Genre Research
The first step for my portfolio project is to choose the genre of the film opening. The genre will drive most of the choices in this project, as there are characteristics and conventions specific to each genre. I have not developed a clear story yet, but I have been brainstorming and found myself with two different ideas; a romantic comedy or a teen drama. One thing I am sure of is that I want my story to focus on teenagers as it is an age I can relate to and would like to represent from my perspective. Therefore, I decided to research and get a deeper understanding of each genre, so that I am sure which type of story I want to explore and tell.
Romantic Comedy
In simple terms, a romantic story told in a comedic way that tends to focus on dating, marriage, break-ups, or finding true love. These are the types of love stories that make me laugh more than cry (but let's face it, I will always cry at the end of any romantic movie). There are various rom-com troupes but the ones that I enjoy the most and am interested in exploring in my portfolio project are when two characters meet by accident and an immediate spark creates, or when two very opposite characters are attracted to each other, or even when a misunderstanding causes them to spend time together until they like each other.
Some of my favorite rom-coms are:
1. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
This romantic comedy focuses on Andie who is a writer for a magazine whose next assignment is to write an article on "how to lose a guy in 10 days" and she takes it upon herself to make an experiment and try losing a guy in 10 days. Meanwhile, her love interest Ben is confident he can make anyone fall in love with him in less than 10 days. Once they meet, their plans get in each other's way. 
I love this movie because it is not only funny but it also tells the story of two people who managed to fall in love with each other when all the odds were against them.
2. Anyone but You
I love this movie because it is not only funny but it also tells the story of two people who managed to fall in love with each other when all the odds were against them.
This movie is about Bea and Ben who meet in a coffee shop and spend a night together, the morning after Bea freaks out and walks out on him, when she realizes what she has done and tries to go back she overhears Ben talking badly about her to his friend Pete, so she decides to leave. Sometime after that, they reunite in Sydney because Bea's sister Halle is marrying Ben's childhood best friend Claudia, and they have to put their differences aside to not ruin the wedding.
I enjoy this movie because it is lighthearted and fun. The main characters' contrasting personalities and their constant bickering never fail to make me laugh, and the love story is heartwarming and cute. Things go wrong for them repeatedly and they have to work together to get through it.
I really enjoy these types of stories and would love to create one myself! Other romantic comedies I enjoy are: Spanglish, 10 Things I Hate About You, Blended, The Switch, and Clueless.
Teen Drama
Teen Drama
Teen dramas are relatable stories about the universal experience of adolescence. Characters navigate their coming-of-age journey by trying to find their place in the world, experiencing love for the first time, overcoming peer pressure or other personal struggles. The characters tend to be believable and genuine as they represent such a key part of everyone's self-discovery journey. This genre is extremely popular because the internal conflicts about identity, self-doubt, personal relationships, and the transition between childhood and adulthood are relatable to teenagers and adults who remember their struggles as they were growing up too.
1. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
This teen drama focuses on the life of Charlie, a freshman in high school, who has never had many friends. He writes letters to an unknown friend where he shares his troubles and mostly everybody else's as he is more of an observer than a talker. The story explores his mental health journey and his relationships with his family, teachers, and new found friends. I love this story, since I read the book and watched the movie it has stuck with me. It navigates various topics that I resonate with and even though Charlie is someone who felt alone, he made me feel like I was not alone. Teen dramas have the power to connect with their audience and leave an impact on them.
2. The Fallout
This movie navigates the story of Vada and Mia, two high schoolers who get trapped in a bathroom stall together during a school shooting. It explores the different ways teens cope with such a traumatic event, the trauma-based friendship between the two girls, and the impact the event has on them, their classmates, their families, and their community as a whole.
The topic of school shootings is avoided most of the time but it is a real, contemporary issue in the United States and I think it should not be overlooked. I thought it was interesting to see how different people can react so differently to the same experience. Teenager's minds are fragile as they are still developing and a traumatic experience like a school shooting can have a lasting impact on them for the rest of their lives.I would like to create a teen drama for my portfolio project as I would love the opportunity to explore overlooked issues that teenagers struggle with daily. Other teen dramas I enjoy are Five Feet Apart, All the Bright Places, Turtles All the Way Down, Mean Girls, and Easy A.
This movie navigates the story of Vada and Mia, two high schoolers who get trapped in a bathroom stall together during a school shooting. It explores the different ways teens cope with such a traumatic event, the trauma-based friendship between the two girls, and the impact the event has on them, their classmates, their families, and their community as a whole. The topic of school shootings is avoided most of the time but it is a real, contemporary issue in the United States and I think it should not be overlooked. I thought it was interesting to see how different people can react so differently to the same experience. Teenager's minds are fragile as they are still developing and a traumatic experience like a school shooting can have a lasting impact on them for the rest of their lives.Sources:
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