CODES AND CONVENTIONS OF COMING OF AGE FILMS

The coming of age genre is typically targeted at teenage audiences as it concentrates on the psychological and moral growth of a protagonist from youth to adulthood. Some themes include loss of innocence, wisdom and maturation. A typical storyline for a coming of age genre involves a protagonist aged sixteen or eighteen. Within all of these films the character is reaching an important age, and could face a number of stereotypical, reoccurring issues such as pregnancy, drugs, home life, relationships, illness or death and friendships. These films are all about encouraging and informing teenagers, who could find themselves in similar situations.

Setting: Typical settings and locations that are used are flats, schools, parties, council estates and police stations. This is because these locations are relatable to a young audience and most likely link with the situations in the film. Climax moments often take place during parties because there is often a lot of characters involved.

Characters: The coming of age films have stereotypical characters, one includes ‘the dumb blonde’. This character provides humour, not necessarily in an unkind way. By the end of the film this character manages to find some consolation to their own problems, for example ‘Karen’ in ‘Mean girls’ finds a job to occupy her time. Another stereotypical character is the ’problem/ troubled’ teenager, this character frequently breaks rules and gets into trouble in order to rebel against someone or something. This involves them going through some sort of transformation, for example falling in love or getting sent away. This reformed character they have become can overcome other difficulties. An example would be ‘Poppy’ in ‘wild child’, her character is spoilt and gets sent to a boarding school in England where she learns crucial life lessons about herself and her lifestyle. A final stereotypical character is the ‘outcast’, they are often seen to be periphery/ distant at the beginning of the film. However they usually undergo a transformation as the film progresses, and finds a way to become more involved in society as well as opening up to others. An example of this character is ‘Charlie’ from ‘the perks of being a wallflower’, towards the beginning of the film he is introverted, depressed and anxious. As the films progresses he gains confidence within his self. Other characters may include a controlling parent, the homosexual best friend or a supportive teacher.

Lighting: Coming of age films are usually set filmed during the daytime as it is typically bright and interesting, such as during high school. However it can also be filmed at night time where a character is attending a party or prom and the lighting involves additional colour to brighten up the atmosphere.  

Mise-en-scene: Props used within coming of age films include the latest technology, such as IPhones, digital watches or laptops. Which explains why some films base an entire scene around a character using some sort of communicational device. Another common prop used is a car, this is because many teenagers grow up and learnt to drive. Potentially showing off; causing them to be reckless and crazy. With films set in a school, it is generic for a geeky character to be carrying a number of folders/ books. Other props such as alcohol and drugs are stereotypically used at parties.

Costumes within the coming of age genre normally include casual clothing such as jeans and a t-shirt, this is because it reflects their everyday activities and is relatable to a young audience. Some films feature a special event such as a ball, prom or party. Characters would often dress more sophisticated in a dress or suit for these events.

CODES AND CONVENTIONS OF ADVENTURE FILMS

The adventure genre is normally targeted at aspiring young males as the narrative stereotypically tells a story of a male protagonist on a quest who comes across violence throughout. An example of a film which follows this narrative is ‘Indiana Jones’. However recent adventure films portray a strong female lead for example ‘Wonder Woman’. The aim of an adventure film is to keep the audience on the edge of their seats at all times whilst they enjoy mind boggling chase and fight scenes.    

Settings: Adventure films are most commonly set in a period background in the past where they may include adapted stories of heroes within a historical context. Some settings include exotic locations such as a dessert, jungles, or unrealistic fictional settings such as ‘Hogwarts’ in the Harry Potter movies.     

Characters: A male/ female protagonist is always portrayed as a hero, who can sometimes be supported by a team of innocent characters who get caught up in the action. This main character is often presented as intelligent, strong and physically attractive such as ‘Indiana Jones’. Or the character will appear weak and innocent but will be chosen in some way to do something special, for example ‘Harry Potter’. Other characters may include a villain, either presented as a supernatural creature/ person or a human character with immoral ideas. A final character could be a damsel in distress, this character relies on a protagonist/ hero to save them. They are often either female or young children. The children characters are described as innocent and vulnerable, similarly the female characters are described as weak but physically attractive.   

Lighting: Lighting will vary throughout adventure films. During fight/ chase scenes lighting will be darker to give off a increased tense atmosphere. However during scenes of little action eg. featuring the main protagonist discussing the plan to team mates, natural lighting will be used to make the scene appear realistic.

Mise-en-scene: Heros or main protagonists are often shown wearing some sort of super suit or costume relating to their role/ the time period. This allows them to stand out amongst regular characters supporting their hierarchy and authority.

Props involved in adventure films may include weaponry such as guns or whips. However it may also consist of supernatural props such as wands or potions. In particular chase scenes cars may be used, stunts may take place and special effects may be used to enhance how dramatic they film comes across to an audience.    

CODES AND CONVENTIONS OF ROMANCE FILMS

Romance films normally follow a conventional ‘boy meets girl’ which involves a male character meeting a female character and falling in love. It can often have a twist where the love between them is disagreed or tested by another character or event in the film. Causing them to split for a time period in the film, until they potentially re - unite. Often romance films involve a lot of emotion, love, passion and feelings which tend to appeal to more of a female audience. There are many codes and conventions associated with romance films and they can often be seen through props, colours/ lighting, clothing, characters and setting.

Settings: There are a variety of places where the characters can meet by accident. They are commonly set in big cities, for example New york. A city background helps the audience to relate to the film and begin to link it with their personal lives as well as gaining the recognition of the area. They could also be set along beaches, within a school, in restaurants or homes. This is because, these places can be good for when showing affection privately.

Characters: The romance genre tends to follow a similar pattern of having two main protagonists, the majority of the time this being one female character and one male character that fall in love, this being the narrative of the story. For example in the film a ‘ A cinderella story’ the female character is ‘Samantha Montgomery’ played by ‘Hilary Duff’ and the male character is ‘Austin Ames’ played by ‘Chad Michael Murray’. These two characters are anonymously messaging each other without realising, due to their different status within school and Samantha's evil stepmother they face problems along the way realising their true love for each other. The antagonists in the film are the stepmother and her daughters, who play a role to try and break up the love interests between Samantha and Austin. Other characters may include a large stereotypical friendship group such as ‘cheerleaders’ or ‘geeks’.    Lighting: Soft lighting effects or natural lighting are regularly used within certain shots this is to achieve the feeling of it being in touch with reality, making the story as believable as possible.

Mise-en-scene: Typical clothing for male characters frequently involves them being dressed smartly for example wearing suits to show of their professionalism. However a casual dress sense can also be showed through the use of a pair of jeans and plain t - shirt, this will show to the audience that the character will also have a down to earth and relaxed side. However the female character would often be wearing a tight fitted dress to show off her figure for example during a dinner date or office hours. However a casual outfit may include a pair of leggings covered with a baggy jumper.

Some conventional props used with romance films could be flowers, this is because flowers symbolise beauty but also connote affection and love. This is often shown through the male character giving them to the female character as a gift. This has been used for a number of years and is a way of emphasising romantic feelings between characters. Other props may include candles, these are used to set a intimate and loving atmosphere for example these could be placed at the table during a dinner date.   

CODES AND CONVENTIONS OF ACTION FILMS

Action films are essentially a long quest with a series of different challenges which involve different chase sequences, violence, fight scenes and physical threats each one being more death defying and impossible than the one before. There are many codes and conventions associated with action films and they can often be seen through props, colours, clothing, body language and setting.

Settings: Action films are usually set in cities and other built up urban areas, this is predominately because when there is a chase scene eg. involving cars, it is easy to present fast things rushing past buildings rather than countryside. It also helps create a sense of danger as pedestrians are often around. Other settings involve casinos, banks, skyscrapers and police stations.

Characters: Most action films always follow a traditional layout of characters, one being a main protagonist (the hero) who often controls the action and fights against a villain who is often a rich millionaire, or ex military veterans with menacing accents for example the character ‘Raoul Silva’ in ‘Skyfall’. Or the villain could be well known to the hero but still hides their true identity for example the character ‘Thomas Gabriel’ from ‘Die hard 4’. They often have a evil girlfriend or female companion to accompany them on their evil doings. Often the hero may have a sidekick or companion who may hold them back until a necessary time where they show their intelligence. A final character who is guaranteed to be in a action film is a victim or group of victims, most stereotypically a woman who could sometimes be a princess or a child. This is because they are easy to present vulnerably.  

Lighting: Lighting is predominantly natural as most shots are filmed outside in open air. However if the villain is shown, they may use low key lighting to reflect the mood and their actions.  

Mise-en-scene: Heroes often have a range of clothing, sometimes they could be dressed in a smart suit maybe attending a social event and other times they could be dressed in rugged, rough clothes possible after a fight. A villain normally wears similar outfits to the hero but they are often darker colours and don’t involve as many accessories. Potential female victims are always dressed nicely unless they have been held captive, potentially causing them to look dirty and weak.  

Props involved in an action films would include weaponry such as guns, machinery, explosives and knives. As well as technology such as fast cars, helicopters, cell phones and computers. Action films are often big budget as they involve these props to add a cinematic and exciting experience of watching the film.  

CODES AND CONVENTIONS OF HORROR FILMS

Horror films are unsettling, terrifying and frightening which can cause panic and provoke audience’s hidden fears. Horror films often expose our deepest nightmares and vulnerabilities. Film genres have different codes and conventions that separate them from one another. This allows a target audience to immediately identify which genre is being presented. There are often many codes and conventions which are continuously used  within horror films. However some also challenge them and create originality and uniqueness making them in some way unpredictable. Nonetheless, you couldn't challenge them to the point where the codes and conventions used are not in some way linked to the horror genre. These codes and conventions can be seen through a number of things including setting, characters, costumes, sounds, events and occurrences, lighting, weapons and camera shots/ angles. Below I will briefly explain some of the codes and conventions used within the horror genre.

Settings: Settings immediately set the scene, giving off a certain mood and atmosphere allowing the audience to identify the genre. For example some typical horror settings include abandon houses which characters can explore and investigate , large spacious areas e.g. forests for a character to be in the middle of nowhere and to find hiding spaces during an intense chase, churches or grave yards linked with the supernatural aspect, barns and farms as they are deserted and often associated with creepy looking objects e.g., trees/animals and sometimes it can be set in homes which have a alter ego of looking cosy and inviting but really have an eerie presence.

Characters: All horror films have some sort of battle between good and evil and this has a massive influence on what characters we see in the horror genre. There is always a antagonist, this character is usually supernatural e.g. zombies, ghosts, ghouls, vampires, werewolves and other demonic creatures. Or these characters could be presented as human serial killers often dressed in masks to hide their identity and emotions. This means there is no real connection between the audience and the antagonist, if there was this would take away the fear element. These characters will also never react to injuries and are often shown getting straight back up after being stabbed or struck down, this gives off a sense of power and dominance from the villain.

There is also always a protagonist, this character is often presented as the innocent victim or damsel in distress who is in need of being saved. Sometimes this characters can be presented as twisted when they reveal at the end that they have a split personality and are mentally sick, this is often seen in psychological horrors.

Other characters include the loved up couple who are typically away from the group when the murders first taker place, and is frustrating to watch from the audiences eyes when they don't realise their deaths are near. A character who is known as the non believer, they are often cocky and overconfident, reassuring other characters but normally end up being the first to be killed. Or even the female lead character, this character is normally the last girl standing in films and can be seen as the hero, clever, resourceful and brave.

Lighting:  Lighting is used to set a different atmosphere or tone depending on the circumstance. There are different lighting's for each situation eg. low key lighting or back lighting.

Mise-en-scene: Costumes contribute massively to the horror genre, as different types of clothing can reflect different emotions as they help the audience to determine which character they are watching. For example a killer would predominately be dressed in dark clothing and show little facial features whereas the victim would be wearing light coloured clothing, the main reason being as it shows blood or other stains easiest.

Props used within horror films are predominantly weapons such as knives, chainsaws, hammers which are all easily to get hold off and are seen as the most scariest and graphically frightening.

FILMS INSTITUTIONS RESEACH

What is a film studio?

A film studio is a major entertainment company or motion picture company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to make films, which is handled by the production company. There are currently 6 major film studios these include Paramount, Warner bros, Columbia pictures (sony), Walt Disney pictures, Universal pictures and 20th century fox.

Paramount:

Paramount studios have been running since 1912 and is currently the longest operating and only major studio remaining in Hollywood. In 1927 paramount won the very first award for best picture in 1927, before moving to the current studio lot they are now working in. They worked with many legendary industry talents such as directors like Cecil B, Alfred Hitchcock and more recently Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford, Tom cruise, Angelina Jolie and many more. They don’t only just share the love for films, in the 1960’s they discovered a passion for TV and decided to expand into this market, creating TV programmes like ‘The Brady Bunch’, ‘Star trek’ and ‘Happy days’. The genres best known for paramount was family films for example ‘Titanic, ‘Top gun’, ‘Forrest Gump’, ‘Saturday night fever’, ‘Grease’, ‘Shrek’, ‘How to train your dragon’ and many more. Paramount had also recently entered into production and distribution arrangements with DreamWorks. Paramount’s most successful blockbuster was titanic bringing in a gross profit of $1.843 billion.

Warner Bros:

Warner Bros studios was founded in 1923 in Hollywood, it was created by the 4 brothers Sam, Albert, Jack and Harry. Their headquarters is now in Burbank, California. With many unsuccessful attempts to make it as one of the top film studios, there turning point for Warner Bros was when they released ‘The jazz singer’ in 1927. The film has seven subsidiary companies (have shares in the business) for example ‘Telepictures’, ‘Cartoon network studios’ and ‘New line cinema’. Warner Bros are most famous for their action, adventure and thriller genre, example of their most successful films include ‘The dark knight rises’, ‘Suicide Squad’ , the ‘Harry Potter’ films and ‘Batman vs Superman’. Warner bros most successful film in terms of the gross profit was ‘The dark Knight’ which was made in 2008 and brought in a gross profit off $534,967,647.  The dark Knight was probably most successful as Morgan freeman, Williams Fichtner and Heath Ledger and many more award winning actors and actresses played a part in this film.

Columbia Pictures (Sony):

Was originally set up as CBC film Sales Corporation in 1918 in Los Angeles, California but in 1924 was re—named Columbia pictures. Its headquarters is now in Culver City, California. Stars such as Rosalind Russell, Glenn Ford, and William Holden around the 1940’s/50’s were very successful actors or actresses for a period of time for Columbia pictures. By 1951 they became a major producer for TV comedies for example ‘Father knows best’, ‘Bewitched’ and ‘The Monkees’. In the 1990’s Sony put in billions of dollars to buy a higher interest of Columbia and bought out Time Warner. Columbia pictures release a lot of action, adventure and Sci-fi films for example ‘White house down’, ‘Men in Black’, ‘Skyfall’, ‘Total Recall’, ‘Spider man’ and ‘Karate kid’. However they also do release some animation films like ‘The Smurfs’ and ‘Surf's up’.

Walt Disney pictures:

Walt Disney pictures was founded in 1928 in Burbank, California, it is a division of Walt Disney studios and is owned by Walt Disney Company. The majority of Walt Disney pictures release with Touchstone Pictures and Hollywood Pictures films. In 1926 Walt Disney released the first short film of ‘Mickey mouse’ and in 1937 saw the release of ‘Snow white and the seven dwarfs’. Walt Disney pictures mostly produced comedies or dramas, some of their most successful films include ‘The jungle book’, ‘Toy story’, ‘the princess diaries’ and ‘Monsters inc’. The most successful film based on gross profit was ‘Star wars; the force awakens’ bringing in a total of $936,662,225.

Universal Pictures:

Universal pictures is owned by Comcast through the Universal Filmed entertainment group, it was founded in 1912 in California but its headquarters is now located in Universal city. It has a number of subsidiaries including ‘Dreamworks animations’, ‘Focus features’ and more. The top 5 grossing films worldwide include ‘Despicable me 2’, ‘Jurassic park’, ‘Minions’, ‘Furious 7’ and ‘Jurassic world’. With ‘Jurassic world’ bringing in a grand total of $1,670,400,637 in gross profits in 2015 worldwide. With famous actors and actresses like Jennifer Aniston, Tom Cruise, George Clooney and many others being in many of their films.

20th Century fox:

20th Century fox was founded in 1935 by Darryl Zanuck and Joseph Schneck. Its current headquarters is in Los angeles, America. 20th Century fox did go through financial and production problems in the early 1960’s  but shortly afterwards they were back on track, releasing in the tv production and music label industries not just films. ‘Avatar’ was there highest grossing film worldwide bringing in a total of $2,787,965,087 in 2009. There most successful films made were predominantly in the action and adventure genre for example ‘X men’ and ‘Star wars’. The famous actors and actresses include Sandra Bullock, Tom hanks, Will Smith and many others featuring in their many releases of films.

CERTIFICATE RESEACRH

U (universal):

A universal film should be suitable for all audiences aged four years and over however it is difficult to predict what can and can’t upset any child in particular. A U film should be set with a positive image and should offer reassuring outcomes to any violence or horror. The content of a Universal film includes no reference to illegal drugs/ drugs misuse however if it does it should have a clear educational purpose or anti-drug message for young children. Discriminatory language or behaviour is very likely to be acceptable, language used must only be infrequent or very mild bad language. Also there should be no potentially dangerous or antisocial behaviour as it can influence young children and they could copy it, there is a big emphasis on not including realistic or easily accessible weapons. Occasional nudity is okay as long as there is no sexual context and only very mild sexual behaviour should be used eg. Kissing. Threats and violence should both be mild and only accepted if it’s unrealistic or justified by context eg. Comedic/animated. Even though a U film is predominantly aimed at younger children it can also be viewed and enjoyed by parental figures of younger children or watched as a family film. A  U certificate can also enhance the success of a film because it can be watched by anyone and is widely available compared to a 15 for example because that certificate is aimed at anyone over the age of 15.

An example of a film rated U is Toy story 3, which was released on the 23rd July, it includes a storyline of animated characters Buzz, Woody and the rest of their toy-box friends being dumped in a day-care centre after their owner, Andy, departs for college. This film was equally split 50% females and 50% males viewed this, highlighting how it is open to anyone to watch it and is enjoyed worldwide by both genders. Surprisingly the largest number of people who viewed this film was aged between 25 years old to 34 years old, with a total of 25%, however all the percentages for the other ages were similar including aged 7 to 11 being 20% and ages 15 to 24 being 18%.

PG:

A PG film is general viewing but isn’t suited to younger children as they could find some scene unsettling, however it wouldn’t unsettle a child aged 8 or older. Unaccompanied children of any age may watch this film but parents are advised to consider whether the

content may upset or be sensitive for their child/children. A PG film should contain the following content, discriminatory language or behaviour should only be used if it is an educational or historical format, if there is any reference to illegal drugs or drugs misuse it must be to carry a suitable anti-drug message. Nudity is allowed but without sexual context also sexual activity may be used but should be discreet and infrequent (mild sex references). There should be little mild bad language and any constant repetition of bad language may lead to the film being put up into a higher category. Frightening sequences or situations where characters are in danger should not be prolonged or intense and violence should be mild. Even though a PG film is aimed for a younger generation eg. Age 8 to 12 it can be viewed by anyone under the age of 8 if they have an appropriate adult with them and it can also be viewed and watched by families and parental figures. A PG certificate can also enhance the success of a film because it can be watched by anyone compared to an 18 which is aimed and restricts only people aged 18 and over to view it.

An example of a film rated PG is Monster house, which was released on the 11th August 2006, it is an animated film which includes a storyline of three children who realize a neighbour’s house is really a monster, although no adults will believe them. They then must find a way to stop the house and save the neighbourhood. Similar to the universal example it is a mix percentage of age ranges who watched the film, however the largest percentage who viewed this film were aged between 35 to 44, with a total of 21%. 57% of females watched the film compared to 43% of males who watched the film.

12A:

A 12A film is where an adult would need to accompany a child under the age of 12 to view the film in the cinema, the film industry (BBFC) advice the adult to pre plan whether they think the film is suitable for them to watch it or not. No one under the age of 12 would be able to buy or rent the film. A 12A/ 12 film could use discriminatory language or behaviour but shouldn’t be a major role in the film and if it is used it should be minimal but only if it is clearly condemned by the film industry.  Misuse of drugs must be infrequent and shouldn’t be encouraged or glamorised in any way. There should be no promotion of potentially dangerous behaviour which children are likely to imitate, no emphasis on knives or other weapons and no endorsement of anti-social behaviour. Nudity is allowed and used in a sexual context but it must be brief and discreet. Sexual activity may be briefly portrayed and could include some moderate sex references but if it is cruder it is unlikely to be acceptable. Moderate physical and psychological threat and horror could be used although some scenes may be disturbing, the overall tone shouldn’t be also moderate violence may be used but not in lots of detail. There should be no focus on blood or injuries but some gory scenes are approved. Sexual violence may only be implied if it is justified by the context. A 12A/ 12 film can attract different audiences as it is upon up to a larger audience as long as a child under the age of 12 is accompanied by an adult and also to anyone over the age of 12. 12A/12 films are most likely targeted at young teenagers eg. Ages 12 to 15 as the storylines of films become more detailed and the film itself becomes more intense.  A 12/12A film can also enhance how successful the film is because it is opened up to a larger target audience.

An example of a film rated 12A is Mean girls which was released on the 18th June 2004, it includes a storyline of an adolescent girl who moves from being home schooled in Africa to a public school where she falls in love with the ex-boyfriend of the most popular girl in school.This spirals into things getting out of hand and she soon becomes one of these mean spirited girls, the audience watch her develop and learn from her mistakes. This follows the storyline of a coming of age film and helps justify the target audience of predominately females who would watch this film.  

15:

A 15 film is where no one younger the age of 15 can view the film in the cinema or buy and rent it, however anyone over the age of 15 can view it. Discrimination may be in a 15 rated film for example racism or homophobic language or behaviour, but must not be endorsed or encouraged in any way. Drug taking may be shown but not promoted in any way, also any misuse of easily accessible drugs could be used. Dangerous behaviour like suicide, self-harming or hanging could be used but shouldn’t dwell on detail. The allowance of weapons will all depend on the realism of the film, the context and the setting. Strong language may be used and very strong language is permitted but depends on the manner in which it is used, who is using it and if it is frequent or not. Nudity can be used if it has an educational purpose, similar to sexual activity it is permitted but references are to be displayed with little detail and strong references are likely to be acceptable unless justified by context. A strong threat/ horror may be used however a strong focus on sexual threat is unlikely to be acceptable. Violence used may be strong but shouldn’t dwell on injury or pain and strong images of gore are unlikely to be accepted. A 15 film can attract different audiences as it is aimed at anyone over the age of 15 and different genres can entice different people whether they are teenagers, middle aged adults or an older generation. A 15 film can also enhance how successful the film is because it can attract anyone over the age of 15 and in particular the majority of people aged 16 onwards work so they would be able to pay for there on tickets to view the film in the cinema.

An example of a film rated 15 is Purge; Election year which was released on the 26th August 2016, it follows a storyline of a two years after choosing not to kill the man who killed his son, former police Sergeant Barnes becomes head of security for Senator Charlene Roan, the front runner in the next Presidential election due to her vow to eliminate the Purge. It includes content of violence, horror and gore following the genre of Horror. It was predominately viewed by males (55%) however the remaining 45% (still high) was watched by females, a possible reason could be due to the attractive hero character James DeMonaco featuring as a main character. However the largest number of people who watched the film were aged between 15 years old to 24 years old, the total being 66%.

18:

An 18 film is where no one younger than 18 may see, rent or buy the film, this is also the age where adults should be seen to choose their own entertainment. 18 rated films can include violence, sexual violence, drugs abuse, dangerous or graphic features however there are some exceptions including the breach of the criminal law or has been created through the commission of a criminal offence, where material or treatment appears to us to risk or harm individuals through their behaviour to society for example a detailed use of drugs abuse. Where there are more explicit images of sexual activity in the context of a sex work. Where sex material genuinely seeks to inform and educate in matters such as human sexuality or safer sex and health, explicit images of sexual activity may be permitted. An 18 film can attract a wide range of audiences as it is targeted to anyone over the age of 18 (this is an age range where the majority of people have an income). However it is restricted to any of the younger viewers aged 18 and below. An 18 film can also enhance how successful the film is because it can attract an audience of anyone over the age of 18 which is a larger range as a certain type of viewer goes to watch it.

An example of a certificate rated 18 film is Saw I which was released on the 1st October 2004, it includes features of horror and gore. The largest number of people who watched the film were aged between 15 years old to 24 years old, the total was 42%. It also reveals that the majority of the audience were male (67%) compared to females (33%), reflecting the genre of the film (horror) as in previous research I found out that it is predominantly males who watch horror films.