The document discusses genre theory and conventions that will be used in the filmmaker's opening scene. It provides background on comedy, sci-fi, and thriller genres. Examples like 21 Jump Street and The Hunger Games are analyzed for how they employ genre conventions. The filmmaker's opening will use comedy and sci-fi/thriller elements. It will focus on a teenage boy throwing a party to boost his popularity that gets interrupted by a conspiracy coming to life. The opening will introduce the main character and set up his desire to gain social status.

1. Academic Research for
my Film Opening
Kieran Fitzgerald

2. Genre Theory
 One theory of Genre (put forward by David Chandler)
suggests that Genre normally tends to be based on the
convention of content that are put forward through these
media forms (this can be conveyed through
themes, settings or characters) in which they are shared by
texts that are deemed to belong to them. So for example a
horror will portray all the conventions needed for a
horror in a horror film. This is a regular occurrence in all
types of genre and films of those genres

3. Conventions of my Genres
 Comedy – these types of films include light-hearted jokes about characters, real people or
situations in which are used to amuse and create laughter from the audience. Examples of
these can include one-liners or jokes and they focus on the exaggeration of situations
characters and relationships. Comedy can also come from characters hurting themselves
which is referred to as SlapStick comedy which sometimes seems to be the most funniest
type of comedy.. Examples of Modern comedy can include: 21 Jump Street, Get Him to
the Greek and Ted
 Sci-Fi – These types of films tend to focus on imaginative structures and can sometimes
relate to real life situations. They can results in impossible quests in which a character must
save another character and they can include advanced technology within their plot lines.
They also play upon the unknown and being frightened of it almost. They create excited
through characters such as monster or mad scientists in which they include fantasy. They
also focus on the potential harm on humankind which can come from technology. In some
cases, they can overlap with the horror and thriller genre.
 Thriller – These films are exciting and most of the time fast paced in order to keep
audiences interested. They mainly tend to focus on plots which includes gangsters, drugs
and crime which leads to characters of law enforcement as well. The films also have dark
themes in which can be conveyed through lighting and plot for example.

4. How these convention
appear in actual examples
 21 Jump street: This is a teenage comedy in which the genre of
comedy is instantly noticeable. This shown in the opening by the use
of mocking other characters in which Jenko mocks Schmit for asking a
really popular girl to prom when he is portrayed as a nerd. This in
itself is funny because we find it funny that there might he would ask
(this is an example of a social factor influences the comedy in a media
product in which means that the comedy effect in the opening relates
to how we perceive certain things in society – in this case, we would
not expect a popular girl to go with a geeky character to prom) Later
on in the opening, Schmit kicks a bin and subsequently hurts himself
in which is used as a form of slapstick comedy. Dialogue from Jenko is
used to emphasise the fact that Schmit is a nerdy character in which
uses the convention of exaggeration of character but this also helps to
lead to the exaggeration of the situation (in this case making it more
awkward for character but reinforces the genre of comedy)

5. How these convention
appear in actual examples
 Hunger Games – This film is a fusion of action but majorly
science fiction in which uses convention to prove this. In the
opening, we are immeditaely introduced to a imaginary world
named Panem and the tradition of this world, thus being the
actual “Hunger Games” this follows a convention of fantasy
within the plot in order to keep the audience entertain. By
including this in the opening, we are introduced to the genre of
the film and we then have some expectations of the film. The
film also follows conventions of these genres by including an
impossible quest which is Katniss (the main protagonist) being
chosen to complete in the most deadly game of survival of the
fitess in which Katniss must fight for her life in which is highly
impossible – this is a convention of Sci-Fi in which are used to
relate to this genre and maintain an interesting plot line.

6. How these convention
appear in actual examples
 Scream – this is mainly a thriller but some people tend to think
of it as a horror thriller but it still uses the convention of
thriller. One major one the film uses is the theme of tracking
someone down and leading down several paths in order to
reach the conclusions which helps to create a fast
paced, exciting plot. In the case of scream, it’s the idea of
tracking down the killer who is attacking the teenager. We are
immediately introduced to this at the beginning when the killer
first strikes. Also there is a theme or murder (crime) which is
another heavy convention used in thriller and which is
successfully delivered in scream.

7. About my Film
 My film will be a fusion of mainly Comedy but will have
elements of Sci-Fi and Thriller. I have chosen these as my
main genres for my film because I think that they are the
most popular with the target audience I am aiming my
film at (which is teenagers to young adults) so therefore
the target audience are more likely to engage with the
film. Comedy is mainly the most popular with teenagers
because normally Comedies tend to be based around real
life situations in which the audience can relate to and this
is what I hope to do within my film opening.

8. Synopsis of my Film
 The film will focus around the central protagonist who is a young, male
teenager who plans to throw a party in aid of “The End of the World”
conspiracy but also to boost his popularity as in school isn’t very high. The
film opens with scenes of a party in which the opening will *show a
strange occurrence happen (a slight earthquake for example to represent
the conspiracy taking action in the film) However, during the opening we
are introduced to our main character through the camera focusing on him
and everyone paying attention to him. The camera tend cuts away from the
scene and shows the main character getting away from school and dreading
going. Whilst at school he is mocked by people (but not extremely bullied)
in which results in his friends suggesting that he holds a party to boost his
popularity since his mum and dad are out of town for the weekend. The
main character reluctantly agree and they host a party but use a different
identity as one of the popular kids at school to make sure that people turn
up. Later on in the film the party ends up getting more and more crazy and
as the party reaches its climax stage, the conspiracy comes to life and we
watch as our characters try to save themselves.
* - means that this is just a brief idea for the moment as I’m not to sure if this will be
able to do but it is what I would like to hope to achieve.