Representation of Nerds in Film

 

  A group that is represented in various films and television shows are nerds. By definition, a nerd is a foolish or contemptible person who lacks social skills or is boringly studious. In the media, nerds have a few distinctive characteristics. These characteristics may include: glasses, lots of books, braces, lack of friends, and dorky clothing. There are two examples of movies that represent nerds that I will talk about.

  In the film Napoleon Dynamite (2004), the main character is a socially awkward “nerd” who has two friends at his school, living up to the nerd stereotype. He wears dorky clothing and glasses as well. This character’s costume design greatly contributes to the representation of nerds in this film. In the film She’s All That (1999), the main character is a dorky, solitary, art student. In the film, she wears glasses and dorky clothing as well. These characteristics contribute to the stereotype of nerds represented in film.

  Some of these nerd stereotypes are not always fair. For example, not all studious people are socially awkward or wear glasses. Not all studious people wear dorky clothing or have no friends. I myself am a very studious student but I wouldn’t say I’m socially awkward or wear dorky clothing. Therefore, I think “nerds” or studious people should be kept from being labeled by certain stereotypes in the media.

  Stereotypes of nerds that I would retain in a film are probably glasses. I wear glasses, and so do many other people, and personally I am not offended by this stereotype. Glasses are a significant element of costume design when it comes to placing a nerd in a movie that can help the audience easily identify the character as a nerd. Stereotypes I would challenge are lack of friends and and dorky clothing. There could be a nerd in a movie who has plenty of friends and dresses nice but he’s just extremely studies and could be considered a “nerd” by his peers.

The Genre of Drama

Hi again!

Today I’ll be talking about the film genre of drama! There are countless drama films out there and I’ll be talking about a couple. But first, let me go over some typical conventions within the drama genre.

Dramas exhibit real life situations with realistic characters, settings, and story lines. They portray journeys of character development and add intense social interaction filled with climaxes to keep the audience emotionally attached to the ongoing tension. The purpose of a dramatic storyline is to move the audience emotionally. They do this by getting the audience to relate to the characters. Dramas usually, but not always, have a happy ending.

Some production techniques that are utilized in drama films are dialogue, lighting, sounds, costume design, use of props, and camera movement. The use of these production techniques creates the sense of realism that comes with a drama film. A major key to a drama film is getting the audience to relate to the film, therefore, these production techniques especially come into play in a drama film.

An example of a drama film is A Star is Born (2018) directed by Bradley Cooper. This film takes the audience on a roller coaster of emotions as it follows the relationship of famous country music star Jackson Maine who meets waitress/singer Ally. Jackson and Ally instantly click and develop a romantic relationship as Jackson takes Ally on tour with him. Ally begins to gain fame while Jackson deals with his own alcohol and drug problems, problems that many people may deal with. The film’s tragic ending deals with a problem many people also deal with. The tragic ending also goes against a typical genre convention of a happy ending. The insight into Jackson and Ally’s relationship in the film helps the audience relate to their own personal relationships, making this film a perfect drama.

Another example of a drama film is Lady Bird (2017) directed by Greta Gerwig. The film follows the story of a teenage girl and her relationship with her mother. It gives an insight on the teenager’s life in high school and at home as she faces relatable issues that many teenagers face today. These issues involve the character’s relationship with her friends and family, as well as issues with boyfriends and school. Throughout, the film Lady Bird struggles with applying to college, making this film extremely relatable for teenagers dealing with the same issues. This film has a heartwarming ending, conforming to the usual drama conventions of a happy ending. Everything about this movie makes it the perfect drama film.

Other examples of drama films:

Whiplash (2014)

Call Me by Your Name (2017)

Room (2015)

Schindler's List (1993)

Moonlight (2016)

The Genre of Horror

Hi everyone! 

Today I'll be discussing the genre of horror, my favorite genre of film.

A horror film is a film that seeks to provoke fear in its audience. Horror films often aim to target the audience’s fear of the unknown. The conventions of horror consist of dread and alarm, fear and panic, and may include a shocking finale. The typical target audience of the horror genre typically ranges from teens to young adults.

These conventions are implemented into production techniques typically through setting and characters. Typical locations for a horror film include: cabins, abandoned houses, hotels, basements, and barns and farms. The characters in a horror film often include the protagonist along with supporting characters and a main perpetrator. 

Usually in slasher films (a sub-genre of horror) the main perpetrator wields a weapon that can be used to easily identify this character through the use of props. Horror films also utilize lighting by using shadows or other forms of dark lighting to create that sense of fear or suspense.

The horror genre is marketed through trailers that may use particularly scary scenes that can be seen throughout the actual film. This is used to draw attention from the audiences and get them to go watch the film. Creepy horror movie posters with dark or frightening images may also be used to market a film.

One horror film that implements most of these conventions, or characteristics is Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday the 13th (1980). In this film, there’s an unseen perpetrator throughout the film that murders various camp counselors at a summer camp. The setting of the summer camp is on a lake in the middle of nowhere, a perfect setting for a horror film. The film includes pop-outs, which today seem cheesy, and various scenes of teens meeting grisly deaths. You can say fake blood was essential in the making of this film. The perpetrator isn’t revealed until the end of the film as Jason Voorhees’ mother, a boy who drowned at the summer camp years earlier. His mother swore revenge on the counselors which is why she carried out the murders. 

The film has a shocking finale as the protagonist sits in a boat and a young Jason Voorhees’ jumps out of the water and grabs her. The Friday the 13th series is often associated with the hockey mask, machete-wielding, Jason Voorhees. However, this Jason is not seen until later films in the series.

Another film that embodies the horror genre is Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960). Hitchcock is commonly known as the “master of horror,” directing some of the best horror films of his time. Today, Psycho lives on as one of the best horror films of all time. 

Psycho follows the story of a young woman who steals from her employer and goes on the run. She stops at the Bates Motel on the way, another perfect setting for a horror film. She meets Norman Bates who seems fairly normal. Fast-forward to the famous shower scene where the young woman is murdered by an unseen perpetrator, with the silhouette of a woman, wielding a knife. The blood, the shots, and the music in this scene truly give the audience an uneasy feeling and they’re reminded just why this is considered a horror film. The young woman’s sister, Lila, eventually arrives at the motel with her sister’s boyfriend, Sam, with the intent of looking for clues on her sister’s disappearance. While looking for clues in the fruit cellar of Norman’s house, she sees the figure of an old woman, presumably Norman’s mother, sitting in a chair with her back facing Lila. This scene creates incredible suspense for the audience as we are about to see who Norman’s mother really is. As Lila puts her hand on Mrs. Bates’ shoulder, the chair swivels around to reveal the decayed corpse of an old woman. 

This scene, paired with shocking music, was considered extremely frightening, especially for the time of filming. As Lila backs up a woman runs in weilding a knife. Her wig falls off and the woman is revealed to be Norman dressed up as his mother. This shocking finale is a famous one in horror movie history.

Other examples of horror films include:

Halloween (1978)

Hellraiser (1987)

The Exorcist (1973)

Nosferatu (1922)

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Scream (1996)

Starting my portfolio project

Hi everyone! 
My name is Rachel and today I’ll be taking the first steps into research for my portfolio project, which I’ve chosen a film opening for. I'm excited to start this project and see where it takes me! 
A genre of film that I can easily say is my favorite is horror. I've been watching horror films since I was a toddler, Jaws, if I recall, was the first one I ever saw. I think I'm going to do a horror film opening for my portfolio project so I'm looking forward to seeing how that works out!