Genre Hopping

Week Two - Currently Researching

Hannah and I were debating heavily on which genre to choose. We were leaning toward the drama genre, but we've shifted toward the coming of age genre. We are teenagers; thus, the locations and topics are easier to manage. We are going with what we know and what we are familiar with. Hannah and I did a research project on A24 earlier in the year, and we really enjoyed their filming style. In fact, our shift toward the coming-of-age genre was heavily influenced by the films: Ladybird, Waves, and The Florida Project.

A clip from the opening scene of The Florida Project. The misc-en-scene elements and costume design are quite child-like and urban. We want our opening to be similar, allowing our audience to pick up on location, a sense of community, and feeling without outwardly saying anything through dialogue. 

A clip from the opening scene of Lady Bird. A shot that illustrates intimacy via a close-up and framing. We want our film opening to incorporate similar elements. Again, our stylistic choices would reveal more about the characters and setting than dialogue. 

The opening scene of Waves has an exceptionally carefree nature, with the camera movement being somewhat shaky. We want our opening to do the same, encapsulating our generation: the pressures placed on us, our daily lives, and ways we escape. 

Overall, researching A24's coming-of-age did an excellent job of guiding Hannah and me. We are set on the genre but not set on the topic, but given that we are focusing on adolescence, there is a lot we can pull from. We so severely want artistic misc-en-scene elements, whether that be showcasing Florida, the angst of teenagers, or the glory of being young. We want it to be represented through our stylistic choices and not explicitly stated, and that was the big takeaway from our research. Next up... what in the world will our topic be? Stay tuned!