Genres for the portfolio project

Choosing the genre of my portfolio project is the first step I want to get done. I like several genres like thriller, drama and romance.

For the plot of my project, I think about making a representation of what my life looked like when I moved from Colombia to the United States, which would fit into the coming-of-age genre. Or I would do something still related to moving to another country but with the drama genre, showing the the main conflict with the character's relationships and emotional struggles, with a happy ending. Any of those two genres most likely will be my choice. I got inspiration from my own story because I know it is relatable to a wide group of people, like immigrants. It was a very though process, I had to leave everything behind and start over when I was an 11 year old child. However, I want to show how everything gets better over time, how life does not stop there, since that's what I thought 6 years ago. Over these years, amazing things have happened that have changed the way I see life, I found my purpose. I am inspired by this because I know i will have fun during the process. Now, let's do a little research about these two genres!

Drama Genre

I found a great article about the drama genre and the most important elements that should be incorporated. In this genre, the characters should receive the main attention, showing their growth and struggles. The characters evolve as they face both external and internal challenges. 

Some tips:

Authenticity: Be real, be vulnerable so you are being vulnerable with your audience, which makes the characters be more relatable, show they are not alone. This is what I want to transmit to my audience, realism. I want to make them feel different emotions and that they identify with what they are watching. 

As stated in the article "The ability to manipulate an audience’s emotions from laughter to tears, then back to laughter again is an essential trait of great storytelling. If your story produces the desired emotional effect that you wish to elicit — whether that’s to cry, scare, or laugh —  then you are doing your job as the writer" (Kevin Nelson).

Conflict: In Drama, the protagonist is out of their comfort zone, the story shows the decisions the character makes throughout their journey. The way the character responds to the problems ultimately defines them and shows their outcome. 

The Pursuit of Happyness is a film that deals with perseverance, hope, and the relationship between a father and his son in difficult circumstances. It shows the idea of starting over and the outcomes of hard work. This is what I want to transmit to the audience.

Coming-of age Genre

This genre is centered around the themes of youth, growing up, and maturation, focusing on a character. This shows the protagonist as they progress into the next stage of their life (adulthood), focusing on the mental, emotional and personal growth of the individual.

It is quite common to use narration from the protagonist's point of view. This is used to provide internal thoughts and their feelings as they go through their conflict. This is why many coming of age films take on an autobiographical or semi-autobiographical nature. This gives me an idea for my opening film, I would like to add narrative to provide more context to what the audience is watching.

These would be the things I would include if I were to do this genre:Show the protagonist facing real-life struggles, the internal and external conflict of the protagonist, and the character overcoming the problems. Both challenges and triumphs would be shown. I am not sure of what to exactly show in my opening film but I know what the story would be about.

Some films include:

- The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

- Boyhood (2014)

- Moonlight (2016)