Psychological Thrillers:
I LOVE this genre. Why? I can't remember the last time I've gotten through a psychological thriller and felt remotely good about life afterwards. I mean the entire premise of movies in the genre are to effectively wiggle their way into your mind, altering your brain chemistry and making you question what's real and what isn't. It's great.
Some of my favorites from this genre include:
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| Silence of the Lambs (1991) |
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| Midsommar (2019) |
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| Fight Club (1999) |
In terms of what this genre entails, some key things to look out for are unreliable narrators, suspenseful sound design, non-linear storytelling and themes of isolation, paranoia, and descent into madness.
What I admire most about this genre is the crucial role the soundtrack plays in each film. YOU COULD EVEN SAY ITS INSTRUMENTAL (sorry). Seriously, I am a longtime lover of music and have always admired the effect choosing just the right song can have on a specific scene. Even if I don't end up choosing this genre, I would love to see how I can implement some of my own personal music taste into my opening. I even have a playlist of songs on Spotify that I would love to include in a movie one day if I ever make one, including my favorite artists like Wilco, Elliot Smith, and New Order.
Overall, I think I'm leaning more towards the psychological thriller genre, mostly because I'm scared of what might happen if I have too much drama and not enough comedy in my opening, or vice versa. In all seriousness, I don't know how to explain it. I've always been fascinated by how psychological thriller writers think of such intricate, encapsulating plots. I feel as if I'll be greater inspired when creating an opening within this genre, but I'm considering a variety of elements from many different genres which I would like to include.
The opening to Midsommar is one of my favorites. It does an excellent job at establishing the cynical tone of the film, as well as the uncomfortable, suspenseful mood - as made clear through the sinister violins mimicking the sound of sirens, making your ears beg you to lower the volume.
Perhaps the holy grail of psychological thriller tropes, the plot twist, epitomizes everything this genre stands for. Messing with your head. If done right, plot twists can stick with audiences forever and practically immortalize a film. Some of my personal favorite mind-bending twists are Oldboy (2003) and Fight Club (1999).
Dramedy:
Dramedies are characterized by a mysterious psychotic killer chasing down victims with a weapon of choice. Wait. Wrong genre. Sorry. Dramedies are what they sound like. A film that balances dramatic elements with comedic elements perfectly. 50/50. Make sure you don't incorporate too much humor or too much drama because something bad will happen probably. Be careful.
One thing I love about this genre is it's flexibility. Dramedies can just as easily leave you feeling fulfilled as they can empty. They rely so much on making the audience latch onto and connect with the characters, that the emotions and thoughts of the characters are often reflected upon the audience.
Some key conventions to look out for in dramedies are: realistic situations/circumstances reflective of everyday life; down to earth, relatable characters; and character driven plots.
Some of my favorite dramedies:
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| La La Land (2016) |
Garden State (2004)
High Fidelity (2000)
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| That Thing You Do! (1996) |
What I admire most about this genre is the crucial role the soundtrack plays in each film. YOU COULD EVEN SAY ITS INSTRUMENTAL (sorry). Seriously, I am a longtime lover of music and have always admired the effect choosing just the right song can have on a specific scene. Even if I don't end up choosing this genre, I would love to see how I can implement some of my own personal music taste into my opening. I even have a playlist of songs on Spotify that I would love to include in a movie one day if I ever make one, including my favorite artists like Wilco, Elliot Smith, and New Order.
I love this scene from the film That Thing You Do! (1996). The girlfriend of the singer of fictional 60's band The Wonders has just heard their new song on the radio, and runs to find the other band members, share the news, and spread her excitement. This scene is profoundly uplifting and exciting, in large thanks to the soundtrack. Fun Fact: The song in question - "That Thing You Do" was written by Adam Schlesinger, the bassist and songwriter for American alternative band Fountains Of Wayne.
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