Did You Know This About Coming-Of-Age Films?

Happy Friday-eve blog readers! 

Before we take a break for the weekend, I wanted to share some more research I did on coming of age films. While I have discussed its common conventions in previous entries, today I will dig deeper and tell you about some lesser-known facts at are quite interesting! 

1. Most of these films were developed from literature

Especially true for older films of the genre, a large part of coming of age films are inspired by or completely based on a book or novel. For Instance, originating in the early 20th century1930s-1940s), classic literature such as "Anne of Green Gables", "Little Women", and "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" later had film interpretations developed and were huge successes. 

2. Directors often base some events in coming of age films on personal experiences

Everyone goes through hard times and relatable or not, they are sometimes very interesting to watch. For this reason, it's not uncommon for directors to base stories on their youth, making them very personal and unique. An example of this would be the George Lucas film "American Graffiti" (1973), which was based on his teenage years in the 60s, or the Giuseppe Tornatore film "Cinema Paradiso", filmed in his hometown of Sicily, Italy. Personally, I will be applying this to my own film opening, as the main character is greatly inspired by myself (I'm so excited to share my initial ideas soon!). 

3. John Hughes: an influential figure in the genre

In the 1980, the Hughes further developed the idea of coming of age films by producing films that showed a teenager's problems seeming just as important as adult's. This avoided the undermining of young people's problems, making them seem relevant as well. Overall, it also meant that teenagers weren't portrayed as overly-wild and comedic through stereotypes, highlighting the fact that they are sometimes struggling just as much as older people. His films are also filled with life lessons, reflecting those that the young protagonists learn by the end of the film, a thoughtful addition to the genre's conventions. 

(I found this great video on his career!)

4. Its themes are timeless

Even though some are set decades ago, because they all focus on essential themes pertaining to adolescence and growing up, audiences years later are able to find a level of relatability with characters. A common example of this would be young love, no matter what year it is, teenage love always has a similar feeling, its fun, flirty, and fresh, something most, if not all people experienced throughout their lives. 

These facts really surprised me and I'm glad I was able to search deeper into the genre. This way, I am able to find out "what makes it tick" and use everything I have learned in my opening. I hope you learned a couple things too! Until the next post!

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Title Sequences Analysis

Hello there blog readers!

Last post I focused on the on the openings of three popular coming of age films. Today however, I will be discussing credit sequences (AKA Title Sequences). Having a title sequence is a common element of all films, but their approaches vary greatly depending on their genre and intended mood. For example, credits may be placed at the very beginning of a film (before the initial scene), midway through the opening (at an interesting time), or even at the end of one (usually a stylistic choice). Let's explore some of these different styles! 

The Outsiders

This iconic coming of age film is based on the novel by S.E. Hinton. It was directed by Francis Ford Coppola in 1983 and touches on themes such as loss of innocence, navigating class division, and camaraderie. Its opening credits are very particular, as "Stay Gold" plays in the background, a dark screen transitions to a picture of the protagonists, a group of young boys. Subsequently, the title is then displayed, moving slowly across the screen, each letter taking up a large part of the screen. Simultaneously, the names of the film's major actors, director, and production team are displayed below the title. The entire sequence lasts a little over two minutes when the song ends and the first scene begins. 

Having this long, intentional title sequence is meant to prepare the audience for the viewing, acting as a bridge between the production house's visual and the official start of the film. It also sets the tone for the film and provides some subtle context. In this case, from the picture shown at the beginning of the title sequence, one can reasonably infer that the movie will focus on a group of boys. Finally, long title sequences typically build anticipation for the start of the film. Especially when viewed in a theater setting, where you're not able to skip ahead to the beginning of the movie, creating an eagerness to start watching. 

Clueless

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, Clueless is one of those movies you can watch when you're 13 or 30 and still love it. Directed by Amy Heckerling in 1995, the film's most significant themes from a coming of age viewpoint that have to do with teen social hierarchies, relationship maturity, and self-empowerment. There's not much to say of its title sequence, as it is short and sweet, displaying only the production company "Paramount Pictures" followed by the movie title: "Clueless". It does however, include a background song,"Kids in America" by The Muffs, that acts as a sound bridge between the opening credits and the sudden cut to the first scene. 

Short and minimalist opening credits are definitely the most popular in films and are used when the director would like to immediately jump into the action. They help avoid the audience disengagement that sometimes occurs when long title sequences are unsuccessful. Additionally, they are time savers and cost-effective, making them the go-to choice for smaller, low-budget films.

Moonrise Kingdom

On a slightly more recent note, Moonrise Kindgom, released in 2012 was directed by one of my favorites, Wes Anderson (I find his work very artistic), and includes themes of teenage romance, vulnerability, and transition to adulthood. Its title sequence is incorporated in the opening scene, with major actors' and production team's names displayed in the corners of the screen as the first scene begins. It's sound is completely diegetic, and relies on visuals over sound for engagement. The official film title is displayed just over the two minute mark, as music transitions from diegetic to non-diegetic just as it crescendoes. However, after the title is displayed, credits continue to be displayed up until the four minute mark, where the opening is completed. 

This style of opening sequences is my personal favorite. To me, adding the title sequence towards the middle of an opening is stylistic and creative, engaging the audience by giving them sound and visuals as well as providing them with the film title (simultaneously a form AND function convention). It is also the most effective in tone/mood-setting for the film, doing so immediately without the initial interruption of a title. For my own film opening, I will most definitely pick this style of opening credits, taking inspiration from Moonrise Kingdom and similar films to successfully engage viewers and create a nice transition. 

Overall, I have found that there are many different ways to approach a title sequences, and there is no "one size-fits all". To create an successful and effective one, you must take into consideration what feelings you want it to evoke. The title sequence is an important part of any film, no matter the genre, but each may utilize different methods. I hope you enjoyed exploring some coming of age opening credits! 

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Film Opening Analysis

Hello blog readers! 

A films success is determined by many factors, one of the most important being its ability to keep viewers engaged. For this reason, a film's opening, usually the first five minutes, is instrumental as an un-engaging start may cause an audience to exit a theater, quit the streaming, or eject their DVD. Today, I analyzed three coming of age film openings. Here are some of the conclusions I gathered on what makes a good "hook". 

10 Things I Hate About You 

Released in 1999, the film is a modern adaptation of William Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew". It was directed by Gil Junger and includes many coming of age themes including character growth, and high school social dynamics (popular vs. unpopular). 

The Perks of Being A Wallflower

This film hit theaters on September 12, 2012 as a huge sucess, making a $20M profit. Directed by Stephen Chbosky, the movie's coming of age themes consist of frienships, belonging, mental health struggles, sexuality, and identity. 

Little Women (2019)

Based on the book by Louisa May Alcott, the film is a remake of the 1994 version, directed by Greta Gerwig. The film features popular actors, Timothée Chalamet, Emma Watson, and Meryl Streep. It's most consistent themes are duties vs. identity, the journey to becoming a woman, personal growth, and gender roles. 

So What Makes A Good Opening?

After watching and analyzing all three openings, I noticed five elements that are consistent and help develop the film's context, introduce characters, and work on developing its most instrumental coming of age themes. 

1. Including an Audio Hook

To spark a feeling of curiosity right from the get-go, film openings often use an audio hook (such as a relevant noise or song). Including this element is an easy and effective way to get a viewer interested, especially if the hook is played before the opening scene starts, like in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower, where a typewriter sound is played as the title sequence is revealed, foreshadowing that writing/typing will be important throughout the movie. 

3. Introduction to Common Tropes

A large part of being young consists of navigating through the different types of people you meet. For this reason, coming of age films as well as other genres often introduce tropes such as the popular girls, jocks, and freshman fears. Establishing a sense of relatability early on in films, especially ones that are catered to a target audience are a sure shot at keeping viewers entertained. For example, both "10 Things I Hate About You" and "The Perks of Being a Wallflower", which are set in a high school atmosphere, highlight the stark contrast between the protagonist, which is usually has a unique personality, and the typical popular friend groups associated with school life. 

2. Context Ascension/Setting

At first, parts of the opening scene may be intentionally left unclear, like unanswered questions. This makes the audience want to figure them out and therefore keep watching the film. For example, in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" the protagonist's first lines are mysterious as he's writing to someone unknown and says "Please don't try to figure out who I am". Here, it leaves the audience wondering who the protagonist is addressing, and stays tuned to figure it out later in the film. 

4. Striking First Impression

Because the protagonists of a film are meant to be its focus, having their first couple of shots be interesting and significant is very important, often reflecting their thoughts or revealing parts of their identity. For instance, in "Little Women" the very first shot is a dark, midshot of Jo, the protagonist as she contemplates entering a publishing house. The dark lighting creates a serious mood and a sense of mystery. Similarly, the first shot of the protagonist Kat Stratford highlights her "couldn't care less attitude" as she is judged by the school's popular crowd. 

5. Exciting Mood

Adding scenes with a feeling of excitement throughout a film opening are a great way to make it fun and nice to watch. Audiences like watching positive moments such as instances where a character is pleasantly surprised, so en exciting scene early on gives the impression that the overall film will be exciting itself. In "Little Women" for example, Jo's writing is accepted by the publishing house and she is shown skipping through the streets happily within the first five minutes of the film. However I believe it's important not to overdo this, as it may come off as unrealistic since life isn't always perfect, especially in coming of age films where the focus is on personal growth. 

The next time you watch a coming of age film, or any film for that matter, I encourage you to try and identify the genre's opening conventions and how they help set the stage for the rest of the film. I bet you'll find that each has its own unique variations! 

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Getting Into Routine

Dear blog readers, 

To mark the start of my portfolio project and CCR, I decided to share my official production and posting schedule, which I developed recently. You can surely expect at least four blogs on my end every week (I have some interesting topics planned!). 

Blogging Schedule

I find I hold myself more accountable for completing tasks when they are in a sort of checklist, something about ticking off boxes motivates me to get my work done, so I created one just to mark what posts I have done. Now I don't want to spoil any of my topics just yet, but here is an example of what my schedule will be based on the first week of posts. (NOTE: A fourth blog post will be released every Thursday, which I plan to create on Tuesdays). 

Film Opening & CCR Production Schedule

It's difficult to tell about my full plan in words, so I created a calendar on Google to help me visualize my workload and pace myself to meet the deadlines. The events in purple are focusing on my film opening and those in red pertain to my CCRs. Here's a picture of the calendar spanning from early February to mid March. In between these days I will likely be adding more details to both projects, but having a set overview of my personal deadline dates is always a good idea. (I also added a direct link to the calendar in case you prefer viewing it through a website). 

Film Opening Calendar

CCR Production Calendar

Official Posting Date!

I'll make sure to update my calendars if I have any other significant research or production dates, but for now, get excited!

Selecting My Project Genre

Hello blog readers! 

After taking some time to think about and gather inspiration from different films in both the rom-com and coming of age genres, I have made my selection and decided that I will be creating a coming of age film opening. I feel like it will be the most exciting to create because as I mentioned in my previous post, I would like to include some of my own experiences as a teenager growing up and perhaps some of the milestones that would be most relevant. 

Most of the inspiration for my film comes from movies produced in the early 2000s, as someone who was introduced to the genre through such films, they speak to me in particular because of their unique and entertaining plots, iconic and witty dialogue, and of course, their aesthetically pleasing mise-en-scene elements. 

For my set inspiration, I took a look movies set on a beach/seaside atmosphere, such as Mamma Mia! As I would like to make part of my film opening take place in nature, in this case being the beach. I know what you're thinking, "But Mamma Mia is a rom com!" True, but it does include some coming of age elements such as the protagonist's search of her father becoming, in a way, a search for her true self. However, while the film has a beautiful plot, what caught my eye was its set design and overall aesthetic feeling. For example, its color palette is very balanced, with bright colors in lovely scenes as well as more neutral colors in others, overall resembling the mood of the scenes as well as a Greek island. 

As far as the plot goes, I'm still deciding how exactly I want to approach it. I do know however, that I will be taking inspiration from some themes in "The Outsiders" such as feeling misunderstood amongst friend groups as well as by the world. For my protagonist, I intend to develop this idea of disconnection amongst others through subtle social cues in my opening. Including themes that teenagers can especially relate to is a common convention of coming of age films and to make my own opening successful, I will definitely include some. 

I'm thrilled to continue to share my ideas and production development on my blog for the next couple of months, and will soon be discussing my posting schedule that I will do my best to follow and keep you all updated as well as my plot drafts when I have done some more brainstorming. Bye for now!

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