Genre Research Activity

Fantasy Overview:

Fantasy is one of the most popular genres to ever exist. From book adaptations to cartoons, it has a wide variety of media that is appealing for all audiences. Fantasy is a form of fiction that typically occurs in a imaginative setting and has otherworldly elements that do not exist in the real world. Like magical powers, talking animals, and fictional universes.

Content:                                                                                                               

• Quests

A common trope in this genre is when the main character/s have to go on a perilous quest to discover their purpose or earn honor, like defeating an evil tyrant or completing a seemingly impossible task. Quests fall into 2 categories: Internal and external. Internal quests are something the character wants, while internal quests are something the character needs for themselves.  

Example: Lord Of The Rings

The primary goal of the movie is to destroy the One Ring and bring it to Mount Doom. Since the hero begins with the treasure and has to discard it, this type of quest is referred to as a reversed quest. 

• Chosen one: 

Another popular element of fantasy is when a character has a specific prophecy or destiny they have to fulfill. Most of the time it is defeating a greater evil to bring stability into the world, basically framing the protagonist to be the inevitable hero of the story. Sometimes the character is in denial about this and they do not want to be the saving grace of the story, but they eventually come around. There is also a high chance that they sacrifice themselves in the end to fulfill their destiny.

Example: Harry Potter Franchise 

In order to stop the prophecy, Voldemort attempted to killed Harry Potter and his family, which selected him as the chosen one to one day defeat Voldemort. He goes on perilous journeys and ultimately sacrifices himself for his community but resurrects. 

• Magical elements:

A key component of fantasy is magic. This incudes wizards, special powers, witches, spells, enchanted objects, and magical creatures. Magic emphasizes how the fantasy genre is something that could never happen in the real world. 

Example: The Chronicles Of Narnia 

Narnia includes things like talking animals, mythical creatures (dwarves, unicorns, giants), witches, magical objects (the closet)

Production Techniques: 

In order to make the story fully immersive, productions have to be very detailed. The story they are presenting is totally different from the real world and they want the audience to feel disconnected too, as if they are escaping into another universe. Visual and special effects like computer-generated imagery (CGI) are among one of the most essential techniques used to bring supernatural elements and magical creatures to life. Makeup and costume design are equally as important. They can transform actors into whimsical creatures like trolls, wizards, and anything else imaginable. With unique sets and props that are all specific to their production, production designers help bring these fantastical worlds to life. Lighting and cinematography help contribute to these sets. The magical atmosphere is also enhanced by musical scores, that help make character distinct, scenes emotional, and unique sound effects for particular objects. Fantasy stories are able to draw in viewers successfully because of all the different techniques incorporated into their productions. 

Samples:

The Wizard of Oz is an MGM classic. Its about a Kansas farm girl named Dorothy, who dreams about living "somewhere over the rainbow". But when a tornado suddenly rips through their home, Dorothy and her dog Toto are transported to the bright and magical world of Oz. To find her way home Dorothy is told she has to follow the yellow brick road that will lead her to Emerald City, where she can get help from the Wizard of Oz. Throughout her journey she makes friends with the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow, which are all looking looking for something they don't have. They face different challenges and an ultimate confrontation. Its mystic setting, creative characters, and original storyline make it a fantasy film. There are a number of incredibly detailed sets in this movie that blend in perfectly with the storyline. The different atmospheres are contrasted even further by the change from black and white Kansas to Technicolor Oz. The film incorporated elaborate soundstages with different light setups and backgrounds that were matte paintings (since greenscreen didn't exist back then). This made the film so much more immersive. Its magical character such as the Tin Man, the talking Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, and witches had to undergo extensive costuming, like wearing wigs, painting their bodies, and have lots of makeup done. The film has magical elements like Dorothy's ruby slippers, the magical tornado, munchkins, flying monkeys and more.

Wizard of Oz (1939)

Maleficent is the reimagined story of Sleeping Beauty from the point of view of Maleficent, who is a powerful fairy that was betrayed by a human king. As revenge she curses his daughter to fall into eternal sleep when she turns 16 years old. But as Maleficent sees princess Aurora grow up, she begins to feel affection and fondness for her. She realizes she needs to break the curse in order to maintain the peace in the lands. The use of magic curses, whimsical characters, and enchanting images make it a fantasy movie. With the help of CGI, the film's detailed fictional land of Moors comes to life, filled with mythical animals and vibrant scenery that contrast with the gloominess of the human land. Maleficent' s intimidating presence is enhanced by elaborate makeup and costuming, such as her famous horns and black robes, while dramatic lighting and a powerful musical score create an mysterious, ethereal atmosphere that draws in viewers.

Maleficent (2014)

Other fantasy movies worth mentioning:

The Hobbit (2012)

Willy Wonka (1971)

Avatar (2009)

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

Barbie (2024)

Representation

 TV show I chose: Young Sheldon 

Young Sheldon is a spinoff to the popular sitcom called "The Big Bang Theory". This spinoff is about Sheldon's Coopers childhood and growing up in Texas during the 1980s as a child prodigy. 

The show definitely has some impacts, for example creator bias. The creators of "Young Sheldon" wanted the story to align with the pre existing lore from "Big Bang Theory", so certain parts of the the storyline were already defined. They also wanted to expand the target audience so they made the show family friendly. Although it is still a sit com it is not filmed with a live audience or multi camera set up but instead in a single camera movie style, giving it a more cinematic feel. 

The characters in this series are represented in their own way. For example, Sheldon Cooper, the main character, is shown as the smart nerd who can be selfish sometimes and always wants to outsmart others around him. This is shown through costume design, Sheldon is usually shown wearing plaid button up with bowties in all 7 seasons, which is very stereotypical style for a "nerd". He also has specific mannerisms. He speaks very formally with a high vocabulary level, with rarely any slang. His sentences' are precise and get to his point. He has a hard time understanding figurative language, often taking literally what others say. This makes his character seem clueless about social skills and introverted, which again are "nerdy".  Sheldon is also characterized by always having a strict routine. He is visibly uncomfortable when things don't go his way or the way he had it planned, which is also reflected in his character in "Big bang Theory". Sheldon also has many different obsessions like scientists, trains, technology, and comics which he brings up constantly during the series. They play a huge role in his character and personality. Through all of these different techniques, "Young Sheldon" represents Sheldon as the smart nerdy pushover.

Another great example of a character in this show that is represented in various ways is Sheldon's mother, Mary Cooper. She is the humanized version of a typical southern mother. She has a very conservative style, typically wearing a knee length dress. She always has her hair back and looks modest. Mary rarely uses many accessories or heavy makeup. She speaks very formally, in a calm and composed matter. She is really patient, especially with Sheldon and the families needs. She is the main anchor of the Cooper family, keeping everyone in check. Her character is depicted as a stereotypical mother in charge of everyone and at home and  the one with the most responsibilities. She cooks all the meals in the home and is seemingly the strictest to her children. Mary is also a traditional person. She is a very religious Christian that goes to church every Sunday and always brings up biblical stories. Her character is often praying in times of need or help. She refuses to partake in any activities that go against her religious beliefs like dancing, gossiping and cursing.

By using different techniques like costume design, dialogue, and character mannerisms, and stereotypes you can successfully represent different characters any way you want.

Soundscape Project

 Last week in Media Studies, we started to learn all about sound. We looked at different types of sound techniques and how they are used in media. We also studied the art of foley. I never realized how big of a part sound plays in film, and how much it affects the viewing process. I'm grateful that we got to go into detail about it. We also learned about "Shepard tones", and its so impressive that by using layered octaves we can trick the brain into a "never ending" rise effect.

We followed up this lesson with a new project, the soundscape project. We had to tell a story using only sound effects and foley. It had to be 1-2 minutes long, and we needed to make at least 4 foley sounds for it. 

We got assigned into pairs and we got straight to work. We needed to first complete a brainstorming outline, detailing all of our scenes and the sound we would use in each one.

We then started thinking about what our story would be, and we settled on a football game. We split up our scenes and started organizing our sounds and which sounds we would make ourselves.

Our outline was really useful to me in the editing process because it reminded me of what sound effects i wanted in each scene and the overall organization of it. My partner and I both edited on Adobe Premier Pro.

Overall, I think we did a good job finding good sound effects and creating foley. But I think we could've created a better story, I ended up feeling like our project was generic and underwhelming. We also could have had a stronger start in the project editing wise.

Link to view project: Soundscape.MOV