Genre Conventions - #3

  The sports genre may not seem super complex, however, it does have many conventions. In order to understand what make up these types of films, we must ask ourselves what are genre conventions? These are elements, themes, topics, situations, and plots that are common in a certain genre. Sports films are most likely to consist of a tragic background that introduced how the character was brought to be in the situation they're in, an athletic contest that define the central characters, and a resolution in which the two rivals resolve in the end. The specific types of these films are the biopic, the sports history film, the documentary, and the typical boxing film.

  Drama also comes with its typical conventions, like slow motion, monologue, adding narration, and also exhibits realistic characters and plots. These conventions when combined, help to create some of my most favorite movies. Some examples of these are 12 Years A Slave (2013), One Night In Miami (2020), and Forrest Gump (1994). These seemed most interesting to me, as they were able to use stereotypes and representations to create the plot of the films.

   The most important conventions that I found include an underdog story, rivalries and competition, an inspirational mentor, emotional roller coaster, and a redemption arc. These all together will help to create what I think will be a well-rounded plot to a film opening. This genre of sports drama has a unique ability to create excitement and a compelling story which may also hit close to home for some.

  The combination of these conventions will certainly be included in the final project, as it will correlate to representation and help me develop my plot further. Through my research, I figured that there would be several hiccups in finding the conventions of sports drama films. However, to my suprise, this genre of film follows a simple, but effective pattern, that works to gain the audience's attention and excitement, but also make them feel sympathetic for the characters as well.

 Sources:      

https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/obo-9780199791286/obo-9780199791286-0136.xml

https://researchguides.dartmouth.edu/filmgenres/sports