Nearly done cutting my clips today (here's a picture of my timeline), but for today's post I would like to deviate from the portfolio project and discuss another topic, my research for CCR Q1: "How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?"
Let's break it down:
How does my project use conventions?
First of all, it's important to understand some of the basic conventions of coming-of-age films, so here are some resources if you aren't yet familiar:
Ok, now that you've got a better idea, lets get started.
1. Following the coming of age genre, I include scenes such as the dream sequence with an extreme close up of Sylvie's eyes transitioning to her staring at the departures board. I use this technique to represent escapism, conveying the feeling visually as well as through voiceover.
Many coming-of-age films, such as "Call Me By Your Name" (2017) use similar themes to reflect the common teenage desire to escape an uncomfortable situation and be independent.
2. My choice to use a non-diegetic voiceover as a sort of "internal monologue" for Sylvie is a common convention in the genre. It helps bring the character and audience together immediately, creating a bond.
For example, Cher's fast-paced voiceover in "Clueless" reflects her racing excitement as a teenager throughout the movie. In my case, the slower-to-natural-paced voiceover shows Sylvie's pensive state.
How does my project challenge conventions?
1. In my film opening, I chose to stay away from the common coming of age genre convention of melodrama towards parents. Instead of including a scene where Sylvie snapped at her parents, I chose to have her express her discontent towards her parents controlling behavior in a more relaxed, annoyed way through her voiceover.
(Ex: Inside Out 2)
2. Although not exactly a genre convention, I challenged the "Florida lifestyle" stereotype. Usually, when people think of Florida they think high-energy or vacation, I chose to depict it as a more regular place, especially as it is very boring in Sylvie's eyes.
How did I represent social groups in my opening?
In my opening, I represent Generation Z in two different ways:
1. In her voiceover, Sylvie talks about how her mom is always pressuring her about her future through her schoolwork. This "pressured student" stigma that revolves around being a high-achieving student having controlling parents is something lots of teenagers can relate to.
2. My choice to have Sylvie use both her laptop and cell phone to browse online, text, and use alarms is an accurate representation of how most teenagers interact with and utilize the digital world daily.
How did I represent social issues in my opening?
1. The most significant social issue I chose to represent in my opening is the "Model Child" issue. As she is an only child, Sylvie represents the burden of having her parent's dreams focused on her, leaving her feeling guilty for not following them. By mentioning this in the voiceover, the opening shows how sometimes loving parents feel live surveillance.
2. In my opening, another theme/social issue I decided to touch on was the internal battle many faces over economic stability vs. following your dreams. Her mother pushing her to pursue a safe job represents society while Sylvie's desire to explore represents human nature wanting and to be free.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my first CCR! I really loved explaining all the details about the conventions and representation I used! Until next week!
No comments:
Post a Comment