For this research blog post, I looked into different film genres to try and decide which one would work best for my movie opening. I focused mainly on drama, comedy, action, and horror because those are like the biggest ones that most people watch. I researched where each genre originally came from and its history, what its main purpose is supposed to be I guess, and how movies in each genre usually start off and grab people's attention. I compared a bunch of popular movies that got good reviews and that people my age actually know about, plus I also looked at some older classic films that are supposedly important, so I could understand better what actually makes each genre different from each other. This whole process helped me figure out the good and bad things about each genre and which one I could realistically make with the stuff and resources I have available.
Genre 1: Drama
Drama comes from like ancient Greek theater back in the day and it's basically about telling serious stories with people, their emotions, and real life problems that actually happen. The main point of drama is to make the people watching feel connected to the characters on screen and understand what's happening to them and what they're going through emotionally. Some popular drama movies that younger people and people my age know are Interstellar, Whiplash, The Social Network, and Good Will Hunting. These movies care more about the characters growing and developing and their feelings instead of like action stuff or special effects.
Drama movie openings usually take their time to show you the characters and set the mood and atmosphere. They don't rush into things right away. Like Whiplash starts with this really intense rehearsal thing that shows there's conflict happening but it does it through talking and acting not through action or explosions. This makes drama different from other genres because it needs really good performances and emotional scenes more than anything else. The bad part though is that in a short movie opening like what we have to make it's kind of hard to show the story clearly and what's at stake and why we should care quick enough before people lose interest.
Drama is different from the other genres because it focuses way more on realistic stuff and emotions instead of just entertaining people or shocking them with crazy scenes. Unlike action or horror, drama isn't trying to scare you or give you thrills and adrenaline rushes. It also doesn't make things over the top and exaggerated like comedy does with humor. There's subgenres too like romantic drama which is about relationships, coming of age drama which is about growing up, and psychological drama which gets into people's minds that let you tell deeper and more complex stories but they also need really good acting and performances which makes them way harder to do well especially for students.
Genre 2: Comedy
Comedy comes from ancient Greek and Roman theater a long time ago and was originally made to entertain people by being funny and having exaggerated situations that don't really happen in real life. The main goal of comedy movies is to make people laugh and have a good time while still having some kind of story happening. Popular comedies that people know and have probably seen are The Hangover, Superbad, 21 Jump Street, Mean Girls, and Mall Cop. These movies use funny characters with weird personalities and situations that are ridiculous to keep people interested and laughing throughout.
Comedy openings usually try to be funny right at the start in the first few minutes so you know what the tone is and what kind of movie you're watching. Like 21 Jump Street starts with humor that makes fun of high school stereotypes and clichés and stuff which sets up the whole vibe. What makes comedy different from other genres is that it really depends heavily on timing which has to be perfect, dialogue that has to be well written, and how you deliver the lines which is about the acting. If the jokes don't work or land properly, the opening just feels super weird or boring and awkward which ruins everything.
Comedy is also different because humor depends a lot on who's watching and their sense of humor. What one person thinks is funny another person might not laugh at at all. Unlike horror or action which can use visuals and effects to work, comedy really has to work through the actual jokes and writing. There's subgenres too like romantic comedy which mixes love stories with humor, dark comedy which makes jokes about serious stuff, and satire which makes fun of things in society that add more options and variety but they also make comedy way harder to balance between being funny and telling a good story. This makes comedy pretty risky for a short student film because if it doesn't work it really doesn't work.
Genre 3: Action
Action films got popular pretty early in film history when movies first started and they're mainly about movement, danger, and excitement happening constantly. The purpose of action movies is to keep people engaged and on the edge of their seats with fast pacing and really intense scenes that don't let up. Some popular action movies that basically everyone knows are The Dark Knight, Inception, Avengers Infinity War, Mad Max Fury Road, and Spider Man Into the Spider Verse. These films are especially known for having really strong and exciting openings that hook you immediately and don't waste any time.
Action openings usually start with something big happening right away like a chase scene, a fight scene, or some kind of dangerous situation where the stakes are high. Like The Dark Knight opens with this really detailed bank robbery scene with the Joker that grabs your attention right away and shows you what kind of movie it's gonna be. Action is different from other genres because it depends a lot on big spectacle stuff and visual effects and constant movement and things happening instead of focusing on emotion or atmosphere or character development.
Action also has a bunch of subgenres like superhero movies, adventure films, and spy films which each have their own style. These are super popular with audiences and make a lot of money but they usually need expensive special effects, professional stunts and stunt coordinators, and big locations that look impressive on screen. Because of all that stuff and the budget it requires, action is honestly one of the hardest genres to make when you don't have a lot of resources or money available which is the situation for most students.
Genre 4: Horror
Horror comes from old folklore stories and gothic literature from like the 1800s and it's mainly about fear and the unknown and things we don't understand. The purpose of horror movies is to create tension and suspense and make people feel uncomfortable or scared while they're watching. Popular horror films that younger people and audiences know are Scream, Halloween, Hereditary, Get Out, The Conjuring, and A Quiet Place. These movies are especially known for having really strong openings that set the creepy mood right away and let you know what you're in for.
Horror openings usually focus way more on atmosphere and building tension than dialogue and people talking to each other. Like A Quiet Place uses silence and specific sounds to build tension and make you nervous while Scream uses a really shocking and violent scene right at the beginning to grab your attention and scare you. Horror is different from the other genres because it focuses specifically on emotional reactions like fear and being scared instead of humor or excitement or realism like the other genres do.
Horror also works pretty well even if you don't have a lot of resources or a big budget to work with. There's different subgenres like slasher films which have a killer, psychological horror which messes with your mind, supernatural horror which has ghosts and demons, and found footage which looks like real recordings that all have pretty clear rules and conventions that people expect. This actually makes horror easier to plan out and organize and actually produce while still being effective and scary which is good for students making films.
Why I Chose Horror
After researching and comparing all four genres and looking at what each one needs, I decided to go with horror for my movie opening project. Horror really stood out to me because it's interesting and engaging but also actually realistic for me to produce with what I have. Unlike drama and comedy, it doesn't rely super heavily on dialogue being perfect or having actors who can deliver amazing performances. Unlike action, it doesn't need expensive stunts or crazy special effects and stuff that costs a lot of money. Horror lets me focus more on mood and creating atmosphere, building tension and suspense, and visual storytelling through camera work and editing which makes it honestly the best and strongest choice for my project considering everything.
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