Research On Teen Angst Openings

We researched and analysed several different teen angst title sequences and opening scenes in order to get some ideas of our own for our film. We spotted and noted the typical generic conventions of a teen angst film. We looked at Easy A, Footloose and clueless.

The generic conventions Easy A included was:
-High key lighting, this suggest realism and it sets a soft atmosphere to it.
-It is set in an high school(college)
-Main characters a girl
-Monologue/voice over of the main character talking about our characters
-Represents bitching which is typical of a teen angst and is stereotypical of teenagers.
-Slang is included, shows the target audience is teenagers as the older generation would not understand.
-Titles are places in odd places such as floor suggesting that high school and teenagers lives are busy
-Low key lighting is included when adults are in the scene. shows contrast, adults have low key lighting, teenagers have high key lighting -Main title is placed in a tree, this points out a pair of shoes in the tree emphasising that teenagers mess about and get in to trouble
-Main characters book are knocked out of her hands, emphasises the school setting and that bullying takes part, also it shows that there are popular people higher than her in the school and that can do what they want.

Generic conventions of Footloose
-teenage party (stereotypical of teenagers)
-young teenagers/adults
-upbeat loud dance music
-alcohol
-high key lighting
-empty red cups, this is using iconography and stereotyping teenagers as being messy
-close up on feet suggest dancing and performing
-no adults/old people, disabled people and children
-they value drink, music, friends and being with friends(hedonism and hedonistic)
-different social groups with mixed-sex male and female, mix ethics are seen(white, black and Asian country's)
-title 'Footloose' looks like stage lights, connotes the performing aspect and some are hand written connoting they are still at school
-they are dancing on a stage
-diegetic sound (them singing emphasis's their interests in music further)
-layer sound, diegetic and non-diegetic


Generic conventions of Clueless
-high key lighting
-upbeat current music
-voice over to introduce characters
-main characters an American girl
-layered sound including cars, music and laughing
-they value power, fashion, popularity, parties and money
-shots are not chronological connoting that stereotypically teenagers life's are a muddle, manic, busy and confusing