Final Project

Click the link below to watch the short film EROS.
https://youtu.be/SxeFq3vG2Ms
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxCVV6m7At4QYnZ4ZUU2RjFsem8

Click the link below to see the website for the short film EROS.
https://sofiaprieto6.wixsite.com/eros

Included below are photos of the postcard for EROS.

(front)                                           (back)

Creative Critical Reflection

My creative critical reflection can be viewed at the link posted below:
https://youtu.be/XQkRZ3YF_so

The Final Countdown

It is officially almost the end the last week. Six weeks ago I was just beginning my journey with simply an idea and 7 weeks to bring it to life. Now all my hard work is almost complete. At this stage in the process everything is nearly complete. With a few final touches on the website and postcard, and some last minute edits on my short film, I will using these last few days to perfect everything and make sure I've produced the best work I can. I also just need to finish recording my creative critical reflection, which I plan to complete tomorrow.

Almost two months ago now, EROS was merely a thought, an idea that came to me in the middle of the night. Now EROS is a reality, an actual short film that I created. I have never before created a complete short film, so this was an amazing learning experience. Even though I know its only a project and it won't go on the win Best Picture, I'm proud of what I've created because I was able to take a small idea that lived only in my head and turn it into something that I can watch and share with others. There is no feeling quite like that of having created something, having produced something from nothing.

This is my last post before I share the final products of the portfolio project. It feels thrilling to be nearly done, but also bittersweet because it has become part of my daily routine and it will be strange to not be working on it whenever I find myself with some free time. But, as they say, all good things must come to an end (sorry, that was cheesy, wasn't it?). So I bid you all farewell and I hope you enjoy EROS.

Just a Small Bump in the Road

Of course, nearing the end of my time with this project not all things can go exactly as planned. While I was editing my short film I realized that some of my footage was extremely dark, dark to the point that no editing could make it any better. And I guess I would be at fault for that. TIP: Always check your footage BEFORE you finishing filming and begin editing.

The particular scene that was too dark was my opening shot, which is pretty important, because you always want to make a good first impression. The only solution was to completely reshoot it. This meant having to break the news to my actors that we would have to redo a couple shots. This also meant having to redo my set dressing, which was quite elaborate despite the simplicity of the shot. The shot takes place in a dimly lit room. The first challenge was getting the room to be dark enough in the middle of the day, in Florida, the Sunshine State. Simply closing the blinds was not enough, my actors and I ended up taping yoga mats to the window in order to block out the sunlight. It wasn't the most eye-pleasing solution, but it got the job done. Then with the help of a small desk lamp, I was able to have enough light to keep the room dim, but still be able to see my actress.
Here is a still from the final shot:

This small error in production also gave me the opportunity to go back and get any extra footage that I may need, so in a way it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It always better to have too much footage than not enough. This was a learning experience for me when it came to filming and not only checking footage, but making sure I got enough of it. And thankfully my actors were wonderful and you can't even distinguish the scenes filmed at different times. This problem threw quite a curveball at me, especially so close to the end, but everything worked out and all issues were resolved, so it is all back on track and nearly ready to be revealed to the world.

EROS Preview

My short film EROS is going to be distributed primarily through local film festivals. This means that the short will not be able to view online right away, nor will it be released into theaters. As a way to build up some hype for my short I will be posting a short preview of the first 30 seconds or so of my short film. The preview will feature the beginning of EROS right up until the title card. This preview will act as a sort of 'trailer' for my short film.

In my experience these types of previews have been used mainly for television. In order to gather attention for the premiere of a new series or seasons, some shows will release the first 5 minutes, so that when people see it, they are more inclined to go and view the entire episode. But, most recently, I saw this technique used to promote The Ghost in the Shell. The studio released the first 5 minutes online as a way to give audiences a sneak peak of the film.

This technique is a great way to draw in audiences, especially when it comes to a piece that will not be available online. Instead of ignoring the online market, I want to use the popularity of social media to my advantage when it comes to promoting EROS. In the case of my short film, people would see my preview online and then therefore be more likely to go and watch it. In the long run I would eventually be making EROS available online, so the preview would also aid in advertising the digital release. And as a low-budget creator this is a great way to advertise without spending extra time and money to produce a trailer.


Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Shell_(2017_film), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlXuACzsPcw, 

Preparing the CCR

The creative critical reflection is the last main component of this project. Through the CCR I will be reflecting and evaluating all my work thus far. The CCR is also guided by 4 main questions:

1. How do your products use or challenge conventions and how do they represent social groups or issues?

2. How do the elements of your production work together to create a sense of ‘branding’?

3. How do your products engage with the audience and how would they be distributed as real media products?

4. How did you integrate technologies – software, hardware and online – in this project?

Here are examples of the general direction I will be heading in for each question.

1. Here is where I will be talking all about my genre, which is a genre. For the most part I followed the general characteristics of the genre, which you can read more about in this post. I will also be discussing the conventions I both followed and challenged in terms of typical representation of couples and relationships. On one hand I followed the typical conventions within Cora's story. In her case, it was her boyfriend who was the 'dominate' one in the relationship and she relieved heavily on him. Cora is also shown to be far my emotional than her now ex boyfriend, which follows typical tropes. On the other hand my character Ezra challenges many of the typical conventions. In his case his girlfriend was the one who held the power in the relationship and he was more dependent on her. He is also far more emotionally invested in the relaionship and he was never afraid to express his feeling to her.

2. Here I want to talk about by overall aesthetic. When creating all aspects of my project (the short film, website, and postcard) I wanted it to be explicitly clear that they all went together. One of the main concepts for this was the transition from a more dark and lonely atmosphere, to one that was bright and hopeful. This meant a lot of contrast between black and white. I want the change from dark to light to represent the character's development as they overcome obstacles that they face. The main image on my postcard is meant to symbolize where the story begins, the color palette is dark overall and feature cooler tones, but the warm lights above symbolize what could be in terms of a happy future. This directly correlates to particular scenes in my short film which will obviously connect the two. There is also the same aesthetic acheived in my website through incorporations of the same colors and tones, as well as more images.

3. As a short film I would distribute it primarily through local film festivals. As a new, low-budget director odds are I wouldn't be debuting my work at festivals like Sundance or Cannes, but I could get my work shown locally. Living in Florida there are a multitude of local festivals where I could have the opportunity to show EROS. I also created a short preview, which is available on the website, to act similarly to a trailer when it comes to promoting the short. There is also the postcard, which is a small, physical advertisement for the the short. The postcard will be distributed directly to audiences at film festivals as a way to draw in a crowd. Eventually, after the short has been showed in many festivals across a larger span of time, I will make it available to view online in order to reach a greater audience.

4. This entire project could not have been completed without the use of various pieces of technology and software. I used technology in every aspect of this project, including this very post. I did an entire post, which you can see here, where I broke down the different technologies that I would be using. In the CCR I will be going in to greater detail, as well as showing how I used them in real time.

To present my answers to these question I will creating a screen cast. With the screen cast I will be able to record what is happening on my computer screen in order to better exemplify what I will be talking about. I will be recording it both the audio and the visual using QuickTime and then editing it all together in Final Cut Pro.

As I am putting this final component together, I began to realize that this journey is nearing its end. It had been a long journey, but I am very excited for everything to finally come together and to have created something I can be proud of.


Sources: https://www.sundance.org/festivals/sundance-film-festival, http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/, http://sofiaprietoshortfilm.blogspot.com/2017/03/tech-and-software.html, http://sofiaprietoshortfilm.blogspot.com/2017/03/genre-research.html

Script Changes

EROS follows two people experiencing a breakup and their journeys overcoming that obstacle. Filming has begun and overall everything is going according to plan except for one minor change. As I began filming, I began to question and aspects of my script. In my first draft I had much of the silent scenes accompanied by voiceovers of the voicemails left by their exes, explained theirs motives behind breaking up. When I was filming and going over the script I realized it was repetitive and wasn't really showing the evolution of my main characters in the way I had imagined. To solve this problem I went back and scrapped all those lines and replaced them with voicemails left by my main characters when they tried calling back their exes. These voicemails will more clearly show the changes in the characters as they begin to get over their past relationship. It is a much better way to convey the emotions of my characters and the different ways each of them reacts to the situation. It is also a way to show how hard it is to let go of something that was a large part of your life and the reluctance to move on.


Here is an excerpt from one of the updated scenes:

[in a voicemail left for his ex]
Ezra: “Fun? You think all that we had was just fun? Are you kidding me?” "I thought this was serious, I mean we were together for over a year, and you think that was all just fun and games? Did you even love me or was I just some guy to have 'fun' with?"


With this new line I can more accurately show his anger and frustration with the situation, which wouldn't have been obvious before. Overall I think this change was necessary and benefited the short in general. Now their emotional journey is far more clearly represented.

 

Designing the Postcard

The postcard is a very important tool used in promoting any film, primarily at film festivals, and they can have a big impact when it comes to spreading the word about a particular piece. A postcard is a small flyer given out during film festivals as a way to promote a particular film or short film. A good postcard is extremely important as it is the most direct line of advertisement to your audience.

For the postcard for EROS I want it to be visually interesting, but also informative. The postcard will not only advertise the film, but it will let audiences know how, where, and when they can watch it.

The photo on the left is my original raw image. The photo on the right is an update to my editing progress. My goal is to keep the structure of the photo intact, but to erase all evidence that it was taken in my garage. A lot of work still needs to be done, but you can get an idea for where its headed. I will also be featuring some text on the front side of my postcard, including the title, but this is what the image will look like. The back of the postcard will feature information about where and when to view EROS at a film festival as well as a short synopsis. My overall goal is to make it simple and eye-catching so that if a festival-goer were to see this, they would want to go watch the entire piece.

To edit the photo I first went in and edited with Lightroom, a software created for editing photos. I used Lightroom to add filters, adjust the highlights and shadows, and to make the lights seem more blurred. After I got the colors and overall image to look how I wanted, I went in and edited with Photoshop. With Photoshop I masked portions of the photo that I didn't want, such as the overt garage door, and made everything blend together and seem realistic. With Photoshop I will be completing the image and adding text, as well as designing the back of the postcard. These tools allow me to manipulate my images in order to turn my vision into a reality.

Meet the Cast

In a previous post I talked about my two main characters, Cora and Ezra, and my inspiration for them, and now I'm here to bring you all some information about the actors playing them.

When choosing actors not only did I look for people who 'fit' my vision for these characters, but I also  looked for people who would give sincere performances. Cora and Ezra are two strangers who are both struggling after a break, and coincidentally, my actors are actually a couple. This might seem like an ironic choice, but I felt like they would be able to portray the emotions experienced during a breakup accurately. Although they are happily together and don't plan on breaking up any time soon, I feel like they are the best choice to portray this story.

Cora

Actress: Laura Lamoli 

Age: 18

Laura Lamoli is an 18 year old high school senior, who is originally from Puerto Rico. She is an aspiring writer, which fits into to the character of Cora, and has actually had a collection of her poems published recently. She is a hard-worker and overall fantastic person. She is full of heart and her past acting experiences makes her the perfect choice for this role.

Ezra

Actor: Austin Evans

Age: 19

Austin is a first year college student from South Florida. He has an amazing personality and is one of the nicest people around. Like his character, Ezra, he has a tough exterior, but doesn't shy away from his emotions. This is his first acting role, but his personal life experiences make this role an easy transition.

Website Startup

One of the main components of this portfolio project is the website for my short film. To create this website I will be using a site called Wix. With Wix I am able to completely customize my site and part of the reason I choose to work with Wix was its simplicity, it also helps that I have used it before so I am familiar with how it works.

I want my short film, website, postcard, and blog to follow the same aesthetic to really emphasize the fact that they are all connected. I can achieve this by using a universal color palette and images that connect visually. The ultimate goal for my website is to provide behind the scenes information about my short, how and where to watch it, and to promote the short overall.

The photo above is the template from which I will be working from. One of the great tools that Wix offers is the amazing templates from which you can further customize your site. I can add both pictures and video in order to make it eye-catching and engaging. I not only want my site to be informative, but I want it to beautiful and interesting to look through.

I have only just begun to construct my website, so there isn't much there yet, but as I continue to work on my short film I will continue to add to my website. It is extremely important that the two fit together and seem to be cohesive. A website is important not only to help market a piece, but to further engage audiences and encourage them to continually connect with the work.

Get to Know the Characters

Cora
General Information:
- The female protagonist
- 19 years old

Physical Characteristics:
- Very simple appearance
- Minimal makeup

Information Relating to Plot:
- Gets dumped by her high school sweetheart
- Gets dumped over the phone
- Uses writing as an emotional outlet
- Becomes more reclusive post-breakup

Inspiration Photo ->
(Odeya Rush)



Ezra
General Information:
- The male protagonist
- 20 years old

Physical Characteristics:
- Very relaxed
- Well-groomed

Information Relating to Plot:
- Gets dumped by his girlfriend of 1 year
- Gets dumped with a voicemail
- Using work and exercise as a form of distraction
- Experiences an extended period of denial post-breakup

Inspiration Photo ->
(Dylan O'Brien)



These descriptions are of course idealized versions of my characters. When it comes to casting actors, though, the physical appearance may not fit the exact person I had in mind. This is to be expected because it is extremely rare that you find someone who both fits your vision exactly and can act as well. So when giving physical descriptions I like to keep it extremely vague so that I can adapt the "look" to my chosen actor.

Behind the Title

Eros

When deciding what to title my short film, I came up with a few ideas, but none of which really stuck with me. Everything I thought up was either too long, too cliche, or simply didn't fit. One day as I was driving a song came on, Eros by Young the Giant; it is one of my favorite songs but I had never given any further thought into the title of the song. It is a word that I have heard time and time again, and upon doing some research about the history of the word and the different contexts in which it is used, it struck me that this would fit perfectly as the title of my short film.

Mythology
Eros is the Greek god of love. Eros is more commonly known Cupid, so the name is most often overlooked. You may also know of Eros because of his even more recognizable mother Aphrodite. He is often depicted as having wings along with his usual bow and arrow. With these tools he can cause people to fall in love, and in that way cause love itself. Eros often refers to more intimate and romantic love rather than other forms like familial love.

Psychology
Another way to define eros is in terms of psychology. According to psychologist Sigmund Freud, eros  is one's life instinct or life force, which is often associated with sexuality. Freud believed that the life instinct was to survive and in that manner, to reproduce. Eros in this context is also associated with Thanatos, which is the death instinct. Thanatos represents anger and hate and in this way it creates a balance with Eros.

Philosophy
Another connection to eros is made through great philosophers like Plato and Socrates. In dialogues such as the Lysis and the Symposium, eros is defined simply as "love". Like the other mentions of eros, it represents a more passionate love. Plato also helped distinguish and identify the different meanings of love, whether it be more intimate, pure, or platonic.

Sources: http://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Eros/eros.html, https://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Eros, http://study.com/academy/lesson/eros-life-instinct-definition-lesson-quiz.html, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-friendship/, https://philosophynow.org/issues/85/Eros_In_Plato

Tech and Software

As I embark on the production aspect of my short film I will be utilizes various pieces of technology and software in order to create the final project. This post is going to be a breakdown of the most important pieces of technology that will aid me on my journey.



Blogger
They most obvious resource would be Blogger! Blogger is the site I use to create my blog and all the posts within it (including this one). It is an amazing tool that allows me to document all the work that I do in real time. It is also a great way to share extra information about my portfolio project and all the work that goes into it.





iPhone 7 Plus
As a student I don't have access to professional cameras or any fancy equipment, but that doesn't mean I can't shoot quality footage. Smartphone technology has advanced tremendously over the years, especially in regard to the cameras. The iPhone 7 Plus offers a duel lens camera which shoots beautifully clear and crisp video. The cameras have become so good that some people   even choose to film entire projects with them. The phone is small, light, and portable, making it unique compared to many of the other industry standard cameras.



Final Cut Pro
No matter how good your footage is, its nothing without good editing. I will be editing my short film using Final Cut Pro. When I first started creating films and other projects I used iMovie, but as my skill and my needs grew, my software had to change with me. With Final Cut Pro I am able to make a clean, professional looking short film.




Photoshop
I will be using Photoshop when it comes to the creation of my postcard. Photoshop allows my to manipulate images and crop things together to form one cohesive piece. I am familiar with the program and have been using it for years so I am quite confident that I will be able to create a spectacular postcard with it.






Wix
Wix is a site that builds websites. It is the site that I am using to create the website for my short film. With Wix I can customize everything from the background to the layout, which is extremely helpful when trying to make an informative and eye-catching website. The website is a critical component of the overall project, so I want it to be as good as it can get.

Technology plays a big role within the media, especially the constant innovation associated with it. As technology changes and improves, so does the media. I want to take advantage of the technological resources around me so that, as a creator, I can also continue to grow and change.

Target Audience

No piece of media, whether it a feature film or a website, is made without a specific group in mind. This specific group would be known as the target audience. As I am putting together my portfolio project, I also have a target audience in mind. With my short film I am targeting all genders, ages 16-30. Now, while this age range may seem a little vague, there is a purpose behind it.

I chose this age range because this is the period in life during which people are most actively dating. My short film tells the story of two people who have just been dumped by their partners, so I want my audience to be able to relate to the characters and the story. I went up to the age of 30 primarily because the median age people get married is around 27-29, so I felt that, by 30, the majority of people will have stopped dating and settled down. People within this age range has most likely experiment heartbreak at some point in their lives, this means that they will be able to have a greater connection with my short film. I also want my short to go beyond just getting over a breakup. I want it represent any obstacle in life and show how that, even when you feel like you've hit rock bottom, things can only get better. As much as life might not being going your way a one point or another, there is always hope that you can overcome any situation.

I also don't want to isolate one gender over another. By incorporating both a male and a female character into my short, I feel like I will be able to address both perspectives and show that these experiences are universal. Typically within the media women are portrayed as the weaker sex, in that they are the more emotional ones. I want to show that your gender does not define your personality and that everyone is unique. I hope that with my short I can help break the stigma surrounding men who express their emotions and show that having feelings doesn't make anyone "less of a man".



Sources: https://www.census.gov/hhes/families/files/graphics/MS-2.pdf, http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21652323-blue-collar-men-rich-countries-are-trouble-they-must-learn-adapt-weaker-sex

An Interview with Heartbreak

As someone who has never gone through a series breakup, creating a short about a breakup is a bit of a daunting task. So to get a better idea of how a breakup would go and the aftermath of it I interviewed one of my friends who went through a bad breakup last year.

This is the story as told to be my friend Kristin. Last year Kristin broke up with her longtime girlfriend after she moved away. She told me her story starting with the decline of her previous relationship up until present day, where she is in a new relationship and is happily in love. Kristin described the feeling of being so lost after the breakup and the different ways in which she coped with the sadness associated with it. She told me of her main source of relief, music. She wrote songs upon songs as a way to get her emotions out and into the open; she used music as a release for all the conflicting emotions she felt inside. This revelation helped me realize that any creative outlet, like music, art, and writing could be useful in expressing yourself, especially when it comes to a breakup. Kristin also told me about her jam-packed work schedule following the separation. As another method to distract herself she threw herself into her work. She said that keeping busy with work was the perfect way to focus on something else besides the sadness she felt. She wanted to feel better and stop feeling sad, so instead of getting stuck in her own head, she picked herself up and tried to move on with her life. When it finally came to getting out of her post-breakup slump, she told me something extremely interesting that was a bit shocking, she looked for a rebound. I was expecting her to say that she realized she didn't need a relationship to be happy (which she later clarified that she doesn't) but ultimately she said while her intentions were never to find anything serious, she ended up falling in love. She also told me about her continuing friendship with her ex. Although Kristin is no longer in love with her ex, she didn't want to end things on bad terms. Kristin is someone who sees value in each and every relationship she is apart of, whether they end badly or not, because she feels that they were each an important part of her life at one point or another.

This interview with Kristin  really opened up my eyes to the complexity of breakups and how to get over them. While "rebounds" are usually connected with a negative connotation, they can end up being something really important and not as sleazy as it first appears to be. After hearing what Kristin had to say, I now have a much clearer view on how I want to portray the characters in my short film and how they each represent certain coping methods that are unique to them.

My female character will represent a more introverted approach to a breakup. As inspirited by situations like Kristin's, she writes as a way of expressing her feelings, and after she is dumped by her boyfriends her writing takes on new meaning.

My male character takes a more active approach at dealing with his breakup. He begins in a state in denial and then traditions into distracting himself, and it that way he is similar to Kristin and the way she handled her breakup. He begins to work any times he can and exercising in any free time he has as a way to get out and forget about his anger and sadness about the situation.

I want these two characters to contrast each other, but to still be connected by their experience and the  similar ways they deal with the end of a relationship.

The Parallel Narrative

For my short film I have chosen to pursue a parallel narrative. The most basic structure of a parallel narrative is that they usually involve multiple protagonists. Sometimes the characters know each other and are connected in that way or they can also be strangers but still connect in a way other then direct contact.

Parallel narratives that do not feature time jumps can be further broken down into three categories: the tandem narrative, the multiple protagonist narrative, and the double-journey narrative.

1. The tandem narrative follows two characters with equally-weighted stories that run simultaneously.  The stories are often held together but a overlying plot that somehow connects the two. ex. City of Hope and Traffic

2. The multiple protagonist narrative often features the perspectives of a group of people working together in situations like a mission or a reunion. The story is not about a singular journey, but a collective one. ex. Little Miss Sunshine and Saving Private Ryan

3. The double journey narrative follows two protagonists that are either working towards a common goal or an opposite goal. Each character is often shown alone or interacting with other characters that are specific to their lives. Each character has their own plot line but also one that is shared between them. ex. Finding Nemo and Brokeback Mountain

In terms of my short film I plan to create a combination of the tandem narrative and the double journey narrative. In my story both characters are facing a similar problem, but they will each have their own unique way of overcoming the obstacle. They will both also be featured equally in the final product. I feel like it is going to be a very interesting way to present an otherwise simplistic plot.

Sources: http://www.lindaaronson.com/parallel-narrative.html, http://www.lindaaronson.com/six-types-of-parallel-narrative.html, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jul/02/philip-hensher-top-10-parallel-narratives-mrs-gaskell-david-mitchell, https://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/parallel-narrative-films/deck/2725112

I Feel Inspired

When developing the plot for my short film I felt a strong gravitation towards the idea of parallelism. I have always loved stories in which two seemingly unconnected characters come together in an unexpected way, but throughout the story there is also many similarities and parallels between the two. The idea for creating a short film involving parallelism was sparked by a couple different sources that I have encountered in my life, including 1Q84, Brokeback Mountain, and Your Name.

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami -  This book tells the story of two characters, Aomame and Tengo. The story begins with Aomame who, after an encounter with a strange taxi driver, begins to see discrepancies in her reality. Each chapter alternates point of view so in the second chapter we are introduced to Tengo, a part time math teacher and part time struggling novelists. Now, while these two characters seem to have no correlation in any aspect of their lives Murakami does an excellent job of slowly weaving the two narratives together. In much of the book Aomame and Tengo do not interact, they live their own separate lives and deal with their own unique problems. I took inspiration in this story specifically from the subtle ways the stories intertwine and the parallels drawn between the two characters. Unlike with this book, I don't plan on having the characters in my short film ever meet face-to-face.







Brokeback Mountain (2005) - To be honest, this film isn't the greatest film ever made, in fact it isn't even close, but what it does an excellent job at is its parallel narrative. This film tells the story of two men, Ennis and Jack, who begin to form a close relationship after both working on a job herding cattle. The film follows each of their perspectives and shows their lives apart from each other as well as when they are spending time together. The both experience similar experiences in their personal lives and go through similar hardships that both bring them together and drive them apart. I loved how this film portrayed two people who were going through the same situation and the different ways they approached the conflict. In my short film I want to be able to show a similar situation in which two character are going through the same issues, but handle them in unique ways that represent themselves as a character.






Your Name (2016) - This Japanese animated film does a spectacular way of intertwining the lives of two protagonists. This film follows Taki and Mitsuha, two high school students who live very normal, average lives. Taki and Mitsuha live contrasting lives in that Taki is a city boy living in the heart of Tokyo, and Mitusha lives in a more traditional setting in the countryside. Their lives connect one day when the suddenly wake up in each others bodies. In order to try and understand this strange occurrence they begin to leave each other notes and soon for a close friendship. They stories begin to grow closer as they attempt to meet up, but a dazzling comet alters their lives in a surprising and mysterious way. What first appear to be two completely contrasting characters are brought together by a common event and are shown to be more similar then they thought. What I loved about the portrayal of this story was the contrast between the characters and how, in an everyday situation they would have never met or became friends, but through their shared experiences were able to find a common ground.


Sources : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10357575-1q84, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brokeback_Mountain, www.imdb.com/title/tt0388795, https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/your_name_2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Your_Name

Genre Research

Drama Film Genre

Conventions
- Portrays real-life situation and realistic characters
- Shows character development
- Story revolves around a conflict (internal or external)
- Ends with a resolution
- Portray heightened emotions
- An emotional journey

Examples
Gone with the Wind (1939) - This classic tale tells the story of a young woman's journey through a whirlwind relationship during the American Civil War. This film follows conventions in its portrayal of heightened emotions and in its depiction of an emotional journey. Now, while some may think it features an unrealistic characters and plot, it is pretty accurate when the time it was released is taken into account. The reality of the 1930s and American Civil War are two concepts that modern audiences may not be very familiar with. This film is not only a classic and a must-watch, but it is an excellent representation of the drama genre.






Dead Poets Society (1989) - This moving piece follows a teacher who has a unique and inspiring impact on his students especially in regard to their views on poetry and the powerful meaning and beauty behind the words. The character development is most prominent in this film especially in regard to the students. Throughout the film the audience is shown the various ways that they have been influenced by their teacher and all the things they have learned. There is also a strong presence of heightened emotions and the emotional journey. All of these elements come together to create a masterpiece of drama film and film in general.







Whiplash (2014) - This film is nothing short of heart pounding its it portrayal of a young drummers journey surviving in an extremely competitive environment at a prestigious music conservatory all while dealing with a brilliant but harsh instructor. This film also hits all the points when referring back to drama conventions from internal and external conflicts to almost emotionally abusive journey. It is a gripping piece that evokes sympathy and anger, and is also a wonderful depiction of a cut-throat industry.






When creating my own short film I will definitely make use of these conventions as a way to tell my story and make sure I utilize my choice of genre to its fullest potential. These films will be excellent references in regard to the genre and how to both implement and challenge these conventions.