Teenage Representation in Media

                                         Teenage Representation in Media

       A group that I would like to represent are teenagers, specifically teenagers in high school. These people would be from 14-18 as those are the ages of people in high school. I do not think that teenagers are represented well in the media. Teenagers are also made out to be disobedient, reckless, and selfish, having no regard for anyone but themselves The media also makes teenagers out to be sex-hungry and have lives enveloped in drama. This is an issue that I may want to represent in my project because as a teenager my self, I know that many of these characteristics are not true and I want to possibly prove this within my  project.

 One example of media that represents teenagers is the movie "Mean Girls". Mean Girls represents teenage girls in particular, as catty brats who only care about boys and being the prettiest and the most popular. In mean girls, there is a friend group called "The Plastics". "The Plastics" is composed of Regina, the beautiful, vindictive ringleader, Gretchen, the "gossiper" and Regina's most devoted follower, and Karen, the dumb blonde. These girls lack qualities such as tolerance and integrity, qualities that many teenagers have in real life.They are highly exclusive and act as they are above everyone else. They get away with it because their peers also believe that statement as well, going as far as copying the way that the dress. Within their school, their are many cliques and everyone seems to fall into one, insinuating that there is little individuality among teenagers. Cady Heron, the new student, ends up joining the plastics because at their school, everyone must be in a clique. They must hang out with people "of their own kind". But I know for fact that this is not true at every high school. At my school, there are very few cliques .This is because my school is extremely diverse as there are people of many different cultures. People are friends with  many different types of people form the what mean girls would make out to be the "jock' and the "art geek" . Also, mean girls represents teenage girls as "flawless".They are skinny, and have perfect, enviable bodies and have no acne. This is a huge problem because this is not representative of teenage girls in real life. Many girls have acne and are not a size 0. "Mean Girls" portrayed teenage girls in a negative light, unfairly establishing a poor depiction of this group of people.

      Another example of media that represents teenagers is the television show "Glee". This show is overflowing in stereotypes. "Glee" portrays football players as rude, cocky, dumb, and reckless. They shove the "nerds" into lockers and trashcans. They are the bullies of the school. This is a very unfair stereotype because athletes are not always the bullies. Anyone can be a bully, not just the buff foot ball players. Also, I would like to point out that I have never  in real life seen a kid at my school throw another kid into a trash can. That is very extreme and rarely happens in real life. The show dramatizes kids because it makes the show more entertaining, but then consequences arise because people then start to believe stereotypes like this. "Glee" also portrays cheerleaders to be dumb, pretty, and blonde, and drama students to be snobby and full of themselves. These are just stereotypes. Yes, some of these stereotypes are true, but they are not indicative of people as a whole. The characters also have far more drama than an actual high school student would. People are constantly cheating on each other, and stabbing each other in the back for self-gain. The teens are made out to be selfish, which I think is a very unfair statement because there are many teens that strive to help and motivate their peers. 

    There are very few representation characteristics that I would retain from "Glee" and "Mean Girls". To some extent, a lot of these stereotypes are true. However, in my project I would attempt to not dramatize stereotypes such as rude jocks and dumb cheerleaders. I think the media dramatizes stereotypes because it is more entertaining for the viewer. Many are in fact  are rude, selfish, vindictive, dumb, and other "negative" characteristics. The problem is that Mean Girls and Glee put little emphasis on the positive qualities in teens like kindness, tolerance, and integrity. I would make sure to show that every teenager is unique and does not just fall into one specific category or clique.

Horror Genre

Genre - Horror
 
      A genre that I tend to stay away from is the horror genre. However, I am still intrigued by horror movies, occasionally viewing ones that I do not think will give me persistent nightmare. The Horror films attempt to elicit fear in the audience.


Genre Conventions- Content

     Many horror films take place in an isolated area and the characters are unable to call for help or find a place to run. The setting is usually creepy, abandoned houses and forests.  A group of friends, usually a mix of boys and girls, decide to be a little "crazy" and go somewhere that they know is not safe. Or, you have a family that wants a change of scenery so they decide to buy an old abandoned house.  But then, once these people  realize they are in danger, they are upset. Its funny though, because they are the ones that put themselves in the situation in the first place. Often times, its also raining and thundering which enhances the feeling  of dread and isolation.

    Plots of horror movies usually involve spirits or monsters. The spirits possess people and cause immense havoc. The ghosts are usually people that previously lived in the location that the characters are at, and the spirits seek revenge and have evil personal vendettas. The monsters in horror films usually want to either eat, or kill the people. They are usually very large and ghastly. There will also be plenty of jump scares in these films. The audience will be tricked into thinking that everything is calm because of the calm music in the background, but then all of a sudden BAM, a hideous monster cover the screen.

    Death is very prevalent in horror films. More often than not, someone will die in a horror movie, so you have to walk into the theater knowing that one of your favorite naive charters is going to die within the next hour and a half.  Characters in horror films typically start out as very full of themselves and naive, such as the "jock" character and the "blonde cheerleader". They think that everything is all find and dandy, but when ghosts or monsters appear, they become scaredy cats. Often, you will have a movie about a group of friends. But by the end of the movie, only 1 will be left standing and their clothes will probably tattered and covered in blood. Film makers like to have a large cast because it makes the audience guess who will be picked off first, creating more suspension which is a key element of the genre.


Genre Conventions- Production Techniques

The same props appear in many horror films such as knives, axes, and  chainsaws. This is probably because these objects are brutal and can cause very bloody deaths which is what also occurs in many horror films. People for some odd reason like to see people get hurt, so these weapons are perfect for giving people that blood, gruesome image that the audience desires.

   The colors used in horror films are normally dark dreary colors like dark blues and blacks. This is because these colors insinuate that there is danger and mystery. These colors aid in making the film more suspenseful. Lighting is a very important mise-en-scene element in horror films. Often, there is a flickering light to let the audience know that something bad is bound to happen. The lighting is usually very dim which establishes feelings  of uncertainty as the audience does not know what is responsible for it.

   The costumes in horror films are usually stereotypical representations of the characters. If you have a "jock"character, he will probably be wearing his prized letterman jacket to let the audience know that he his "tough" and "macho" and "strong". The dumb blonde cheerleader will probably be wearing a cleavage bearing shirt and shorts. Audience members, for some odd reason, love to watch a pretty girl get torn up or brutally murdered.  Many times, the wicked character usually wears a mask. This is usually because the person behind the mask is just an average person, so wearing the mask makes the film scarier and adds more suspense because it makes the audience wonder who the person is under that mask.

   Horror films also use lots of non-diegetic sound which enhances the intensity of a scene. It lets the audience know that something bad is about to happen, thus creating tension. The diegetic sound in the movie is also very exaggerated such as creaky floor boards and a door opening. This creates an eerie affect which horror film producers strive for.


Film #1- It (2017)



The film starts out with a little boy name Gerogie being severed and dragged into a sewer by a killer clown named Pennywise. The colors during this scene are very dark and blue insinuating feelings of mystery and suspense with potential sadness. It is also raining which is a popular element in horror movies. The first few moments of the film already have the most prevalent element of horror films- death. The following summer, Georgie's brother and his friends are still haunted by the disappearance of Georgie. The friends then learn that their town has been plagued by unexplained tragedies and child disappearance for centuries(even more death). They begin to investigate and search for answers regarding the disappearances. Trying to find answers is a very common convention of horror films.  Each member of the group encounters the terrifying phenomena in various forms: the clown that attacked Gerogie, a headless boy, a fountain of blood, a diseased, rotting man, a creepy painting that comes to life, parents burning alive, and a phantom Georgie. They realize they are all being terrorized by the same being. They then find out that "it" wakens every 27 years to feed on the children of their town. Monsters eating people is very popular in films of the horror genre.  One of the friends gets taken by "it" and the boys go into the sewer to confront it and get their friend back. They end up, after a serious battle with "it", taking their friend back. However, "it" is not killed and retreats back to the sewer and will starve during its hibernation. The friends vow to go back when they are older to fight "it" if it returns.



Film #2- The Conjuring

Roger and Carolyn Perron move to a broken-down farmhouse with their five daughters. Right away, the film embodies the genre of horror because they move to a dilapidated, deserted house. Within the first few nights of staying at the house, paranormal events begin to occur. Spirits are very prominent in horror films as they are absolutely terrifying and create immense turmoil. All of the clocks stop at exactly 3:07 pm, birds fly into the windows, and their dog Sadie is found dead in their backyard. A death of a character in a horror film, very surprising indeed. The children encounter the spirit many times and one of the children claims that the spirit wants the family dead. A vengeful spirit is a common element of horror films. The family ends up hiring demonoligists and they inform the family that the house that they bought used to belong to an accused witch. She sacrificed her baby to the devil, cursed all who took her land, and then killed herself. It was also discovered that there had previously been many deaths on the property. A haunted house, very typical of the horror genre. One of the children becomes possessed and she needs to have an exorcism performed on her to save her life. Once the exorcism is complete, they are able to lift the witch's curse forever.



Other Horror Film Examples-



1. Psycho


2. Halloween



3. Hereditary



4. Cabin in the Woods



5. The Visit

Romance Genre

                                                       
                                                          Romance Movies!!!!


      I absolutely adore romance movies. From The Notebook to The Fault In Our Stars to Call Me By Your Name, I cannot get enough of them.  I have always wondered what makes this genre of film my favorite. Maybe it's because they have the ability to make me ball my eyes out on Tuesday afternoon, or maybe it's because I love seeing two souls fall deeply in love with one another. Maybe it's just because i'm  just a love-sick teen, but aren't all teens lovesick?

My mission:

Find out about everything and I mean EVERYTHING related to the Romance genre. I must know why I love theses movies more than any other type of movie.

   
                                                                Conventions

      In a romance movie, the main plot usually centers around  a woman or a man falling in love and fighting to make their relationship work. Many obstacles will come in their way like sickness, new job opportunity, from different crowds, a persistent ex, etc. At the end of the film, the characters either end up together and live happily ever after or they don't  end up together because of either  a dire circumstance or an  unfortunate travesty. As much as I don't want to believe it, most romance movies usually follow this very specific pattern.

   

   Let's discuss 3  of my favorite romance movie clichés that usually do not happen in real life( we want them to but it's probably never going to happen).

1. Kissing in the rain- One of the most famous kissing in the rain scenes is probably from The Notebook. These scenes are full of passion, and it is usually the scene where the characters realize that they have immense feelings for each other.

     2. The over-the-top declaration of love- These scenes tend to be orchestrated by the man as he is trying to convince the women of his love for her or he is trying to win her back because he missed up terribly. They usually involve a large flash mob or a cheesy serenade. 

     3. The bad boy- Often, there is usually a boy in the movie who is considered "bad" because he does at least one of the things mentioned:  wears a leather jacket, drives a motorcycle, involved in some sort of illegal activity, hangs out with the "bad crowd". He then meets a "good" girl that probably needs to come out of her shell. They think that they can change each other. But ultimately, they fall in love with each other and accept who they are.

In conclusion, Romance movies tend to be extremely unrealistic, but that is probably why people adore them so much. 

                                                         Production Techniques

        Romance movies often include lots of non-diegetic sound. The music will allow the audience to get a deeper understanding of the feelings of the characters. If the music is jazzy and lighthearted, than the character is in a good mood.

        Usually, both of the characters are very attractive people. This is probably because people like "sexy". They want to see a handsome man fall for a beautiful women because it is aesthetically pleasing. Since people tend to look to romance movies for inspiration on how to improve their dating life, movie makers choose actors that look like "desirable"  people to date in real life. I have found that many people like to live vicariously through romance movies. If someone's dating life has come to a halt, they might find solace in watching a romance movie as the movies emanate feelings of comfort and love.

      Many romance movies usually have some element of the color red in them as well. Since the color red conveys feelings of lust, passion, and love, it makes sense as to why romance movies have lots of reds. Movie makers s want to convey the feelings that characters have for one another and the color red thus acts as an aid.       

                                                        Institutional Conventions

        Creators of romantic movies know that their target audience is females. The target age range is 13-18 , but depending on the film, it may cater toward women in their 20s or 30s. It depends on the actors in the movie, and if they appeal more to teens or women that are a few decades older. For instance, movies like "10 Things I Hate About You", "The Fault in Our Stars, and "Love, Simon" are targeted towards teens because the main characters are also teenagers. People like being able to relate to a movie, which is why they tend to see movies with characters going through similar experiences.

      Women like romance movies because they find them extremely relatable. Even if a women is not in a relationship, chances are she has some sort of relationship issue. Girls like to assess how other girls handle similar issues, so they can then learn from them and apply it to their own lives. Many girls also dream of being swept off their feet by prince charming, so they live vicariously through romance films.

      In the films trailer, they will probably display the male lead in a charming and charismatic way. They will make him appear "dreamy" which will in turn make many women want to see the movie. Women are suckers for chiseled faces, sharp jawlines, and rock-hard abs. If you have a male lead like this, chances  are women will go and see the movie.

                                                 The Notebook Film Analysis 


           The film, The Notebook, perfectly exemplifies my genre because that movie is exploding with romance. Ryan Gosling plays Noah and Rachel Mcadams plays Allie. Both of them are very attractive which is one of the many conventions of a romance film: attractive cast. They meet at a fair(how cute). But, Allie is disinterested in Noah when they first meet. So what does Noah have to do to get her attention and win her heart? He obviously has to do a grand gesture. He then decides to hang off the top of the ferris wheel until she agrees to go on a date with him.

    After they go on many dates, Allie starts to fall for Noah. But there is a problem. Allie's family do not approve of Noah because he is from a poor family. Allie's family is very wealthy so they want her to end up with a sophisticated rich man not "trash". This is very typical of the romance drama. The parents do not approve of the relationship therefore it causes turmoil within the relationship. Because of this turmoil, they decide to break up. But this is not the end to their love story. This is just one of the bumps on their path to a happy ending.

     Noah writes to Allie every day for a year, but her mother intercepts all the letters and Allie thinks that Noah forgot about her. This is a classic problem in Romance movies. Someone that the character trusts is keeping the truth about their beloved. Later in the movie, many years later, they run into each other. The characters in romance films are always very luck and the universe seems to always be by their side. They end up passionately  kissing in the rain and  Allie realizes that she still has feeling for Noah, but (gasp) she's engaged. Kissing in the rain appears in many romance films because it highlights the fact that the character's do not care where they are, they just want to tenderly embrace one another. Allie's engagement is yet another obstacle in the way of their happy ending. Allie evidently breaks off her engagement and realizes that she must spend the rest of her life with Noah. Yes! A happy ending! But wait, the film must make the audience ball their eyes out.

    In the last scene of the film, Allie and Noah are shown in a nursing home together because Allie has dementia. They end up passing away at the same time, holding hands. This moment in the film was extremely powerful as it displayed the fact that they literally could not live without each other, another typical romance movie convention.

 

                                            The Fault in Our Stars- Film Analysis


   The fault in Our Stars is about two teens with cancer that fall in love with each other, even though they both don't know how much longer they will have to live. Their cancer causes them turmoil in their young, blossoming relationship. Hazel is played by Shailene Woodley and Agustus aka Gus  is played by Ansel Elgort. Both of them are attractive people, which is a typical convention of the romance genre. Hazel, unfortunately does not recognize her beauty, until she meets Gus. The girl not recognizing her own beauty is very common in this genre. The guy usually has to tell the girl for her to finally see it in herself. They meet at a cancer support group and the literally bump into each other. They stare into each others eyes. It was a love at first sight moment, another common convention of romance movies.

       Hazel tells Gus that she really wants to meet her favorite author, but he lives in Amsterdam so her dream is unobtainable. Gus decides to use his "cancer wish" from the Make-a-wish-foundation to take her to Amsterdam to meet the author of her favorite book. Grand gestures are very common in romance movies because it allows the character to express how much they love the other person. They have a nice trip in Amsterdam until Gus tells Hazel that his cancer is back. This is a major obstacle in their relationship. In romance movies, their is usually something that is keeping the couple from living their happily ever after. In this case, it's Gus's cancer.

     Agustus' health begins to worsen overtime and he eventually dies. One would think this would be the saddest moment of the film, but it is not. The saddest moment of the film is when Hazel reads the letter that Gus wrote for her before he passed away. In many romance movies, the characters like to write letters. This is because it allows them to express their feelings in a way that is in print, demonstrating that their love is forever.  In his letter, Gus reveals his love for her and talks about how he has accepted his death. In many romance films, the characters do not have a happy ending. This is because in real life, not every relation ship will have a happy ending. But I personally believe that they only do this to forcefully tug on the audiences heart-strings and make them ball their eyes out.

                                             Some of My Favorite Romance Movies:



1. 10 Things I Hate About You





2. Breakfast At Tiffany's








3. Call Me By Your Name




4. A Walk to Remember





5.  Dear John

 

About Me!

      
                                                                   About Me!

       Welcome to my first blog post! Before we dive in, I would like to share a little bit about myself. My name is  Rachel Grossman and I was born in Miami, Florida on November 22,2001. That day also happened to be Thanksgiving so I guess you could say my parents had A LOT to be thankful for. Anyhow, I love going shopping and finding the most amazing, jaw-dropping deals. I also find myself spending my time either doing homework, chilling with friends(everyone says this when asked what they like to do, but like who doesn't like to chill with their friends??), working at Chill N, or selling clothes from my little (very little)online shop. ❤❤