Identification of Stereotypes in Teen Films.

Typical stereotypes in a teen movie

Not another teen movie is the perfect example of stereotypical characters in teen films. 

The Definition of the word Stereotypes is : A widely held but fixed and over-simplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.

For example : Blondes are dumb

All pretty popular high school teenagers are cheerleaders

All Smart teenagers are nerds and get bullied  

Here are some High-school Stereotypes from the movie that are commonly used in many teen films. 

The Jock

Jocks are athletic good looking Teenage boys who are at the top of the food chain in High school.
Jocks usually play a sport like football or rugby and hang around with cheerleaders which are there female equivalent.

The Nerd 

The Nerd is usually identified by their physic and clothing , Some classic clothing items that represent nerds are glasses suspenders and high waisted trousers. Nerds are usually very skinny or large, short or tall either way their different to most of the other pupils which makes them a target. 

The Mean Girl

The High school mean girl is superior , she is very attractive and wears the 'cutest' clothes. Some stereotypical mean girls are the ' Dumb cheer-leading Blonde' or the 'rich cunning popular girl' either way they have something in common , they have authority and alot of it and that's hat makes them superior. 

The Side Kick

The sidekick is the High school mean girls biggest fan , she's her 'Best friend', In other words her slave. A side kick obeys everything that a mean girl has instructed her to do and there number one goal is to usually just stay popular. Being a sidekick means you are not allowed to have a mind of your own and your life revolves around the mean girl. A sidekicks physical description is the same as a mean girls but less attractive.

The outsider

The outsider is usually the Kid that has 'abnormal interests ' and is frowned upon by society. There isn't a descriptive look of an outsider their just average. the outsider often gets picked on but isn't a priority target unless they cause attention. The misunderstood socially awkward outsider  is usually  the main character in many films because they are so average, it makes them more interesting and we have to find  out more about them. 

Here is some examples of some High school Stereotypes in Action.

Here is a more 'entertaining' version 

How Binary Oppositions are established in teen films - Romeo and Juliet (Baz Lurhman

So, what happens?…

Just Kidding!!!

StoryLine
There is a Ancient Feud between two families the montages and caplet.
There are two different 'gangs' having a dual at the start of the film, one group is represented in dark clothes and the other in bright. The Caplets are shown to be the stronger gang whilst the Montague are the inferior.

A few Binary Opposites 
Montague and capulet
Good and Bad
Light and Dark
Wrong and Right

Mise en scene binary oppersites. 
 - COSTUME , Montages where light clothes and the Capulets wear dark.
- MAKEUP, The capulets had is slicked back and they are well tamed whilst the montages have messy hair spotty skin.
-BODY LANGUAGE, the montages are clumsy whilst the montages are slick
-PROPS , montages have an modern car and the caplets have an classic car

Camera binary opposites 

Close up on the characters faces as they're introduced to the viewers 

Editing binary oppersites
slow and fast.
close
Sound binary opposites  
Loud and quite
Upbeat/rap music and instrumentals

The Bling ring

THE BLING RING

The Bling ring is a movie based on true events. It show's how much of a influence the social hierarchy and materialistic items can become. A group of teenagers break into famous celebrities houses and steal there possessions, they take clothes jewellery and a anything designer they can get there hands on. The movie is a teen drama with comedy.

CHARACTERS

Cast : Emma Watson, Katie Chang, Tassia Farmiga , Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Gavin Rossdale, Stacy Edward's,Marc Coppola, Claire Pfister, Lesile Mann. - Even though this is an independent film the cast has many celebrity actors such as Emma Watson and Katie Chang. 

Character description 

-  predominantly white group

-American characters

- Wealthy teenagers 

THEMES

IDENTITY 

PRESSURES OF SOCIETY

ACCEPTANCE 

RELATIONSHIPS

SETTING AND LOCATION

The movie takes place in California , which is the home of most famous celebrity's. Like many teen movies the main location within the films where , school , party's and home.

COSTUME

The burglaries where motivated by designer clothes and brands, it seemed as if the teenagers became more 'fashionable' as they grew higher in society.The teenagers wore high end flash clothes to match their new social status. 

MUSIC

The music used in the film was mainly 'pop'and rap music,which is  one of the most common sources of  promotion for the lifestyle of the teenagers in the movie. i.e.. DRUGS , PARTYING, SEX & MONEY

Conventions of Teen Dramas- The Bling Ring

THEMES:

Typical.

Typical.

Typical.

The typical themes and issues that you would find in this teen drama movie.

Five celebrity-obsessed teens use the power of the internet to not only stalk their favourite celebrities but have a stupid idea to take their personal belongings. This soon spirals into something darker as the teens steal money, take drugs, go out to parties that they're clearly not allowed into (legally anyway); just so they could capture that celebrity culture, the celebrity lifestyles.  The teenage film also features friendships/cliques, relationships with the opposite sex, parent and child relationships, a WHOLE LOAD of rebellion just to keep hold of the things money can buy. 

SETTING AND LOCATION: 

The movies takes place in sunny California, it also features the well known locations that help make up that teenage movie. From high schools as students are found by their lockers to the parents' houses as the main character is usually found expressing themselves in their bedrooms or moaning about life in the kitchen. You also have the usually teenage hangouts, it being the beach. The movie also features locations such as clubs and parties, allowing the audience to capture their rebellious side.  

MUSIC:

The normal kind that would find in our day and age. It being loud and explicit as Rick Ross is heard rapping about... Unpleasant things, the traditional hip hop setting (no surprise there) to the dance/trance music. The type of music that makes you want to get up and do something stupid (like breaking into Paris Hilton's house 8 times =|) ! 

THE CHARACTERS:

Well, you have your teenagers... 

The annoying adults... 

... AND of course the authorities 

COSTUME: 

It's the type of costume you expect;stylish and fashionable! The sort of designer outfits you would dream of having.

Genre and Convention

A teen film is a film targeted at a teen audience. Teen films often have themes of love, sex, violence, cliques, family and teen angst. In teen films characters will often be found at the same locations for example within the home teens are usually in their bedroom, bathroom, kitchen or out by the pool. In school they will be found a classroom, by the lockers, in the library, canteen, toilets, gymnasium or outside in the car park. Sports locations in teen films are usually in the gym, changing rooms or field/court. Teens will hang out at the cinema, a party, prom or at a diner. Other locations also consist of a street corner, the shops, in a car or on a school bus. Often in teen films each character will fit into a clique or cliché, for instance there will usually be a jock, nerd, popular girl and outsider.

Conventions of teen drama that we can see in "The Bling Ring"

The Bling Ring features conventions that are often seen in teen dramas such as comedy and drama. 

The themes of the bling ring involve the desire to fit in as Mark gets himself into a lot of trouble because he wants friends and this theme of friendship is presented throughout the film. The film revolves around idea's of money, drugs, fame, fortune, celebrity culture and lifestyle, consumerism and materialism. All themes associated with the teenage culture.

The film is set in a Los Angeles, California and scenes take place in a high school, night club, on the street, bedroom, kitchen, beach and living room.  There is lot of music used in the film of which is modern and something teens often listen to such as RnB, hip hop and rap, dance and trance. The characters in the film are teenagers, parents and the authorities such as police. Costume used is high fashion stylish expensive clothing.

What happens at the start of a film

A lot happens at the start of the film that we don't usually notice.
So here is a list of things that appear on our screens when we begin watching a film.

Institution identification

                                                         Production company present…

Title sequence- including cast names and film title

Music is also used to create mood and atmosphere

Genre established through miss en scene, camera etc.

Establish location, place etc.

Key characters are established/introduced

Sense of plot and storyline

Film audiences

Films for a male and female teen audience.

"Detention" is a teen film i watched recently. It is a comedy-horror and therefore more accessible to those who may find horror as the more entertaining genre. It features i pre-hunger games Josh Hutcherson. Set in highschool there is a murderer on the loose in this town, while trying to figure out who this murderer is comedy is used throughout this film. This film appeals to both sexes as the although the main character is female the horror and comedy used throughout make the film appealing to a male audience as well. Themes of love, friendship and crime are used in the film. It also has a number of characters like the 'jock', the 'nerd', the 'outsider' the 'popular girl', the 'loser' etc.

Teen films for a male audience.

"Anuvahood" is a film for a male teen audience as the main characters dream is to be a rapper, a dream commonly associated with boys. The features celebrities like Adam deacon and Bashy, therefore making it more appealing to the male audience. The film is a comedy that uses violence, romance, friendship and rivalry between "cliques". The main character wants to get away from the life he is living and live his dream...to become a rapper. Teenage boys will relate to this film because of the storyline and the themes. As the main character gets into trouble a lot and is pressurised by family and friends.

Films like "Sleepover", "LOL" and "Bring It On" are for a female audience.

  "Sleepover" is a teen film set in highschool. There is rivalry between cliques as well as romance and scenes at prom, in the car and at home in the bedroom and kitchen.

"LOL" is one of if not my FAVOURITE teen film. It features teen heart ache as well as friendship, love, family and teen angst. As well as starring some of my favourite actors like Miley Cyrus, Douglas Booth, Ashley Greene and Adam Sevani. Also set in a highschool (i see a pattern emerging) the film is something that i can watch over and over again and never get bored.

And last but DEFINITELY not least we have the "Bring it on" films, the above being "In it to win it." This films features cliques and romance, heart ache and friendship and is comedy. It is a great feel good film and loved by teens because of how quirky and cool it is.