Final film genre- Melodrama

Film Genre

What makes a drama film?

-The purpose of a dramatic story line is to move the audience emotionally. Drama films depends mostly on the development of realistic characters dealing with emotional issues.

-In most cases the film concentrates on normal character(s) that is dealing with a conflict or dilemma. Dramas often give actors a chance to stretch into a role that other genres wouldn't allow them to do. This is because drama films focus on building up characters that the audience can engage with.

Conventions of drama films:

-Portrays a characters journey and developments

-Exhibits real life characters situations, settings and stories.

-Dramatic sounds and exaggerated performance.

Sub-genre: Melodrama

Definition-

-A melodrama is a dramatic piece with exaggerated characters and exciting events.

-It is intended to appeal to the emotions of the audience.

-A drama, such as a play, film, or television programme, characterized by exaggerated emotions & stereotypical characters.

Origins

-The term originated from the 19^th century from the French word “melodrama”

-the word ‘Melo’ means ‘music’ in Greek.

-the word ‘Drame’ is French for ‘drama’

A sub-type of drama films that uses plots that appeal to the heightened emotions of the audience. These films often put the characters in danger to appeal to the emotions of the audience. Melodramatic plots often deal with “crisis of human emotion, failed romance or friendship, strained familial situations, tragedy...” (Often including a central female character) that would directly appeal to feminine audiences. Also called tearjerkers, or “chick flicks”.

Example Film 1- The lovely Bones (2009)

Summary:

Murdered by her next door neighbor Mr. Walker at the age of 12, Susie Salmon finds herself in a beautiful land, not quite Heaven, where she can observe and comment on the lives of her family and friends. Her body is never discovered and her parents suffer an unimaginable pain. The strain is far too much and her mother leaves. Her father continues to investigate and over many years maintains contact with the police officer in charge of the investigation. Susie also gets to watch Walker and learns of his long list of victims. She also sees him prepare for his next victim - her younger sister Lindsey.

This film is similar to our film, the thin line between reality and heaven is very hard to spot the difference, especially the scene where Susie gets murdered however the film tricks the audience into believing that she has escaped, this psychological drama film does this on purpose to make the audience feel what the young female character is feeling. I like this idea and think it would go well with our main character Lola not accepting her death and wanting to live her life like an ordinary teen would. But eventually realizing shes dead and accepting this fact but also the audience accepting this along with her. The fact that both Susie and Lola are females adds to the drama more and will make it more emotional for the audience to watch. That's one of the main reasons why we wanted to use a female character as it is stereotypical for a female character to play a sad role to affect the audience.

Example Film 2- If I Stay (2014)

Summary:

Mia Hall thought the hardest decision she would ever face would be whether to pursue her musical dreams at Juilliard or follow a different path to be with the love of her life, Adam. But what should have been a carefree family drive changes everything in an instant, and now her own life hangs in the balance. Caught between life and death for one revealing day, Mia has only one decision left, which will not only decide her future but her ultimate fate.

I like how this film gives a better insight in to a young females world, her hobbies, relationships with her parents, her love for her boyfriend and her life in general, and how it all chances in a blink of an eye. This story line teaches the audience a lesson to learn and live that anything can happen and that we shouldn't take life for granted, death isn't an open door for just old age but any age and any time. This film is quite similar to ours as its both in a modern society and has a realistic interpretation to it as people today has a more different perspective on certain situations, our morals, norms and values have changed, The lovely bones has more of an innocent outlook to it as is was portrayed from an old time where things were seen alot differently to today. That is why I really like the naturalistic, realistic events in this film and i would hopefully like to portray the similar style in 'Lola'.