Picking The Genres

Hi again!! Picking the right genre is a big decision, and after thinking about it, drama and thriller feel like the best choice. Both give me the freedom to be really creative, whether it’s through strong emotions, unexpected twists, or moments that keep the audience wanting more. I love the idea of knowing I can have the power to express my love for filmmaking through my favorite genres and make people feel what I do through my own projects. My goal is to create a story that isn’t just fun to watch but also keeps people thinking about it even after it ends.

For Drama, I know the key is to really dive deep into the emotions and relationships between characters, it’s all about capturing the personal conflicts that make the characters relatable and keep the audience engaged. I’ve learned that successful drama films really focus on emotional depth, making the audience connect with the characters on a personal level. This means I’ll need to pay attention to body language, dialogue, and the internal struggles of the protagonist. A great example of this is the movie 'Waves' (2019) by Trey Edward Shults, this movie portrays two different relationships off a pair of siblings after a great tragic event. The first sibling Tyler, "ruins" his relationship with his personal struggles and the consequences of toxic masculinity. It follows the emotional journey of the toxic couple that show "love" in a very unhealthy way. Meanwhile, the second half of the movie shifts focus to Emily's perspective, showing her process of healing and finding a way to move forward after the tragedy. In her relationship she manages to paint a picture to the audience of what "slow and gentle" love looks like. Both relationships are a way for viewers to connect with the characters involved and feel for them, they also portray the different types of love people that age experience and make audiences know they are not alone. I remember when I watched this movie for the first time it really impacted me and I found myself connecting with certain characters.

On the other hand, in the Thriller side, the goal is to create tension and suspense that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. Thrillers often involve high stakes, and the story builds up to moments of shock or fear. From my research, I’ve learned that the thriller genre relies on plot twists, and heavy atmosphere to build suspense. According to actfourscreenplays.com the audience should always feel like something is about to happen, even if it’s not clear when or how. That’s exactly what I want for my project, something that draws people in and keeps them hooked. I take great inspiration from thriller horror movies, I think they are the perfect example of movies that keep me chasing for more. I do not necessarily want to include horror in my film though, I want to mix thriller with other elements I'm not quite sure of yet. An example of a successful thriller movie in my opinion is 'A Quiet Place: Day One" (2024) directed by Michael Sarnoski. It is not necessarily scary but it keeps viewers intrigued the whole time  anticipating to know what happens next. The film builds suspense with its silent world, where every small noise feels dangerous. The dark, shadowy lighting creates tension, making audiences feel the characters' fear. The camera angles, like close-ups of characters' expressions, make emotions feel real and captivating.

Throughout this week I want to go ahead and keep researching more Drama and Thriller movies, I want to look at them with a different perspective and focus more on mise-en-scène elements. For instance, different shots, lighting, color schemes and pacing to get some idea on how I want to incorporate them into my film.