Genre Research

On September 20, 2021, we started researching a film genre. Our group chose drama. It was quite an experience working with people I had never worked with before and getting to know their work ethic. Setting up a group chat and Zoom calls to research, edit, and format the PowerPoint. Our little group chat was freaking out the night before, when we had to do what seemed like the most daunting task, presenting PowerPoint. Presenting in the class was not as dreadful as we made it out to be. We listened to all our classmates' presentations too. They had films in genres like sci-fi, horror, and romantic comedy. When my peers presented their pieces on the different film genres, I gained additional information to use when identifying the genres of a film. So far, they have presented action, romantic comedy, horror, musicals, and the science fiction genres. A brief summary of the genres: Action usually contains sequences like fighting, car chases, or explosions. Romantic comedies tell a love story in a humorous way. Horror films portray what we fear in film. Musicals are narratives with songs interwoven. Sci-fi films incorporate science-based themes into their films. Drama is a genre that includes stories with high stakes and a lot of conflict, which is the heart of drama. A comedy is a lighthearted film, a fantasy is fiction with a mystical element, a mystery is the solving of a crime or a problem, and a thriller is dark and suspenseful.

For the project, we had to research what drama is, the conventions, and the social functions. For example, one of the uses of drama is to bring people together. It influences the way we view people in different situations and the way we think. Drama also exposes us to different cultures, family dynamics, and representations. The movie that best represents the genre, Wonder, the history, and the analysis of drama, Drama is created and shaped by role, character, relationships, situations, atmosphere, and tension, like using silence to create tension. This gets viewers emotionally attached to films using gratification theory, personal relationships, and personal identity. The audience of these films sympathizes with and relates to the characters. Dramas aim to tell a story of human struggles, with high stakes and conflicts. We divided the questions amongst each other, so I was picked to select the short clips, analyze an important drama movie, and help my groupmate dive into the history of drama. I learned a lot about drama, like how to identify a drama, its conventions, and what makes a drama film. For example, I learned that Wonder is a drama movie because of all the high stakes and conflicts. After doing this project, I realize that there are certain aspects of the project I misunderstood, and I should have added more of the conventions of drama. I should have also summarized the information on the slides instead of crowding the slides with information. I like the overall aesthetic of the PowerPoint and the pictures that contributed to it. Some of the strong sources my group members used were also great.