Genre research

As a group, we have decided for the genre of our film to be a ‘Drama’. Drama is a film genre, which aims to tell an honest story on human struggles, which are taken from intense, real life issues, whether they face conflict from the outside or within themselves. This is something some of the viewers may be able to relate themselves to, making it more enjoyable for them to watch it. Drama films usually consist of conflict, hidden truths or a threatening source. This could make the viewers feel vulnerable, especially the ones that are able to relate. Drama films mainly revolves around an emotional theme, they often include families and disruptions. The literal meaning of drama is ‘an exciting, emotional, or unexpected event or circumstance’.

Colours such as soft tones; grey, beiges and off –whites are coupled with Dramas as it makes the film setting appear to be more discreet. This allows the audience to be left with answers, not giving too much away, opposed to what vibrant colours would do. Also, having dull colours sets the scene, and creates an effect, associated with tension and mystery.

In terms of camera angles and shots, they include canted angles and panning movements, as if the audience was a part of the film, helping them understand what our characters are feeling, disorientated and confused, all over the place, not knowing – what’s next?

It can be argued that the most important part of a Drama film, would be sound. Score music can help build up suspense and tension. It is often combined with opera music, as this is quite a loud and dramatic genre of music. Sound in a drama film has the power to create certain moods, to create character and can signal events that are about to happen.The power of sound and music to manipulate the audience has always been acknowledged in a dramatic genre film. Incidental music is used often in a Drama, to add more emotion and rhythm to it. This is usually meant to be gone unnoticed. It can also add understanding and meaning to a scene, to remind the audience of ideas.

The history of drama originates in classical Greece (western drama). The origins of drama go back to competitions held as a part of a traditional festival, celebrating the God Dionysus (the god of wine). The city-state of Athens came up with the three genres of drama: tragedy, comedy and the satyr play. Another example of the history of drama was a man named William Shakespeare. He wrote and produced many plays that are still performed today. Furthermore, he was one of the first to weave comic elements into tragedies. The type of work that he created is common in modern drama. The first ever drama film made was in Latvia in 1913.

Paige Edwards

These two masks are associated with drama represent the traditional generic division between comedy and tragedy.

Top 10 Drama films – according to the telegraph

1. The Conversation (1974)

Hackman plays a seedy surveillance expert who suffers a crisis of

conscience when he suspects the couple he is bugging are about to be

murdered.

It's bigger than mere commentary - the real subjects here are paranoia

and culpability, loneliness and love.

2. Strangers on a Train (1951)

Two men swap murders. Patricia Highsmith's best novel; arguably Alfred

Hitchcock's best movie, this is a great taught morality tale with a sticky turn by

Robert Walker.

3. There Will Be Blood (2008)

When he hears about oil oozing from the ground near the Western town of

Little Boston, Daniel takes his son on a mission to find their fortune.

4. Winter Light (1962)

Ingmar Bergman could have a top 10 of his own, but this little-seen entry in

his 'Silence of God' trilogy ranks alongside Wild Strawberries and Persona as

a brief, freezing masterpiece.

5. Dogville (2003)

It's three hours long, there's no set and John Hurt does a maddeningly arch

voiceover. But Lars von Trier's Nicole Kidman-in-chains sadomasochistic

study of small-town America is still thrilling filmmaking.

6. Raging Bull (1980)

Martin Scorsese's best and Robert De Niro's too. Against stiff competition.

Paige Edwards

7. The Godfather Parts 1 and 2 (1972/4)

Coppola's Corleone saga works because it's only brushingly a gangster pic.

Really it's the best family soap ever shot: more King Lear than Lock, Stock

and Two Smoking Barrels.

8. Double Indemnity (1944)

Billy Wilder's insurance scam classic, based on a James M. Cain story, is film

noir at its most tar-hearted.

9. Apocalypse Now (1979)

So that's four films by Francis Ford Coppola in the top 10. But it would be a

horror to omit his Cambodia odyssey.

10. Chinatown (1974)

Roman Polanski. Robert Towne. Jack Nicholson. Faye Dunaway. John

Huston. Enough said.

Anthony Hopkins's menu choices may be an acquired taste, but few could

resist the five-star excitement of Jonathan Demme's electric classic.

Paige Edwards