Genre Research

     With the idea of what I want my film to be in mind and exactly the target audience I want to reach, I almost forgot to research the genre! I know what components to add and how to reach the interest of children (the desired audience), but it is also important to get an understanding of the genre codes and conventions. For this short film, I was a bit unsure as to what genre it fell into, so I started doing some research.
     Children (Kids) films “often include a child actor/actress (such as Shirley Temple), and/or focus on children’s-related themes that teach a lesson or moral, or show that good can triumph over evil.” [1] Our main actor will be a child (most likely a little girl) and from the very beginning, I have said I want to teach a lesson through the short. Especially when combined with my target audience, I would definitely say the genre of my short is ‘children’s film/family film.’
       “Children’s films may be divided into two categories: those made expressly for a child audience, and those made about children regardless of audience.” [2] My short will be made about a child and will also target a child audience. Now that I have found a genre I believe is suitable for my film, I have to see what some of the typical conventions are…

• “Pick simple story line” : I will make sure that my film is cohesive and makes sense, following only one main idea/message to keep it simple

• “Make it obvious” : To make sure the message is clear, my partner and I will combine drawings with imagination with action, etc. to continuously reinforce it

• “Look for human characteristics” : Since children learn best when human characteristics demonstrate the lesson, we will use imagination to show it, but will continue to make the child the number one focus

• “Emphasize the positive” : We will focus mainly on the good that is coming from the bad that is happening. Instead of showing more of the negative examples that are happening, we will show the newly found happiness most of the time to let it be repeated and reinforced, making sure it is understood.

• “Look for relatable characters” : The message we are teaching is something everybody, no matter the age, needs to remember. The main character of the film is also a child, and we are making this for children to see, so they will most definitely relate and see themselves on the screen.

[3]

     To get an even better understanding, I will look back at certain kids/family movies and possibly get some ideas and influence from the way those stories are told as well. The Wizard of Oz (1939), Inside Out (2015), E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982), and Coco (2017) are all popular, influential, greatly rated films that children and families adore. [4]
     Children (Kids)/Family films are sometimes considered a genre, however, it does not seem to appear in most websites when googling ‘film genres.’ Although my film definitely fits the descriptions I have found, it is a genre that may fall into other genres, one being fantasy. “Fantasy films are often in the context of the imagination, dreams, or hallucinations of a character or within the projected vision of the storyteller.” [5] Since we are still unsure as to what exactly will be shown through the child’s imagination on the screen (whether it will be more real or imaginative), the film may or may not be considered fantasy. This short will not “involve magic, supernatural events,” or mystical experiences. [6] However, many of the components that fantasy have will be shown in my short, especially through the representation of some sort of fantasy story and higher hopes/desires. So, in a sense, my short may also be considered part of the fantasy genre as well.
     However, genres “are constantly being reworked and reimagined to suit the ideological temperature of the present.” [7] As of right now, I believe my film fits these two genres, however, I will see if to follow and or/challenge the conventions because genres never stay still, so I am not afraid to stand against these characteristics if I feel it will be best for my short!

[1] https://www.filmsite.org/childrensfilms.html
[2] http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Academy-Awards-Crime-Films/Children-s-Films.html
[3] https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/how-movies-can-build-kids-character-and-the-ones-that-do-it-well
[4] https://www.rottentomatoes.com/top/bestofrt/top_100_kids__family_movies/
[5] https://www.filmsite.org/fantasyfilms.html
[6] https://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/987-fantasy/
[7] http://theconversation.com/ideology-and-the-genre-system-hollywoods-divide-and-conquer-24968