I've decided to go with the story of the teenage boy taking care of is little sister who as the ability to end the world. I'm pretty sure that the genres that would work with that story are coming-of-age and drama, but I do want to add some comedic elements one way or another just so the story isn’t pure gloom and has some more lighthearted elements.
Drama:
Films are defined as dramas when they carry a more serious tone and/or message than a lighthearted one. The little sister in my film has extremely violent tendencies which wouldn't work for a lighthearted genre. Additionally the film's messages and concepts aren't set for a lighthearted movie, drama is the best genre here. Drama's also tend to illicit some type of deep emotional reaction from the audience, which my film may accomplish through the relatable themes of family and adolescence.
Before Sunrise's opening is extremely applicable to my opening. The film opens with the introduction of its main characters, Jesse and Celine, and establishes who they are and their connection. My film also focuses on two characters, so my opening should be vaguely similar to Before Sunrise, focusing on the introduction of two characters and their dynamic. Before Sunrise also instigates the plot with its opening, a clear romantic connection is formed between Celine and Jesse, pushing Jesse to invite her to spend the day in Venice with him. My opening can be simply and introduction of the characters, their dynamic, and drives, but starting the plot during the opening alongside the characters is something I'm definitely interested in.
Whiplash's film opening also aims to introduce its titular character, Andrew, and his passion of being a drum player. Fletcher, Andrew's abusive instructor who pushes him towards his goal is also introduced. In Whiplash's opening, like Before Sunrise's, aims to introduce the audience to both main characters, and how they inform and progress the plot. Andrew and his passion are introduced, along with Fletcher and his role as a higher up with some kind of interest in Andrew's drum playing. What I'm getting from Whiplash's opening is to, alongside with the characters and plot, introduce a drive for the characters. The motive that pushes them throughout the story. The older brother in my film (still do not have a name for him nor the sister yet) has the motive to protect his younger sister and make sure she isn't the cause for the world's end.
Through my research, I learned that the goal in drama openings is to primarily establish the characters, since dramas are extremely character driven. The openings also strive to establish the beginning of the plot and the main characters’ motivation. For my opening, I need to make sure to properly establish the sister’s personality and dynamic with her older brother, alongside with her older brother and how he feels about her (negative) (he doesn’t like her very much). I want to focus primarily on the characters in my opening anyway, so the drama genre reinforces this character-driven opening plan.
Coming-Of-Age:
Coming of age films focus on the protagonist's growth as a person during adolescence. The characters go through an experience (often to due with family, friends, or community) and the experience causes them to grow and change as a person. It's often described as the "transition from childhood to adulthood." The older brother in my film is in his teenage years, and throughout the story he learns to love and accept his little sister for who she is, fitting into the coming-of-age genre.
Perks of Being a Wallflower's opening is a voiceover, establishing the protagonist, Charlie, and his goals. Charlie is established as an introverted loner who wants to fit in during his time in high school and make friends, there it is, that is all that needs to be established for the film's opening. It also establishes the main conflict, Charlie vs his introvert-ness and attempting to overcome it. Like Perks of Being a Wallflower, characters and goals are the primary elements I want established. I don't think I want to utilize a voiceover though, I think establishing what I want can be achieved without a voiceover. That being said, Perks of Being a Wallflower uses its voiceover expertly. Establishing a conflict is also going to be difficult, character vs self especially. Which is why Perks of Being a Wallflower uses a voiceover. Great.
Lady Bird focuses on Lady Bird (the character) for a majority of the film, but the opening focuses more on Lady and her mom's relationship more, which is still a central part of the film. Their relationship is rough, as they argue and bicker during the car ride, but the warmth shown in the first half of the opening contrasts their aggressive dynamic in the car. Lady Bird's opening establishes Lady Bird's motives, moving away for college, and the conflict between her and her mother. My film also primarily follows the relationship between two characters, the siblings, but I don't want them to be as cruel to each other as Lady and her mom are. I do like the idea of portraying the relationship in two distinct ways in the opening and will consider that when fully developing mine. As the others do, Lady Bird establishes the protagonist and their motives, which I am super-sure to do in my opening.
Through my research of the drama and coming-of-age genre, I've learned that openings in those genres primarily focus on establishing characters, motives, the beginning of the plot, and conflict. Of course all this depends on what the film wants to achieve, if a drama wants to focus less on characters in its opening and more on the setting, it can. For my opening, the research is extremely useful since I want to focus on characters and their motives. Dramas and coming-of-age films are (more often than not) extremely character driven, which is where I want to go with my opening. It's a match made in heaven I think.
“Drama Definition & Meaning.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drama.
55 of the best drama movies of all time. Harper's BAZAAR. (2022, May 6). Retrieved February 16, 2023, from https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/g39853184/best-drama-movies/
Maher, M. (2022, September 1). Coming-of-age films: Is the genre in decline? The Beat: A Blog by PremiumBeat. Retrieved February 16, 2023, from https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/coming-of-age-films/#:~:text=The%20coming%2Dof%2Dage%20genre,to%20lose%20their%20childhood%20innocence.
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