PRESENTATION SCRIPT:
Produce a presentation using clips and illustrations, in a format of your choice , highlighting your favourite genre, why it appeals to your peer audience and how audiences are positioned and respond to films of that genre. You must comprehensively explain the relationship between audiences and films with elucidated examples, using subject terminology correctly.
Drama; by definition via filmsite.org state:
‘Drama Films are serious presentations or stories with settings or life situations that portray realistic characters in conflict with either themselves, others, or forces of nature.’
The films created within this genre fulfill this purpose. Drama films can either be fictional or non-fictional which is the beauty of the genre. Directors can take real life stories or a figure of imagination and interpret it through the lens of a specific person which ultimately results in a film.
When deciding what genre I would like to further analyze I wanted to explore one which featured endless possibilities, genres such as horror and comedy are brilliant. However, when researching and diving into the hard knowledge of drama in the film industry there are endless stories. With the many sub-genres and the way in which each one can pull out different emotions from their target audience I find the genre very interesting yet exciting. As a genre it contains a very wide variety of films ranging from The Godfather to Titanic. By choosing Drama I will be able to evaluate the differences between each sub-genre, why and how they are different and on top of that I already have a reasonable amount of knowledge revolving the subject as many of my favourite movies are Dramas.
THE SUB-GENRES
■Crime Drama
■Historical Period Drama
■Horror Drama
■Biographical Drama
■Comedy Drama
■Romantic Drama
CRIME DRAMA
‘A crime drama is a type of drama show which has as its primary focus or heroes people whose main occupation is to investigate, punish or commit crimes—especially homicide, assault, robbery or racketeering.’ – tviv.org/Crime_drama
Crime drama movies are one of the popular sub-genres featured in the genre itself. Movies such as The Godfather and Good Fellas are both crime dramas and within recent years films have been produced such as and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing (2017) follow this particular sub-genre. Which goes to show that the crime drama is still popular in this era of television and film.
When watching a crime drama the audience is on the edge of their seats as what is depicted through the film should have an anticipating, real effect on the viewer. Crime dramas usually explore realistic stories as the audience watch characters attempt to work through tough, sometimes terrifying situations. The reason this sub-genre is effective is due to the fact that there is a sense of realism in the film. For example, when exploring a murder the viewer sub-conscious knows that murders do happen and that the story being told isn’t completely out of the ordinary for the modern world.
'When the aging head of a famous crime family decides to transfer his position to one of his subalterns, a series of unfortunate events start happening to the family, and a war begins between all the well-known families leading to insolence, deportation, murder and revenge, and ends with the favorable successor being finally chosen.' – IMDb
The Godfather is labelled as a crime drama as the plot sees an aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son. The Godfather is known to be on of the most famous films ever produced, the effect it has on the audience s staggering as they're kept on the edge of their seats when watching the film. It comes under the sub-genre of crime drama due to the fact that the plot is dark and brings the shaded, unseen aspects of real life onto the big screen.
HISTORICAL PERIOD DRAMA
‘Historical drama film stories are based upon historical events and famous people. Some historical dramas take the form of a docudrama, which is a style of drama which attempts an accurate portrayal of a historical event or biography, to the degree that the available historical research will allow. Other historical dramas are fictionalized tales that are based on one or more actual persons and their deeds, such as Braveheart (1995).’ - https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/Historical_period_drama.html
Historical period dramas are a sub-genre of drama which take place in the past and depict either a fictional or factual story. Within modern day these types of films aren’t as common in film. However, a popular Netflix original The Crown which portrays the story of ‘the life of Queen Elizabeth II from the 1940s to modern times’. Furthermore, popular movies such as Mary Queen of Scots were released in 2018
'Based on an incredible true story of one man's fight for survival and freedom. In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty personified by a malevolent slave owner, as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon's chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist will forever alter his life.‘ – IMDb
12 years a slave is labelled as a historical period drama as the amazing true story takes place many years ago when slaves were a thing. The beautiful yet heartbreaking film gives the audience an insight into the slave trade as well as this it draws out real emotions from the viewer as they experience what Solomon Northup went through. It brings a story to life and onto the big screen so that the rest of the world can experience what people used to do. The type of audience who’d watch this would be an older demographic, (B-C2) as well as this it’s targeted at both genders, and is directed at all ethnicities and races as the slave trade is a historical mark in time which 12 Years a Slave brings to life for modern day society.
HORROR DRAMA
‘Horror drama. a film that focuses on imperiled characters dealing with realistic emotional struggles, often involving dysfunctional family relations, in a horror setting. The film's horror elements often serve as a backdrop to an unraveling dramatic plot.’ - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drama_(film_and_television)
Horror Drama is a sub-genre of drama which typically conveys a fictional or real story through one or multiple lenses. The combination of mise en scene, sound and plot make the narrative in the film a horror. Within modern day society these types of films are very common; often released in October due to seasonal variation many films such as Insidious & the Silence of the Lambs are released, the post popular modern horror drama being Hereditary (2018).
Horror Dramas are arguably one of the most effective sub-genres in relation to effect on the viewer. When thinking about horror a connotation is being scared, the frightening feeling which the audience receive via the anticipation in the film is created through the usage of media conventions such as cinematography, sound, mise en scene as well as many others. For example, the in the build up to a dramatic jump-scare scene the likelihood is that suspenseful music builds up in the background thus allowing the audience to anticipate the following scene.
A Quiet Place (John Krasinski) adheres to the conventions of a horror drama. The plot & director take the characters as well as the audiences senses leaving sight, being unable to make noise in the fear of death leaves the audience on the edge of their seats. As well as this a young deaf girl featured in the film makes the audience scared post developing a connection with the character. The type of audiences to watch this horror drama would range in genders as well as ethnicities and would be targeted towards a young B-C1 demographic. The psychographic is unclear however preferences of the viewer would be activities which offer adrenaline rushes such as rollercoasters, etc…
BIOGRAPHICAL DRAMA
‘A biographical film, or biopic is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people.’
Biographical dramas are on a rise in popularity in the modern era, films such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman and many other are being released in commemoration of the legacy of famous band and musical artists. However, there are different types of biopics which do not need to revolve around a true story although most do. This sub-genre adheres to several demographics and audiences as it heavily depends on what the subject is; for example, a film such as The Wolf of Wall Street would appeal to a male audience (due to conventions such as the male gaze being utilized a lot) who are within the age range of 18-30 and in the demographic B-C1. On the other hand a film such as Can You Ever Forgive Me is targeted towards a mixed gender audience who are 30-50 years old.
Biographical drama’s can serve different purposes, one can be to portray a fictional story regarding a fictional character. However, another purpose is to follow the life of a real person and depict their story to a wide audience. In this case, effects on the viewer can vary from impactful emotional feelings (through the story) and they can perceive information from the film as they learn more about a certain figures life, for example: Hacksaw Ridge. When the audience is watching this film (based on a true story) about an American army medic who refuses to kill yet still feels the need to help and becomes the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot. They feel the anticipation, horror, sadness and happiness about Desmond T. Doss’s story.
‘Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They reach unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie manages to reunite with his bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. Queen cements a legacy that continues to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day.’ – IMDb
Bohemian Rhapsody adheres to the conventions of a biopic as it follows the story and the legacy of the iconic band Queen and it’s lead vocalist Freddie Mercury. The film is targeted at a mixed gender demographic with an age range from 30-60 (as Queen have been a band since the mid 1970s). Although through the use of the star appeal technique with actors such as Rami Malek and Ben Hardy a younger audience in the demographic B-C2 would be attracted to watch the film.
Through the use of media techniques such as cinematography, mise en scene, sound, etc. the director conveys the lovely yet sad story about how Freddie contracts the AIDS virus. After making a connection with the character the audience begins to draw emotions as they watch him deal with the disease with nobody knowing.
COMEDY DRAMA
‘Comedy-Drama is a genre in film and in television works in which plot elements are a combination of comedy and drama. It is a sub-genre of drama or tragicomedy. These are especially found in television programs however are seen in films too’.
Comedy dramas are pieces of media which adhere to a younger demographic, usually being young adults. Films such as The Breakfast Club and Love Actually are well known comedy dramas which have had success in the recent years, however, these types of films aren’t in a popular phase of production as the most successful and recent release was Christopher Robin in 2018. Although, in relation to television programs this sub-genre is still heavily used in shows such as Orange in the New Black & How I Met Your Mother.
Each sub-genres which I have mentioned prior to this one (excluding horror dramas) have a range of main effects which take place on the audience. However, a comedy drama is meant to draw out one main emotion which is happiness. A film with a comedic appeal may have some low points for the characters featured, however through the duration of the film there will be humorous writing, or mise en scene such as positioning/facial expressions which will result in the audience laughing or feeling a sense of happiness.
Christopher Robin (Marc Forster) is a comedy drama which targets a young demographic of children to young teens. The sue of star appeal may attract Ewan McGregor fans. However an older demographic will be interested to watch the film as Winnie the Pooh & friends are characters created by A.A Milne in 1926 thus, there will be fans of the old books and cartoons. The film offers a new narrative than what’s seen in the books as the leading protagonist is Christopher Robin as an adult (which is a theme that has yet to be explored in this particular franchise).
ROMANTIC DRAMA
Romantic dramas are a sub-genre of drama which typically appeal to a female audience in the age group 16-30 and are placed within a B-C2 demographic. These stories usually convey a story about people and the way in which they find love. Films such as Me Before You & 50 Shades of Grey are good examples of how stories can follow a similar theme yet hold a completely different narrative. This type of film is still popular modern day as many new comedy drama films and television programs are brought out each year or two.
Romantic dramas have many different effects on the audience, these effects can be split up into sections. The first being visceral which relates to a physical reaction as the viewer feels invested in the film they will emotionally react when somebody breaks up, etc. Furthermore, they will feel sense of being voyeuristic; meaning that they’ll feel as if they’re spying in on someone else’s personal relationship as the film needs to be as realistic as possible, all sides of the relationship are on show. The main drama element of the film will often involve the audience having to work something out, such as a mystery in a characters life etc. The viewer will feel disruptive. Often in romantic films the couple will argue or have some sort of disruption (according to Todorov’s narrative theory). When viewing a romantic comedy many emotions are also dragged out of the viewer as the combination of narrative, sound and other conventions make a specific scene sad or happy.
Me before you adheres to the typical conventions of a romantic drama as the audience perceives a perfect relationship which ends in sadness. The target audience for this film is 16-28 ages females who are in the demographic B-E. Their psycho-graphic will include preferences and hobbies which are stereotypical of a girl, such as shopping, music and others. Through the use of star appeal when distributing and during promotion fans of Emilia Clarke will be attracted to the film via her role in the hit show Games of Thrones. Furthermore, the blur surrounding the love interests in the cover connote how everything’s a blur when they’re with one another as they gaze into each other's eyes.
WHY IS DRAMA SO SUCCESSFUL?
‘Drama Films are serious presentations or stories with settings or life situations that portray realistic characters in conflict with either themselves, others, or forces of nature. A dramatic film shows us human beings at their best, their worst, and everything in-between.’ Therefore the audience is able to relate with the narrative thus, making the film seem more realistic to the viewer’s situation. Dramatic films are probably the largest film genre because they include a broad spectrum of films. As previously mentioned within the drama genre there are several sub-genres such as horror drama to romantic drama. There are films within one specific genre which target a very wide audience, ranging in age, demographic, genders, races; this is why drama is so successful. Because it’s not targeted at one audience it’s targeted at many audiences. Upon first look people wouldn’t think that a film like 50 Shades of Grey and The Godfather have anything in common. However, they would be wrong. Both of these films come under the drama genre yet they’re separated due to the differentiation in sub-genres.
‘The first trailer is largely devoid of dialogue. We see the characters doing various things like walking through the woods, investigating creepy farmhouses, having a lovely family dinner and more, but there are clear hints there’s something more insidious happening. In fact the first time someone makes any sort of noise it seems to stir some sort of beast or other threat outside and things are never the same from there on out. “Silence is survival” we’re told at the very end.’ - https://cinematicslant.com/2018/04/04/a-quiet-place-marketing-recap/
A second trailer was released closer to the release date which gave the audience a further insight into the narrative as the creatures killing of humanity are yet to be witnessed properly by the audience (leaving them in anticipation).
‘One final short trailer hit just earlier this week that offered the best look to date at the creatures that are doing the hunting as well as how quickly they pounce once they hear something.’
In promotion for the film Both Krasinski and Blunt (the two lead protagonists) attended events such as SXSW, talk shows such as Ellen as well as this the two are married in real life therefore fans of the two separately and together are interested to see if their chemistry reflects on screen. In addition to this, on the side of social media and online marketing the film launched it’s own website which contained links to promotional material as well as to other platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. One of the largest promotions for this film was its spot in the super bowl, the short spot containing ‘what has happened to the world and why the family we follow has to stay so quiet, though the details of the “invasion” and “devastation” are left unexplored. After that we see the family on the run and trying desperately to stay quiet because, as the title cards explain, if it hears you, it hunts you’.
AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHIC
Audience demographics for drama films can vary depending on the sub-genre of the film. Traditionally, the audience is mixed in gender, however the demographic is predominantly known to be female. This is due to the fact that due to modern day society the genre of drama is immediately signified as romantic and comedy films (thus the other sub-genres aren’t fully recognized). Because of the male stereotype of being emotionless, and strong, the sub-genres mentioned aren’t appealing to them.
AUDIENCE RESPONSE
An audience is made up of individual people with independent minds and see the same thing with a different perspective. Due to this fact it’s difficult and merely impossible to create a film that appeals across the entire board of demographics and psychographics. There’s a theory which was created by Harold Lasswell called the hypodermic needle theory. This theory is used when it comes to the analysis of film audiences. It states that the ‘media injects its audiences with ideas, messages and beliefs that attempts to make an audience see a certain film or piece of media in a certain way in which correlates with the directors intentions.’
There a several ways in which a film is accepted by an audience. However, the largest response given by the audience are how they perceive and capture the story as well as other media conventions within the film. Some will come out of the screening satisfied with what they’ve seen. Therefore they will promote the film with their friends. On the other hand, some may come out of the screening disappointed with what they’ve watched, possibly creating negative promotion.
WHAT'S THE OVERALL APPEAL?
As a mass audience watches the genre; drama (due to the wide variety of sub-genres available) the content portraying a specific story appeals to a very wide demographic and psychographic range. Dramas can range from fictional to non-fictional stories which indulge the audience into an alternate reality where they follow a narrative which captures emotions from the characters and pulls them out of the viewer. Alike other films, events and occurrences which happen in the film are unlike anything seen before by the viewer, therefore placing them in an unfamiliar situation where they get to experience everything. As the age of the audience increases the level of curiosity rises as they learn about new things which in their younger life were non existent. There are certificated films which portray darker content such as Hacksaw Ridge. Another appealing factor for non-fictional & fictional drama films are the promotion they receive via their representation of a story which took place in the past or a story which has been created from scratch.