10 Things I hate About You is one of my favourite teen movie so decided to watch it again and refresh my memory as it was a long time ago since I last watched it. The genres are comedy, drama and romance that has many themes that teens can connect with that many teens may face.
Storyline
Cameron, new student at Padua High who is shown around by Michael who becomes his best friend. During his tour is when Cameron first sees Bianca Stratford, a beautiful sophomore with one problem; she isn't allowed to date. Neither is her sister Katarina, a senior who loves indie rock and feminist prose and hates conformity but Kat and Bianca's father changes his house rule: Bianca can date as long Kat has a date too. In order for Cameron to date Bianca, he has to find someone to date Kat so Michael helps him enlist the help of handsome boy/jerk/model Joey Donner tricking him into thinking that he would date Bianca out if he pays someone to take out Kat who pays Patrick Verona, a bad-boy with a mysterious reputation.
Main Characters
(Left-Right) Gabrielle Union, Andrew Keegan, Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger,
Larisa Oleynik & Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Setting & Locations
It wouldn't be a teen movie if it wasn't set in a high school. The following locations we see in the school are the classroom, detention room, head teachers office, playground, football pitch etc. Another setting is the Stratford house, we see the following rooms: Kat & Bianca's bedroom, living room, balcony etc. It is also set in a house party, club and prom which is a big part of school life for many teens which allows them to relate to the film.
Stereotypes is set of characteristics linked to a known type of 'social category' for example emo, nerd, bitches and skaters. Looking into 'not another Teen movie' their representation gives the audience a visual idea of stereotypes with teenagers.
Jock's are normally categorized as popular, rich and handsome. Many people admire the jock and teenagers want to socialize with him. Mise en scene represents the stereotypical convention of The Jocks. Wearing expensive clothing such as leather jackets or baseball jackets as they represents 'Jocks' as cool. The jocks show off flashy cars which many girls would admire for his wealth. Later in the movie The Jocks become humble due to an event or a situation that affects his behavior as he dates one of the stereotypical nerdy girl.
This links with high school musical as the main character Troy Bolton is represented as The Jock at the beginning. Later in the movie he is converted to an appreciated character who falls in love with Gabriella.
Bitchy Girls are normally seen as being stuck up with attitude. Most teenage boys are attracted to the 'bitchy girls' because of their appearances and the way they are represented. They normally socialize within their cliques and with the 'Jocks', and hate when someone who isn't as popular as them gains any attention as they want to be center of attention by all mean. Within the movie they normally try to destroy the life and reputation of the 'pretty ugly girl', as a love line between the 'jock' and the 'pretty ugly girl' normally occur within the movie. The typical Mise en scene conventions for the 'bitchy girls' are that they typically wear any type of clothing that is pink, also they are very pretty, knowing how to make every girl in school envy their looks. They also tend to be rich owning luxurious things, all of the features adds on to their confidence allowing to feel superior which then leads them to becoming mean and selfish.
The pretty ugly girl. This is the normally main character or the second main character in the movie who is normally the nerd/unpopular girl who is outcast ed out by the others but through the course of the movie begins a social and physical transformation and in the end becomes popular or has a happy ending, on the other hand the pretty ugly girl could be from a unpopular male perspective as a very attractive almost perfect girl who is flawless who may not be popular or un popular but at the end will fall in love with the unpopular guy.
She can also be considered to be the girlfriend of the jock.
The 'Bling Ring' Conventions The Bling Ring is teen drama following the lives of 5 teen characters. It is considered as teen drama as the movie has teenagers based a the main characters for the movie. The plot for the movie is about how five teenagers are able to break into celebrites house and steal their belongs. To add to this exaggerate story The Bling Ring was actually a adaption from a real life story.
The Bling Ring deals with the following convention such as celebrity lifestyle/culture as well as greed, showing the audience how the infulence of these things has dominated the teens way of thinking, leadimg them to extreme extents to steal and break into someone's house. Another convention is relationship/friendship, as the five teens in the movie all have a friendship together. Their friendship is based off their greed and all wanting to live a luxurious lifestyle like the celebrities they look up to. We know this because from the movie we see that as the ring leader 'Rebecca' and 'Mark' begins to become adventurous with their mission they also allow more people to join them, and these 'friends' of theirs all share the interest of wanting money, designer fashion and living a celebrity lifestyle.
But with friendship/relationship being part of the conventions there's also peer pressure. Peer pressure is very common in teen dramas as we see at least one of the characters feeling the need to do certain things to allow themselves to feel part of the group. From the movie the character 'Mark' indicates this convention as he stated in the movie that it was because of 'Rebecca' that he carried on doing what he was doing. The other conventions involve crimes, partying, drug abuse and alcohol. All of these things show that what the teens doing in the movie and come play a big role as all five of them are doing something that breaks the law.
The setting and location convention for The Bling Ring is a constant reminder to the audience that that the movie is a teen movie, this is because if the scenes showing their high school but also their family home and bedroom.The high school indicates that the characters are still young teenagers, their family home tells us that this is a place of security for them. Especially as these scene are normally with their families and with each other.
The convention 'clique' represents a group of friends, so in this case the it would be the group of friends in the movie. In the movie is shows us how one of the main characters 'Marc' was able to be part of the clique of the movie. The character he played was the 'outcast' as he didn't feel like he fit in anything, he wasn't confident or happy but when joining a clique he was able to gain some satisfaction with himself. This convention is very common in teenage movies as movie such a high school musical and mean girls all focuses on the convention 'cliques'.
The music is used as a representation of the character lifestyle. With uses of genres such as hip hop and dance music, normally showing a relation to money, violence, drugs this is represented through the characters in The Bling Ring.
Bling ring is a teen drama because it mixes the themes which are crime, partying, drugs + alcohol, fashion, relationships/friendships, money, rebellion, greed, clique and peer pressure which are the common themes which make a teen drama a teen drama.
Also the characters who are the ones who are being portrayed as stereotypical teenager.
the conventions used that make this a teen drama are like the themes stated in the opening paragraph but also the setting which is celeb houses, high school, club, parents house, bedrooms also he characters which are stereotyped teenagers, stupid adults, the authorities that stop the fun.
The costumes they were are also a main convention. the teenagers are dressed in flashy, designer and fashionable clothes
The movie reflects the stereo types of teen modern culture which are that in the modern culture of today teens are obsessed with clothes and money also they are seen in the public eye to be foolish and greedy and all about rebellion.
in this movie the clique ( a group of close friends who don't allow others to readily join them, also have a lot in common) is represented a group of friends who are subconsciously being changed by the ring leader who influences them all into becoming like her. This is key because in other teen dramas were there is a unified group they always have something in common with each other and in teen dramas they are easily persuaded and changed ( influenced) by the people around them which is another reason why teens re portrayed in the eye of the modern Society to be like sponges and soak up whats around them. And for me the reason why this teen drama had so much in common with the other ones iv seen is that all of the people who have something in common seem to mix better weather that be a negative aspect or positive, for instance in some teen dramas the nerdy kids are always portrayed as to be in a clique with the nerdy kids.
The main reason tis movie i think personally was different from the other movies iv seen is that it mixes the greed and lifestyle of the modern day teenagers and mixes them into one modern teen drama which is realistic and based on a true story.
The main protagonist the boy is portrayed as the outsider who mixes with the wrong people who is torn between love and greed and his love blinds him and eventually he begins to love the lifestyle of drug taking and partying and stealing and in turn changes him, because throughout the whole movie he is seen as the one who knows what is right from wrong but because of the main character he falls in love with it change his whole outlook and perspective of life and in turn becomes like her, in one scene
we see him evan dressing up like a women in pink heels dancing and smoking like a woman.
The main reason this movie was very similar to another teen drama such as mean girls is because of the way that he is tainted by the ones around him and turns into something just like them.
evan though this teen drama was based more around the teenagers robbing celeb houses the film also shows how social networking such as Facebook is not only addicting in the modern society but also during every scene they were uploading pictures to and from Facebook in order to show off which in the end was the downfall. The protagonist in the movie found were the stars lived from the internet and also what parties they were going to attend which in a way was the film trying to represent how easy it is to find anything they want online. Finally the use of modern stars not only made the movie more relatable but also showed how far people will go to be like there favourite stars.
Teen films is
targeted are teenager and young adults (13-19 year old) both males and females
that includes what teenagers are interested in such as crime, love and rebellion.
Teenagers are stereotyped to be loud, wild, irresponsible and rebellious. The characters found in films are based on strong stereotypes. Through teen movies we are shown teenagers are portrayed in similar locations for example within the home the main rooms that teens are seen in are bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom. Another common setting is alley ways, inside and/or outside flats, classrooms and sport halls, around the neighbourhood and parties.
The teen movie Coach Carter includes what appeals to teenagers such as crime, violence, sports.This trailer is the perfect example of the teenage stereotypes. Also it shows some of the common locations like the neighbourhood, classroom, sports hall and parties.
This movie attracts teens as they can relate to it also young adults as it reminds them of what they experienced.As the movie was inspired by a true story it instantly connects with teens as it portrays how their life could turn out to be.
There are many sub genres that are common with teenagers, these are ;
what is a teen film? A teen film is a film aimed at teenagers (13-19) which portrays the stereotypical themes of a modern everyday teenage lives. The teen film also has thees such as love, anger, rebellion, crime and social life.
Who watches them? mostly teenagers who can relate t the movie or people who are older looking back relating how there lives used to be.
What are the sub genres and how are they common? The genres are teen romance, sports, comedy, horror, action, sci-fi, musical, fantasy and adventure.
This teen movie is called 'Easy A'. The genre for this movie is comedy, this allows it to reach to a wider audience as comedy is a well rounded genre which many enjoy. In particular this movie target the female as the main character for this movie is a female character, this instantly indicates a connection between a female audience.The movie revolves around the life of Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone), having her tell the audience how a series of event in her high school life have caused her to be in quiet a few troublesome situation. Unlike a typical teenage, Emma Stone plays a character which challenges the convention, as Olive isn't part of the popular crowd and being invites to parties. This suggest a relateable link between the female audience, as there are many of the audience out there that actually can't relate to the movie as many of them follow a stereotypical, high school lifestyle, e.g popular, boyfriends, invited to parties. Emma Stone is also known for playing characters which are strong and oblivious to what other think, from this we are able to see that she wants to portray a different image to what has been portrayed in a typical teen movie. But the movie still uses the common settings such as a school and Olive's home, house parties to show her ordinary teen life.
The next movie is called 'Project X', the genre for the movie is comedy again telling how a wider range of audience enjoy the genre. Project X, is targeted towards the male audience as the main characters in the movie are male, but also because the plot of the movie isn't like the typical type where rivalry and gossip are the main issues. The movie is about three friends, Costa, JB and Thomas decided to throw a birthday at their friends house with the aim of gaining popularity. The movie carries on with three of the character, disobeying rules from Thomas parents and with them doing some illegal things. This type of movie would appeal to the male audience as, they get to see three 'unpopular' friends go through extreme measure to create something, and with that the results leave them with a big success. But a damaging success, as they not only manage to throw a party but somehow invite nearly their how entire school as well as finding themselves doing crazy and ridiculous things. The male audience would find this entertaining as they would be laughing at the three characters but also comparing themselves if they was in their situation. The movie focuses on more, drinking, girls, pranks, laughter unlike Easy A which focuses on teen high school life in a school environment.
'The Amazing Spider Man', is a teen movie with sub genre of adventure. The Amazing Spider Man in particular is considered a teen movie as it reverts back to the being when the character Peter Parker was in his teens, only just being his 'spiderman' adventures. The use of adventure and male character dominating the lead role tell us that one of the types of audience the movie wants to appeal for is the male audience, but as Peter Parker encounters love within the movie this also indicates a wanting to appeal to female audience as well. The use of and actual high school setting still suggest the teen side to the movie but the use of city life also suggest another coming of age side to the story, especially as Peter Parker is beginning to find out what he really is.
this movie is fast and furious Tokyo drift which was made in June 4th 2006 the movie is about street racers which mixes romance and driving with action , in the trailer there are many teenagers they are dressed in school uniform, the reason this attracts boys is because of the driving and action with cars being popular in the male gender.
Attack the Block
this movie is Attack The Block teenage boy aimed movie because of the use of slang and modern advances because during the movie itself what would be known as the norm sterotypical teenage boy who is in working class would be seen as.
Attack the block itself Evan in the name the block takes place in a council flat area which is why the movie is relative to many.
The main reason this movie is attractive to boys is because it brings action, comedy and characters that teenage boys can relate to.
Juno
Juno its based at teenage girls the movie is more of a warning to younger females about having children and etc. it follows her day to day life and the decisions she has to make.
the reason Juno may relate more to the female audiences is because Juno is female and she is very relative to the female audience and pregnancy is a part of life many females go through so in a way it makes them want to watch it.
This movie was released in the UK on 7thApril 2006 and has an age rating
of 13+. The genres are comedy and romance mostly aimed at teen girls but still appeals to teen boys and young adults.The movie is set in high school, the main drama was romance e.g.
love triangle; Duke likes Olivia, who fancies the fake Sebastian who is
actually Viola who likes Duke. Teen girls can relate to the drama and connect
with the feelings portrayed from the characters. Many teen boys are attracted
to the movie as it’s about football. A subject the majority of males love. This
instantly reaches to a wide audience of teen boys and young male adults as they can
connect to the characters about the love they have towards football.Starring worldwide well-known stars like Channing Tatum who plays
Duke increased the number of female audiences. Many teen girls watched the
movie because he is starring in it as they have a crush/find him attractive.
Also teen girls have an instant connection with female main character Viola who
is played by Amanda Bynes as they look up to her as a role model.
The Amazing Spider-Man
The release date in the UK was on 3rd July 2012 with an
age rating of 13+ therefore is aimed at teenagers and upwards. The genres are
action, adventure and fantasy. Teenage males and young male adults are mainly
interested in these genres as the like the suspense, tension and violence. Teen
boys can relate to the storyline of Peter Parker played by Andrew Garfield; a
nerdy teen that isn't popular and struggles with love life.
Mean Girls
Mean Girls was released in the UK on 18th June 2004,
the genre is comedy. The movie appeals at teenage girls as they can relate to the characters and storyline as they have experience or seen similar situations. It is set in high school therefore instantly
connects with the wide female audience as can relate to the female dramas they faced such as 2 faced/back stabbing friends, competition of status and relationships. Starring well-known actresses also increased the number of viewers as their known for other movie reputations means the fans were interested in the movie because of their role models.
The questions that were asked about teen movie. What are their favourites teen movie? What is appealing about these films? What are their favourite characters? What is your favourite teen film genre? When was the last time you saw a teen drama? How do you hear about teen movies? We asked 8 people in total. 4 people aged between 13 - 20 and 4 people 30s - 40. From our research we learnt that many of the people we asked have different likings towards teen movies. The younger audience know and like a wider range of teen dramas while the older audience know very little about teen movie. Many of the answers were very similar e.g. their favourite teen film genre is comedy as well as many of the older audience answerd that they recently watch 'The Breakfast Club'. We also learnt that the use of social media sites, the internet and word of mouth was the most common ways for the audience to hear about the movies.
