Possible Genres

    As stated in my previous blog, I am setting realistic limits on my film opening possibilities and through this mindset I have leaned toward these genres.

COMEDY/ COMING OF AGE

    I wanted to combine these genres as the examples I have been looking into include these hand in hand. Although each genre can stand on their own, the Coming of Age Comedy is the specific tone I'm aiming for (different to Coming of Age Drama which can deal with more serious themes). 

2 main genre conventions I believe are important to include and vital to Comedy Coming of  Age films:

    CHARACTER/COSTUME DESIGN

    The first impression an audience gets from characters are how they look like. Everything from the fashion sense to color scheme can communicate main ideas about the character and their personality. Usually, comedy/coming of age movies intentionally present characters in some stereotypical/archetype way so that audiences immediately understands who they are watching. For specifically Coming of Age stories the basic characters fall into nerds, outsiders, popular, athlete, mean girls, etc. 

    RELATABLE

    The whole purpose to Coming of Age films are to show character(s) progression from childhood/youth to adulthood/maturity, something everyone has to go through in their lives. By centering around a universal experience, relatability is a key point to a successful coming of age film.

    I will go into more detail about The Runaways opening in a future post because there is so much to it I like, but to quickly illustrate the conventions I just mentioned I will highlight how they establish character. As seen in the image above, Joan Jett and Cherie Currie's costume design communicates their personalities, Joan being more punk and Cherie taking inspiration from Bowie/60s fashion. The point of the opening shows how these two girls who are not necessarily similar will bond over not fitting in and a dream.

Examples of Coming of Age Comedy-

• Booksmart (2019)
• The Runaways (2010)
• Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
• The Half of It (2020)

MYSTERY

    As I thought about a typical Comedy Coming of Age, I realized I want to have something that helps it stand out and not just be about a pretty "mundane" high school experience. So, I plan to have a mystery element that makes the characters question everything and look for answers. 

Some Mystery genre conventions I have noticed are:

    CUTTING BETWEEN PAST & PRESENT

There are usually two approaches to mysteries, linear storytelling where clues are revealed in same way as the characters, or through "flashbacks"/character perspectives (nonlinear timeline). I personally prefer nonlinear, especially when the "flashbacks" are told through characters' memories as it both reveals more about their character and details from the story, but can also create more confusion. This approach allows for "unreliable narrators" that add to the mystery and make both the characters and audience question everything.  Knives Out (2019) exemplifies this convention.

OPENING SCENE

    The first scene of a mystery movie is usually when the mystery/crime/event that the rest of the film will try to solve. This introduction of the plot/conflict draws audience's attention and already starts creating suspense. One of the opening scene approaches of establishing setting/location is especially important in mystery films as in many cases the location of the mysterious event is used throughout the film and holds significance. In the case of Knives Out, Harlan Thrombey's mansion is where he died, where the flashbacks are set, where the family is interviewed, etc. 

Examples of Mystery:

• Zodiac (2007)
• Memento (2000)
• Gone Girl (2014)

THE VISION

    So, I hope to create a film opening that follows Comedic Coming of Age genre conventions followed by Mystery elements to result in an interesting potential plot. 

To get a sense of what this combination can mean, I point to The Afterparty (Apple TV). Although it is a series, not movie, the way the characters and plot are presented is what I want to focus on. By simply looking at this promotional image of the characters, you can get an immediate idea of who they are. A specific detail I like from the cast's character design is how each has their own color. In the show, the murder-mystery plot is elevated through comedic approaches to each character.