It is easy to bring relatability to a coming-of-age film because the events and characters are loosely based on my life. Plus, I belong to the younger generation that is part of the target audience, which makes it easier for me to connect with these people. Being a high school student, I want my film to show the trials and tribulations all teens go through growing up.
Here are some coming-of age-films I am going to take inspiration from:
Lady Bird(2017):
I enjoyed the way this film commented on wide social issues- the financial problems the family faced were often brought up. It expanded on issues outside themselves, which I found really admirable. I also felt that it perfectly communicated the insecurities and problems many teenagers face. The ups and downs Lady Bird has with her mother are relatable to me; I strive to be able to do this in my own production. The characters in my film will also go through similar problems. These problems will draw from the actual actor’s lives, so it will be as authentic as possible. I also liked the “indie” feel to it. My own production will probably incorporate this type of aesthetic since it centers around skaters.
The opening to this film began showcasing the complicated relationship between Lady Bird and her mother. They are seen connecting with each-other, then out of the blue an argument starts. I thought that opening the film with dialogue and diegetic audio was a nice way to establish the characters. This inspired me to start my own film with group dialogue from all the actors. Music that they all enjoy will be playing in the background so the audience gets a feel for what they are interested in- this was inspired from the book reading Lady Bird and her mother were listening to in the opening of the film.
Film opening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyNE-wVJ5eQ
Photo: Shutterstock
Mid90’s (2018)
I like how this film follows the journey of “Stevie” trying to fit in with the wrong people. I feel like most teenagers go through this at some point. When thinking about what the rest of my film would look like(I mean after the opening), I picture the group splitting up because of issues trying to fit in, family problems, etc. I also liked how it is set in the 90’s and the actors are ACTUAL skaters. This brought a great level of authenticity to the film. My friends are going to be the actors in my film, and they actually skate too.
The film opened with a high angle of a bunch of skateboards, establishing the objects the characters will interact with. The film then showed the abuse Stevie faces at home, and the how he tries to act older as he is trying on his brothers clothes. I want to start the film in a home as well. I want to decorate my sisters bedroom the way a “skater” would decorate it, filling it with posters of numerous bands, and embracing the messiness of it. The actors in my film will likely be talking to each-other through a mirror, so I will probably use similar techniques as Hill did in Mid90’s.
I couldn’t find the film opening for this one, but you can rent the film on Amazon Prime, Youtube, etc.
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Photo: IMDb
I Believe in Unicorns(2014)
Okay, so the reason I watched this film because I loved Natalia Dyer’s role in Stranger Things. And I thought that despite the darkness of the film, it was really nicely made. I loved the artistic qualities of it. I also liked that the fact that Sterling, Davina’s boyfriend, was a skater. She deals with family problems, which is a common theme in a lot of coming-of-age films. Their family issues also influence the people they are: Davina still clings on to her childhood, while Sterling becomes abusive, like his father. They desperately want to become grown-up’s so they try to run away together, not thinking about their actual actions. I liked the poetic nature of the piece, and I thought that type of vibe would be a good inclusion to my own production.
I found it interesting how the film began with video clips. This helped create some backstory to Davina’s life. I want to include a silence similar to the one at the end of the film opening as Davina comes out of the bathtub. In my film, however, I am thinking about doing it as one of the characters shuts the window after sneaking out.
I couldn’t find the opening for this one either, but it is free on Tubi, Amazon Prime, and Vudu.
Photo: Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
The reason I watched this film in the first place was because of my parents- they marketed it like it was the best movie ever created. Honestly, I did really like the film. I want to incorporate the fast pace into my own production. I really loved how the film was able to make a high school student’s day into the most entertaining thing ever. I also liked how there was different character types in the film. Although stereotypical, a guarantee that you are able to find yourself in at least on of the characters. I want to be able to create characters that resonate with the audience; thus, a range of personalities will be shown on the screen. Overall, I just really loved how it was just one mini crisis after another, and the humorous aspects were great as well. Although my film will be a little more serious, I want to use the same level of pacing that this film did.
I really liked how the film began with diegetic audio of the radio, his mothers voice soon interrupting calling Ferris’s name. This really helped introduce the character, the setting, and even the weather that was occurring at this time. The first picture shown was of their house, which introduced the setting well (suburbia). I also liked the design of his room. The one thing I loved was the introduction of Jeanie, Ferris’s sister; she was introduced first with her body language (the stomping of her foot, the tapping of her fingers on her waist, and then finally the sassy expression on her face). I am still thinking if there is a way to incorporate this into my own film because I love it so much. The dialogue was also very comedic, and I want to introduce my characters this way as well.
Film opening: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UX_rPkWzlq
Photo: Fox Searchlight/ Courtesy Everett Collection
Thirteen(2003)
I thought this film realistically captured the struggles teenagers face in their life: trying to fit in, lacking parental figures, and desperately trying to become older, even if it is rushed. Tracy makes bad decisions as she becomes friends with Evie. When researching, I found out that the story is based on the real life of Nikki Reed, the actor of Evie. Similarly, the characters in my film are inspired by the actual people playing them, and the problems they face will be similar to our collective high school experiences. I see the development of my film covering similar topics: the engagement in sexual activity, self-harm, and the overwhelming want to fit in.
The first thing I noticed in the opening of Thirteen was the font the credits were in. I really liked the messy look of it. The intense and loud rock music that started playing helped establish the tone of the film as well. I want to include more indie music for the beginning of my film, but I was inspired by this idea. I liked the mise-en-scene as well- the washed out purple walls, covered in posters. The opening of my film will not be as crazy as this one but I liked the dynamic of the characters and want to have that in my production.
Film opening: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PxRcgIni1bc
Font used:
Personal Update:
Watching these films really helped me picture what my opening would look like. One problem I encountered with the research process is the way I focused on the entirety of my film too much. I worried what the ending of my film would look like. But then I reminded myself that I am only going to produce the opening, so I don't need to have a clear idea of what the entire plot would be like. Viewing the openings to various films helped me maintain focus on the actual goals of my project.
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