarship miles away, she’s torn. Leaving means finally following her dreams but it also means leaving her family behind when they need her most.
Comedy: A shy teen plans an elaborate, over-the-top promposal for their crush. Only for everything to go wrong. Balloons pop, signs fall, and the school mascot gets involved, leading to chaos and accidental viral fame.
Coming-of-age: A determined 17-year-old girl has her heart set on one college, the school she’s dreamed about since middle school. She constantly does extra work to standout for this specific college. Until one day she finally receives a letter from so said college.
Reflection
Genres that feel most achievable to me are coming-of-age and drama due to having the most manageable mise-en-scene as well the themes explored by most drama and coming-of-age movies. The genre that excites me the most is coming-of-age since I've watched so many coming-of-age movies and I really want to tell my own now that I'm learning more about films and the meaning of a simple sound of camera movement. A comedy would be difficult to create with the resources I have due to me not wanting to include as much dialogue as a comedy would require to be considered a comedy.
No comments:
Post a Comment