The Genre of Drama: Case Study Research
Why Drama?
For my film opening component of my Cambridge Portfolio Project, I had to keep my mind open for selecting genres. There are obviously many genres in the film world, like horror and fantasy (which I have already researched), thriller, comedy, romance, drama, etc. Since I have to quickly decide what genre would work best, each member of my group is doing individual research so that we can come together with a final decision.
In my last post (make sure to check it out!), I took note of all of my research on the horror genre, since it is one of few genres that appeal to me the most. However, I needed more variety in my knowledge of genres, so I chose another genre that I am interested in, which is drama. For this reason, I am dedicating this post to the genre of drama.
What is Drama? What makes a film drama?
Drama is a genre that usually deals mainly with characters and the conflicts they face, which is why emphasis is normally placed on these characters. Whether the conflict is internal or external, the film usually revolves around the character and their situation. In fact, the themes incorporated with a drama film tends to be of a real-world issue that a character has to face, and the process of overcoming this conflict.
While drama itself is a genre that can flow on its own, current drama films tend to be mixed with other categories of genre, or sub genres, like romance, family, or tragedy. These mixes are not limited by just a mix of 2 genres, as there are films that can be categorized by three genres or more.
Drama Film Examples
Top Gun: Maverick (2022) / Drama, Action
Plot Aspects in Drama Films
While the many films under the genre of drama may vary due to the many sub genres incorporated in these films, a majority of drama films share traits in terms of plot elements, like characters, setting, etc.
For instance, as mentioned earlier, the plot in drama films usually deal with the conflict of the protagonist. The type of conflict, varies. There's character v. character, character v. self, character v. nature, etc. However, the whole film usually revolves around the overcoming of a conflict. Here are some examples of these films with the type of conflict included...
For these kinds of plots, the film usually begins with a background on the character or on how the conflict they deal with came about. Then, the majority of the film displays the character's process on dealing with the conflict, then following the resolution, which is usually the character making peace with the situation.
As for the characters, each character tends to have something about their physical appearance or personality that makes them different from each other, making them easy to differentiate. Whether it's the costume design, the personality, the vocabulary level, the intelligence capacity, or the accent of the character, there is usually something different. For this reason, the characters in drama films have variety among them.
Music also tends to be an important aspect to drama films, as it adds to the emotion conveyed in the film. The music is usually aligned with the mood of the scene, to further captivate and engage the audience. The lyrics of the song always relate to the scene; for instance, if a breakup between a relationship occurred, the song playing would be about loneliness.
Techniques that Drama Films Usually Share
- Camera Shots: One aspect of drama films that is very important is the ability to capture emotion. Emotion is what makes or breaks the connection built between the film and the audience. This why close ups are extremely important. To highlight or place emphasis on the emotions of a character, a close up is needed. This way, the audience is able to see the details of the face, whether it the tears on the eyes to show sadness, or the sweat on the forehead to show frustration. Point of view shots are also utilized to give the audience a perspective on what the character is experience. This enables the audience to emphasize with the character.
Top Gun (1986) / Close Up Shot
- Editing: An example of editing commonly used in drama films would be eyeline matches between actions. This usually occurs when the film goes from a scene focusing on the character's reaction, while the next scene that follows is what the character is reacting to. This helps add clarity for the context towards the audience, so that those watching can understand where exactly the conflict is.
This concludes my research for the drama genre. Thanks to this case study, I now have more variety within my knowledge of the film world and the many genres that our out there. I now know about the genre of fantasy, horror, and drama.
Stay tuned for more updates for my next step!
References/ Photo Credits
Buffam, Noelle. “Drama - the Script Lab.” The Script Lab, 15 Mar. 2011, thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/952-drama/.
IMDb. “IMDb - Movies, TV and Celebrities.” IMDb, 2008, www.imdb.com/.
Oak, Manali. “The Elements of Drama: Theme, Plot, Characters, Dialog, and More.” Entertainism, Entertainism, 2018, entertainism.com/elements-of-drama.
“DRAMATIC/FILM TECHNIQUES.” Romeoandjulietuncut.weebly.com, romeoandjulietuncut.weebly.com/dramaticfilm-techniques.html. Accessed 15 Feb. 2023.
Pro, Film Editing. 4 Editing Techniques to Add Drama to a Cut | Film Editing Pro. www.filmeditingpro.com/4-editing-techniques-to-add-drama-to-a-cut/.
“Top Gun (1986).” AoM: Movies et Al., movies.supertran.net/2013/12/top-gun-1986.html. Accessed 15 Feb. 2023.
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