Codes and conventions

1. CODES AND CONVENTIONS
OF A DRAMA FILM

2. NARRATIVE
• In#drama#films,#social#issues#are#normally#explored#and#realistic#
situations#are#portrayed,#which#evoke#emotion#form#an#audience.##
• Birthday, follows a realistic storyline of a family#dealing#with#the#loss#
of#a#child/sister.#
• Situations#like#this#are#happening#all#over#the#world#but#not#always#
seen,#hence#why#I#wanted#to#convey#this#story#in#my#short#film.#

3. CHARACTERS
• Characters)in)drama’s)are)normally)facing)with)some)sort)of)struggle.)
• In Birthday, the)main)protagonist)Violet)is)dealing)with)a)horrible)
situation)of)separated)parents)and)and)alcoholic)mother)whilst)
grieving)the)loss)of)her)twin)sister.)
• In)drama’s,)the)characters)are)also)relatable.)
• Violet)may)be)relatable)to)other)teens)who)may)be)in)the)same)sort)of)
situation)as)her.)

4. LOCATION
• Location(will often reflect(the emotion(that(is(going(on(in(that(scene.
• For(the(location,(I(am(going(to(brainstorm(different(places(that(will(
reflect(how(Violet(is(feeling(when(she(decides(to(skip(school(with(my(
producer.(
• The location is also normally set in a normal everyday(area.
• Two of the scenes will be set inside the house Violet and Clare live in.

5. CLOTHING
• The$clothing$of$characters$normally$represent$their$personality.
• Violet will be$wearing$a$school$uniform.$However, I will give$the$
character$a$dark$coloured$jumper$to$reflect$her$mood.$
• Clare will$be$wearing typical ‘Mother’ style$clothes$and$look$quite$put$
together,$as$I$want$her$costume$to$convey$that$she$thinks$she$is$a$
stable$character$when$in$fact$she$isn’t.

6. PROPS
• The$props$in$a$drama$are$also$reflective$of$a$characters$personality.
• In Birthday, the Mother,$Clare,$will$be holding a glass of wine in most
of the shots, portraying her alcoholism.$

7. LIGHTING'&'COLOUR
• Lighting'is'normally'dull'and'low'key'and'the'coloring'is'normally'
bleak,'perhaps'with'a'blue'undertone'to'convey'sadness.'
• We'are'going'to'use'lighting'in'Birthday'so'that'the'characters'appear'
more'real,'however'we'are'going'to'use'natural'lighting'as'well,'
particularly'for'the'outside'scenes'to'give'the'film'a'more'cold'
atmosphere.'
• In the'editing'process,'I'will'inform'my'editor'that'I'want'a'subtle'blue'
undertone'to'the'film'to'connote'an'essence'of'sadness.'

8. CAMERA&MOVEMENT
• Drama’s'normally'use handheld camera'movement'and'close'up'
shot’s'to'portray'a'characters'emotions.'Shot'reverse'shot'is'used'as'
well'to'show'conversations
• I will direct my cameraman to use'a'lot of closeup’s in Birthday'to'
convey'Violet’s'emotions,'especially'in'the'scenes'with'her'Mother'to'
show'her'vulnerability.'
• She'will'also'use'a'lot'of'shot'reverse'shots'as'there'are'numerous'
conversations'between'Violet'and'her'Mother.'

9. SOUND
• Drama%films%will%have%non0diegetic%film%score%music%and%diegetic%
dialogue.%
• I haven’t started to think about what kind of music I want%to%play%
underneath%the%film%but%I%will%start%to%look%at%royalty%free%websites%to%
get%an%idea.%