Researching Your Chosen Genre

Researching Your Chosen Genre

Chick-Flick Films – Stereotypical Elements

In a stereotypical chick-flick the chosen cast always includes a female love interest, male love interest and a second female love interest who is initially the villain of the film (the mean girl).

The male and one of the female love interests usually have attractive appearances and the ideal and perhaps perfect life that the audience envy. Teenage chick-flicks are often centered on the location of a High school the people within the school are dramatic and 'glammed'-up (to the point where it almost mocks a school ethos - it is also often commented on how little time they spend in lessons. The school environment is a convenient backdrop and meeting place but does not always contribute to the drama).

Stereotypically, the story starts with a new girl trying to fit in and the ‘popular’ jock guy takes her fancy. The ‘popular’ cheerleader type girl some way or another makes the new girl's life hell out of jealousy. The new girl has to battle her for public support, work out how to win the jock over and not to become as mean as the mean girl in the process. Usually, the mean girl has a big plot to discredit the new girl towards the end of the film and everything back fires and results in a happy ending for the heroine of the film.

Typical iconography for chick-flick films are well-groomed characters/students and people with phomaterial values with lots of status symblos int erms of clorthes, possessions, gadgets etc. Also settings such as big mansion America style d houses and high schools will be evident. Like a lot of chick-flicks there is often a ‘special’ area or place that the protagonist may escape to throughout the film for inspiration which turns out to be ruined to hurt her.

The setting would be and expensive county lifestyle with a small population in a small town outside I large city with only one high school where everyone attends and knows one and other. Everyone’s fashion sense (costumes) would be of similar taste this will therefor highlight that people follow crowds. This will reinforce to the audience the size of this town and what could potentially be something small could be blown out of proportion. The main characters will evidently be the ones the viewers will end up relating to the most and develop sympathy or hatred for one. The male (jock) and female (cheerleader) are just stereotypical spoilt teenagers that are very much caught up in the dramas of their teenage social life. The male is often either described as the hunky, good looking, popular, sporty but failing student or the perfect catch of attractive, popular, sporty and the grades to match. The female (villain) is often portrayed as the mean, intimidating, pretty good physique girl. Finally, the second female (protagonist, heroine or victim) is portrayed as the nerdy, down to earth, perfect grades, average appearance and innocent girl.

Lighting has no specific connection to the film as most chick-flicks differ from day to night time. Commonly, one sees that the parties, proms and sleepovers are evidently found happening at night and the school, shopping and perhaps revision at one and others house sis found happening during the day. Overall, lighting has no specific significance in the chick-flick genre. The props would be very general. Most everyday life equipment would be used as chick-licks deal with everyday life situations in an exaggerated and un-realistic manner. Significant props to perhaps highlight maybe a secret diary, the cars driven by each main character and the typical accessories each character may often have in hand throughout. (I.e. cheerleader type girl maybe her mobile phone).

For camera angles, a lot of 360 degree angles may be used to show locations of the town to show the houses of the neighborhood  the school field and corridors where many of the main scenes will take place. A lot of close-ups of the main characters’ face are used to establish how different the characters are from one and other. A series of split screens are often used to demonstrate two of the same actions happening at once on the screen to show contrasts. Finally, a lot of shot reverse shots just for conversations and sometimes something may be happening over the character’s’ shoulder that is about the character watching (i.e. talking negatively about her).

The majority of the sounds are diegetic as chick-flicks include a lot of dialogue throughout the film. This is often fast-paced and quite jargon-heavy to create the idea of an exclusive group or in-crowd. Additionally, non-diegetic sounds such as explosions or enhancing sounds in fight scenes are not necessary for chick-flicks films. However, an important factor in chick-flicks with the sound is the music. This is extremely important in chick-flicks as it sets a specific tone for the film genre. Voice-overs are often used to convey the main character's inner thoughts or how they feel about another character. This is a typical technique used in chick-flicks as this genre includes a lot of ‘talking behind ones back’.

Key elements/Themes

Drugs - ‘Get him to the Greek’, ‘pineapple express’…

Sex – ‘Friends with benefits’, ‘American pie’…

Romance – ‘P.s I love you’, ‘The Notebook’, ‘Twilight’, ‘50 first dates’…

High School – ‘Mean girls’, ‘The O.C’…

Pregnancy – ‘Juno’, ‘Knocked-up’, ‘The back-up plan’…

Alcohol – ‘The hangover’…

Narrative Structure

Equilibrium theory:  Russian theorist, Tzvetan Todorov, suggests that all narratives follow a three part structure. They begin with equilibrium, where everything is balanced, progress as something comes along to disrupt that equilibrium, and finally reach a resolution, when equilibrium is restored.

Stock characters

A stock character is a dramatically emphasised character that represents a stereotypical personality that is repeated throughout a film/TV series.

In teen dramas, they usually include a large range of different cliques and stereotypes of teenage life. There will always be the three typical main characters in a teen-drama chick-flick of which consists of the ‘popular’ girl that everyone envies and wants to be. The famous rich spoilt girl of the town that has a bitter personality towards outsiders and nerds. In which the ‘nerdy’ or new girls comes in. Who gets on with life but somehow finds herself competing against the popular girl to fight over the ‘popular’ boy. Normally, the ‘nerdy’/new girl wins the ‘battle’ and all ends positively. Finally, there is the ‘popular’ boy who is the typical attractive, sportsmen who usually doesn’t get a huge role. He is used as a catalyst to spark off the ‘disruption’ within the equilibrium theory. Additionally, a group of friends who add to perhaps the intimidation of the ‘popular’ girls’ image. The good-looking group of boys surrounded by the ‘popular’ boy to reinforce his popularity and finally, the ‘nerdy’/new girls two friends who are very different the rest of the average teenager in this specific town…also known as the ‘outsiders’.

The following are a list of examples of a type of fictional characters that may be included in a teen-drama chick-flick and examples of characters in existing films:

-Rebel - The outcast/outsider that rebels against teenage conventions and society. ‘Too cool for school’ type. People often think they are weird but this is usually not the case.

-Bimbo (cheerleader and co) - The popular girl that everyone dreams to be like in High school. Tries too hard, spoilt by daddy, has her followers with her at all times, always on phone, perfect physique and often starts off having the jock as her boyfriend.

 

- Jock - The attractive, good grades (or really stupid), spoilt, athlete. That again everyone stares at in the corridor. Always has his crew of ‘quarter back’ in the baseball team by his side. Throws all the best parties and gets away with murder. Cheerleaders constantly by his side. Sometime a bully.

 

- Math elite - The nerdy/new girl or group that has the brains and everyone makes fun of. In reality they will get further in life.

 

- Plain Jane – Often casted as the nerdy/new girl role. Modestly pretty, clever, innocent, kind and shy. She is plane but once one gets to know she has more to offer. Very down to earth and hated by popular girls as she is effortlessly ‘the girl next door’. The jock often ends up with this type.

Analysing Genre – Techniques to consider

Mise-en-scene

Setting

We are using a stereotypical setting due to it being a teen drama chick-flick.

For these reason the two main setting our sequence will be based in will be their bedrooms and the High school they attend. It will begin immediately in the bedroom of both two main female characters. The bedroom of someone tells the audience a lot about one’s character so we thought this would be an appropriate place to commence the sequence. The layout of the bedrooms of both girls will show their contrasts in their personalities without having to use dialogue.

The second location used in our 2 minute sequence, the high school will be used. This is a typical location teen dramas focus on so this again was an appropriate decision according to our genre. The specific scene will be filmed in the corridor by lockers portraying the famous stereotypical ‘corridor scenes’ where significant scenes happen.

Costume

As we are in school we may be perhaps limited as to how we can represent our main characters as standing out ones. However, perhaps we will tweak the uniform for the popular girl and guy to make them stand out more by making it edgy and customised. This will show their ability to change trends by rebelling against the school rules. We will have their crew following them wearing similar customised uniforms showing that people follow the popular character’s and shows their strength and popularity. On the other hand the nerd female’s uniform will be well worn (how it should is expected to be worn) and plain.

Props

We will use props such as:

Mobile phones - To emphasise teenagers love for them.

Kindle - Shows our era as well as showing certain characteristics of specific characters.

Books - Ties in with the school setting.

Ipod/Ipad - Perhaps to show that the popular girls aren’t in full school mode.

Make-up

Make up is big part of our costumes because the majority of our two minutes shows the girls getting ready in the morning for school. During this the make-up load will be the deal breaker into differentiating the opposition between the popular girl and nerd girl.

Lighting

Lighting is not very significant due to our chosen genre. However, we will use a bright setting as our 2 minute sequence is meant to be set in an early morning light. This cannot be certain as the weather may change but this will not affect our filming.

Camera angle and movement

We will use a variety of establishing shots to show each setting before the dialogue and actual scene commences. Two shots as well as shot reverse shots will be used for any possible exchange in conversation between two people.

Panning shots are very effective as it shows ones surroundings in the shot as well as easing smoothly into the shot. A variety of close-ups and medium shots show the characters physical state and movement and facial expression and emotions. Zooms and slow motion movements will be perhaps used to emphasise a significant moment. Possible P.O.V shots can be used when scenes of one walking down corridors by certain characters to portray to the audience their state of mind and make them feel a part of the action and film.

Editing

Transitions - Make each shot change from one and other smoothly.

Graphic match - One girl leaving house as another girl arriving at school.

Cross cutting - Of the same actions happening but in different locations and at different times.

Analysing Genre – Sound and Style

Types of Sounds

Silence - no sound present on camera or to the audience.

Synchronous sound - Sound that is appropriate for what is happening on screen or to a characters current emotion.

Ambient Sound - Background sound picked up during filming (I.e. Footsteps or closing doors).

Non-Diegetic - music added in for the audience, often a current popular song with relevant lyrics

Diegetic - Music that is heard in the story world by both characters during filming

Voice-over - A character that narrates there state but only the audience can hear. (I.e. represents thoughts).

News Feed

To demonstrate our titles we are using a large bold bright colour font that will come up on the mirrors when the two girls are getting ready which will create a 'girly' effect. They will appear when the girl appears on screen with the real name. Non-diegetic of the track we chose will be playing whilst these are shown. Another scene when the popular boy arrives at school in the character and all the girls make way his name will appear as well as he is also a significant character. This is a significant scene completely showing the popular people's position in the sequence.