So Typical

Part of the film production package includes a major task of composing two trailers. So I have begun researching typical conventions of trailers and the drama genre.

Trailer conventions-

• Logo- in the opening sequences of a trailer. People can see the logo and associate it with other films that company has produced making them want to keep watching the trailer.
• Title- typically shown at the end so people watch the full thing to see what the movie is called. Also at the end, it is easier for people to remember the name. For now, my Movie is going to be called “On My Own”  because my main character does not really have someone in her life that has stuck with her and everyone has always left her.
• This slideshow mentions that the coloring and font of the title foreshadows the movie genre and tone. For example, a comedy will have brighter colored title as opposed to a horror film whose title and background might be much darker.
• Actor’s names-  Trailers will say starring “____” so that the audience can associate them with other films they have been with. Although my film won’t consist of famous actors’ names, it is important to still feature them so that people know who is playing them and can look out for them in the future.
• A rating and release date- this gives the audience a glimpse on the target audience and who can watch the film. If it is rated G then the film is for younger kids. A release date is also shown at the end so people look forward to it and remember it. The trailer is not shown too far away from the movie where people forget about it, but just enough time to hype it up.
• A trailer is between 1:30-2 minutes in length. It introduces characters personalities and the main plot line. It highlights the movie’s most intense moments and sometimes even leaves the audience hanging.,
• Voiceovers and music help express the genre. Suspenseful music makes a horror film even scarier. Music helps to further dramatize the plot and make it more interesting. A voiceover, either from a character telling a story or a third person narrator, is used to introduce the plot and guide the story so the audience gets a clear idea on what is going on.

This definition of a dram film is exactly what I am going for: “Drama film is a genre that relies on the emotional and relational development of realistic characters.”

I want my film to be like something that can actually happen. I will be looking up stories of real life foster kids and what they have been through to help with the process of character development. But before I get into my film itself, I have to see the typical conventions of a drama film in general.

• Shows the journey of character interaction
• Really appeals to the emotions
• Conflict (inner/outer) reaching to a climax
• Characters the audience can relate to
• One interesting article I read pointed out that there are also sub dramas such as : Biography, dramedy, melodrama, romance, political etc. Mine in particular that is important to focus on is between a couple of these. It is partly a biography drama where there are many aspects that relate to a biography because it is capturing the chronological life of a group or person. Mine is going to be focused on my main character and how she overcomes the obstacles placed in her life. I haven’t decided if there will be a boy in my film fitting the sub drama of romance. The article states, "The plot usually centers on an obstacle that is preventing love between two people. The obstacles in Romantic Drama film can range from a family's disapproval, to forbidden love, to one's own psychological restraints.” This guy she might meet at maybe a place she ends up working at or maybe she knew him already from one of her foster homes in the past. Clearly I have a lot of work to do with the plot
• Many emotional scenes. These are especially highlighted in the trailer. The characters go through happiness, grief, sadness, anger, etc.
• Usually ends in a happy ending.

Researching these aspects are a little boring, but extremely important. I have learned the harder way how vital research is in these types of products. You can't just make up something and expect it to be good without looking up facts and information first. Gathering these things prior to the actual production allows you to take what you learned and apply it to your product so you can make something the audience believes is worth viewing.

Thanks for reading!
Until next time,
-C

Citations:

Tahmin Follow, Farjana. "Conventions of Drama Films." LinkedIn SlideShare. N.p., 22 Oct. 2011. Web. 03 Mar. 2017.

Buffam, Noelle. The Script Lab. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2017.

Jazzyprince Follow. "Codes and conventions of film trailers." LinkedIn SlideShare. N.p., 16 Sept. 2013. Web. 03 Mar. 2017.