Research in Drama Short Films

1. What makes a drama film a drama film?

1.1. The purpose of Drama films are to be relatable and  to move the audience. This is accomplished through the use of characters and how they interact with the world around them within the film.

1.2. Drama films are presentations of real issues within our world and portray realistic characters in conflict with everyone including them self.

2. Sub genres of Drama

2.1. Social problem dramas, also known as message films, are made to teach a lesson to the viewers. This could be about topics such as discrimination, alcoholism or war etc. An example of this would be "American Beauty"

2.2. Historical dramas are films based on historical events such as wars or monarchy.

2.2.1. Political dramas are influenced about history or is based on history.

2.2.2. Period pieces are based on specific eras. One example would be "Downton Abbey"

2.3. Journalism and media related dramas are often centred around the theme of journalism. An example of this would be "Citizen Kane"

2.4. Crime dramas are based on crime or people dealing with the law.

2.5. Romantic drama is the type of drama film that is based on the theme of love and romance.

3. Codes and Conventions

3.1. The film shows a characters journey and developments made throughout the journey.

3.2. Portrays real life characters, situations, settings and stories.

3.3. A lot of social interaction.

3.4. Dramatic and hyperbolic performance and sound.

4. Common characters

4.1. The protagonist, often the main character. The audience feels sympathy towards the character and usually beats the antagonist by the end of the film

4.2. The antagonist is the protagonist's rival and enemy. This character does all they can to get what they want, often from the protagonist. The audience often sees the antagonist as their enemy too.

4.3. The helper is a very loyal and trusting character. The helper manages to be there for the protagonist and aids them during the film.

5. Iconography

5.1. Common iconography would be public service property such as police cars, ambulances etc.