Introduction
Hello and welcome back, this time I would like to explore sub-genres, specifically coming of age. In my research on sub genres I found a very useful cite that I have linked bellow, it explains the most popular 13 sub genres and the conventions they usually display, for example how drama usually has high conflict and high stakes. Something found commonly in genres is overlapping features which is what allows for genres to have a sub genre or sub category where different genres are combined for entertainment.
Coming Of Age Sub-Genre Research
The coming of age genre shows story’s where a young characters deal with unfamiliar experiences and emotions, viewers watch as the character matures through the story learning, adjusting, and overcoming obstacles. Some good examples of this genre are the popular movies Bring It On (2000) and The Karate Kid (2010).
Coming Of Age Genre Movie Examples
Bring It On is a teen coming of age, sports comedy that follows a girl named Torrance Shipman, she is the cheer captain at her majority white school until she is forced to move so she attempts to join her new schools Cheer team but her new school Is a majority Hispanic and black school who see her as a snotty privileged white girl, nevertheless, she overcomes racial stereotypes, backstabbing friends and partners, and adapts to her new environment/team, ultimately leading her team to victory.
The film shows coming of age conventions through the protagonist adapting to this new life and maturing as a person, by the end of the film her way of thinking has changed for the better and she is therefore a better person then she was in the beginning of the film. This sub genre also matches well with the inspirational sub genre because the story of her overcoming these challenges in high school can be very inspiring to students who maybe in a similar setting like at schools where cliques are evident or like the movie shows, friends who break your trust or people doubting you. This movie shows that through the path of improving in a sport, there will not only be physical challenges, there will also be emotional challenges but overcoming these struggles is possible and can be an important lesson, shaping you along the way.
My second movie example is The Karate Kid (2010) a karate(sports) drama, coming of age. The movie follows a young boy armed Dre Parker who moves to china with his mom not knowing any Chinese, he struggles to fit in and gets bullied until he meets a janitor who is also a master in atrial arts, under her mentorship he learns discipline, resilience, and maturity, helping him find his first love, stop the bullying, and win karate competitions. This helps him fit in and mature by the end of the film.
The film shows coming of age conventions like the mentor in the story, mentorship is popular in this genre since a mentor can help a person overcome and guide them through their struggles in life. The film also show maturity through his change in goals and personality, in the beginning of the film he is quick to anger and begins his karate career because he wanted to fight back bullies, by the end of the film he is more silent and precise with his word and moves, he learns to be patient and strives to do win gold at competitions for his mentor so that he may pursue his dream of opening a dojo.
Film Genre/ Sub Genre Decision
I have found that sport and drama mix together quite well since films in the sport genre usually have a sub genre more involved with characters feelings. These feelings can feel intense if portrayed right to the viewers and improve the viewing experience. Another common sub genre for sports is inspirational or coming of age since the viewers watch’s as the protagonist overcomes challenges and triumphs over competition similar to drama, therefore, id like to combine the three into a dramatic, coming of age, inspirational sport film following a girl overcoming the pressure of being a young and talented athlete in gymnastics.
Now that me and my partner have an overall vision for what we would like this film opening to become, we are excited to dig deeper into this project! Thank you for reading!
https://www.kidspiritonline.com/magazine/who-am-i/hey-siri-whats-the-coming-of-age-genre/
https://thekaratekid.fandom.com/wiki/The_Karate_Kid_(2010)
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