Conventions

Conventions of drama/Film noir films

Drama

Drama films tend to focus mainly on the portrayal of human emotions, in such a way that allows the audience to create emotional attachments to the characters and also creates empathy.  Popular plots used in a drama are, drug addictions, injustice, and corruption.

Sound is a key aspect within a drama, as it emphasises the emotions of characters and draws out the emotions of the audience, linking the two together. Strong non-diegetic sound can indicate to the audience the next step within a plot.

Mise-en-scene is used to reinforce the narrative. Very little in the way of dramatic costume will be used as drama bases itself around real life situation that could realistically happen. The lighting and colour of the film will be natural and authentic, with very little editing, this allowing the film to look realistic, simple, and conform to the conventions of real life. Lighting is emulated to look as natural as possible. This allows the film to look as true to life as possible, therefore fulfilling the aim of achieving a realistic look. Editing in drama films can change depending on the plot and emotions of the scene. It may vary become fast paced, indicating the feelings and characteristics of what is happening, or become a slower pace, emphasising the lack of emotions, feelings, and disarray within the scene. Editing within drama tends to avoid jump cutting as it pulls the audience out of the realistic aspects of the film and highlight the fact that it is not reality, this defying the point to a drama, defying the point to engage the audience into the narrative.

Cinematography within drama films can change depending on the plot and mood of the scene. The use of camera angle, tilt and shot can be used to draw out specific emotions of the audience. A slow pan can be used to show tension, or fast handheld camera movements could portray anxiety or stress. The cinematography in a drama film is very rarely dramatic, and tilted. The shots used, will try to recreate a focal view point as if it was your own eye line shot. This once again is helpful in maintaining the realistic environment. Handheld cameras can be used in scenes where a character is moving, adding to the suspense, unsteadiness and highlighting the rush of the character. This also puts the viewer into the eyes of the character further drawing them into the shot. Drama films usually try to engage the audience and invest them into the diegesis of the film world. Making the audience believe that what they are seeing could be try and immersing them in to the film film. This re-enforces realism through the narrative. Films of the drama genre are usually narrative driven, focussing mainly on the storyline rather than the visual effects. Therefore, the plot is a key aspect and isn’t usually based on fantasy. To allow the audience to empathize, the characters must be realistically believable, and usually are based around the real life of a character, maybe focussing on the emotions, mental state, or actions of this character. This giving the viewer a chance to relate to and empathise with the character, further drawing them in to the plot. The viewer is likely to have felt these emotions, and so it is easier for them to engage. The ending of the drama film is usually either resolved or sometimes can be left as a cliff hanger. Depending on the initial plot to the drama, the plot can either end extremely well, with the problem being resolved, or really bad, with either death, or severe problems accruing. It is very rarely that a drama will not resolve itself in some way; as it would fail to fall create the final outcome needed to follow conventional endings to this type of film.

Film noir

Within film noir, certain plots show up more frequently than other, such as mental illnesses, psychological, ain and punishment, drug abuse, murder, criminals, and wrong decisions. These storylines lead the audience into a dark film, a film that tries to portray the darker side of emotions and highlights the disruption and mayhem in society.

Cinematography focusses on trying to convey the weaker and stronger characters, the unconventional outcomes and using shots that are displeasing to the eye in a way that leaves the viewer at unease.  Shots that are distorted, skewed and uncomfortable to look at, put the viewer in a position of discomfort, linking them to the emotions of the film before the storyline has been unveiled. Extreme close-ups and depth of field is used to portray the hidden emotions and story behind the character, emphasising the effect the film is trying to portray. This allowing the viewers to see the characters as mysterious and secretive. Depth of field shows how there can be something being hidden from the shot, or it can make a feature within the shot more dominant, whilst also linking the two objects together. This can be used to not only link the characters together, but show a more dramatic representation of the object.