Genre conventions and how they apply (PAULINE KATE BALUYUT)

What is genre convention?

Genre conventions are a film's attributes (e.g. setting, film story pattern, costumes and music) which establishes the film's overall genre.
For example a sci-fi movie may involve robots, highly advanced computers, flying cars, aliens and be set in space.

For my A2 coursework I have teamed up with my peer Mikaela Lawrence, to produce a social realism-drama trailer (which is a hybrid genre).

Typical conventions/traits of Social realism: 

Social realism is a genre that delves more in the lives of average middle-lower income earning people.

1. Using low budget; social realism films are usually independent films made without the aid of  production/distribution companies - which explains why some people have hardly heard of them.  
2. Dealing with matters such as drug use, delinquency, bad language, broken families, ethnicity, sexuality and religion.   
3. Undiscovered actors; one convention of social realism films is hiring undiscovered actors to take part in their film. Hiring unknown actors is important for social realism genre movies as they are typically paid noticeably less than mainstream actors such as Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio, this means they are able to save more money for their considerably low budget. 
4. Use free or cheap advertisement to promote their film; techniques include word of mouth and social media networking websites. 
5. set in urban, economically deprived areas with a high crime rate (areas include flats and train stations), classy, modern and rich areas are hardly used as independent films need to budget their overall filmmaking allowance.  
6. Props normally compromises of: Weapons (such as knives and guns), fake drugs (such as alcohol and tablets) and Phones.   
7. Usual costumes include urban outfits such as hoodies and jeans - clothing that stereotypical teenagers and young people wear. 
8. Mainly made up of long medium shots.

 

Typical conventions/traits of a drama genre film: 

1. Explores issues that involve; family, romantic relationships (love triangle), social class, sexuality, ethnicity, death, friendship and controversy.
2. Cheerful conclusion to the film's overall story for protagonist characters/problems are concluded
3. Medium close up shots of the actors on screen, so that viewers will be able to see and know what the characters, are feeling. 
4. The range of outfits associated with drama is wide - it depends on the period of time (year/month/season) it is set in. A period drama like the programme Downton abbey is set in the 1920s so it isn't surprising that the characters are shown strolling in grand houses wearing flapper dresses with short curly hair. 
5. Props compromise of: engagement/wedding rings, weapons (again guns and knives) and phones. 
6. Location varies; grand houses, hotels, church and school

Genre conventions applies with our social realism-drama trailer, because:

The trailer's location is in an urban, disadvantage area - one of the prime locations that social realism films have. It is also set within school premises like many drama films. It includes props (like guns and phones)  that both drama and social realism films have had.The trailer explores themes of a broken family, romantic relationships, delinquency and drugs. Such themes are part of both drama and social realism films.
It involves medium and long medium shots - camera shots that social realism and drama both like to use.
Characters are dressed in hoodies and school uniform - costumes such as these are associated with social realism genre films. 

Our props will include: weapons (fake gun), mobile phone(s), books, and handwritten letter. These props are used often in both social realism and drama, films.

This shows how our independent film trailer is categorised as a social realism-drama.