Kayla Mornay's Blog

Hello everyone, I know that you all may be wondering what led me to select the teen comedy genre for my AICE Media Studies project. I chose it because I have always loved watching films that I could relate to. Growing up, there has always been something that caught my eye or allured me towards the screen whenever a teen film was playing, and these films still keep me glued to the television. I love the conventions of this genre, and it definitely gives a nostalgic feeling that leaves me laughing or reminiscing of events that occurred during my teenage years. Some of my favorite teen comedy movies are The Duff, Mean Girls, Clueless, Freaky Friday, and The Breakfast Club. All of these films display the typical high school stereotypes such as popularity, loneliness, outcasts, bullying, sports, relationships, parties, and the process of teen development. I can not wait to show you all the final product of my project!

The genre that I am interested in filming is the teen comedy genre. The teen comedy genre is a light-hearted drama centered around individuals between the stages of childhood and adulthood, which typically features a coming of age theme. These types of films are targeted towards teens, young adults, aspirers, and people that can relate to the characters and the situations they go through within the film. Some codes and conventions of this theme includes high school social groups, working, drugs, alcohol, bullying, stereotypes, teen issues such as peer pressure, bullying, being outcasted, and not liking life.  Some production techniques that are used in comedies are the use of long shots, the Gilligan cut, reaction shots, freeze frame, slow motion, non-diegetic sound, as well as the use of a pan, dolly, or cut to reveal something funny. Voice overs are also used to reveal information to the audience, as well as using the inner voice to hear the character’s internal thoughts, and...

Opening Shots in Films 1) The Perfect Date (Teen Comedy) The Perfect Date . Dir. Chris Nelson. Netflix. 2019. Film This film began with a title sequence displaying the production company that created this film. As the film began, it had upbeat cheery music played by an electric guitar that gave a nostalgic feeling of young teenage years. The main character is typing a letter to an institution's office of admissions, which is very relatable and realistic for people in the same age group as him. As the opening shot continues on, the main character is giving a voice over of what he wants out of life, and seems to be thinking out loud, describing his visions and goals while he continues to type his letter. By the subtle details and setting, it can be inferred that the main character, Brooks Rattigan, is a High School student with the intentions of seeking a higher education at a prestigious school such as Yale University, as it was mentioned by his guidance counselor. Through...