Initial Planning - My Chosen Genre:

With the knowledge I have gained from my genre research, my own experience watching films and my very limited experience in film making I have decided that the genre my short film will be is Coming of Age. This is because it will be based off a character of a similar age to mine and therefore I can draw from my own experiences of being a teenager to help create a realistic and interesting short film. It will also be easier to gain feedback as my target audience will be teenagers and young adults, the same age range as the other members of my class.

The Coming of Age Genre:
The coming of age is a sub-genre within the genre Drama. They tend to focus on psychological and moral growth of the protagonist. Personal growth is generally the most important characteristic for Coming of Age films. These films also aim to achieve an emotional response from their audience rather than creating complex action sequences.

Plot:
The storylines for the sub-genre coming of age tend to be very realistic and often have the protagonist facing everyday challenges, these can range from anything like the difficulties faced growing up, to break ups, death and illness. The ending of the films under this genre tend to end with the protagonist learning a lesson as they reflect on the events during the film. Some plots can also revolve around personal struggles such as addiction to drugs, alcohol etc. Coming of Age films tend to be focused on the theme of redemption, rehabilitation and growth.

Character: 
Characters in this genre can be either female or male and tend to be younger adults or teenagers. The protagonists character usually develops as the storyline progresses leading to them becoming an improved individual, fitting with the redemption arch which is common throughout the genre. Some popular character relationships in this genre are a Parent/Child conflict or a Boy/Girl conflict. There isn't usually an antagonist, however if they do choose to include one it is usually a Male antagonist.

Elements included in the genre tend to be:

• Conflict
• Happy Conclusion
• Tension
• Realistic storylines
• Resolution
• A characters personal journey
• Dramatizes interpretations
• Moral ambiguity

Different props included in this genre:

• Guns
• Knives
• Drugs
• Mobile Phones
• Alcohol

Mis En Scene / Setting and Location:

• Hospitals
• Cities
• Home
• Police Station
• Council estates
• Schools
• Local Parks

Target Audiences:

Coming of Age films have both male and female protagonists, therefore they appeal to both sexes. It would depend on the sex used for the lead character as to which gender the film most appeals to. The usual age group this genre appeals to is very broad as many different elements of the film are interchangeable therefore opening it up to all ages. Typically these films generally appeal to the ages 14-45.