Coming of Age/Gen Z Genre Research

I have finally chosen between the two possible genre options: coming of age! I decided on this one because I myself am coming of age right now, which means it will be easier for me to pull from personal experiences.

Coming of age films are based on following the process of a teenager growing up and becoming an adult, and the experiences that come with that. I plan on focusing on toxicity in relationships (most likely between family, friends, or lovers) through how a toxic character reacts to the writing of my main character. Even if I change my mind on this idea, though, most of my other ideas also fit into the coming of age genre anyway, so this information will be useful regardless.

Early examples of coming of age movies include Little Women (1933) and Rebel Without A Cause (1955), which highlights how younger adults and adolescents feel as though they don't fit in within society, and are often ostracized. 

In the 80s, the coming of age genre was very popular due to the film director John Hughes' influence, who released a slew of insanely popular coming of age movies, such as Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), and Pretty in Pink (1986). A common theme of these movies is teenage friendships and relationships, and how adolescent peers interact with one another.

Coming of age relies heavily on character development to move the plot forward and show how time and aging impacts the maturity levels of the main character. 

Another very important aspect of this genre is dialogue, which is something that I need to research in depth on how to make more realistic. Dialogue is meant to emphasize the relationship between to characters, and the lack of dialogue can also convey tension or the lack of a relationship. I will make sure to utilize this when I am trying to show the uncomfort that comes with being around someone who is toxic.

10 Examples of Coming of Age Movies:

West Side Story (1961)

The Parent Trap (1998)

The Karate Kid (1984)

Stand By Me (1986)

Mean Girls (2004)

Love, Simon (2018)

Holes (2003)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) 

Empire of the Sun (1987)

Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

In terms of the target audience being teenagers, this means that I need to understand the inner workings of Generation Z, as they are the current generation of teenagers. Considering I am one, I am not too worried about understanding who they are and what they want. For one, I know Gen Z has short attention spans, which I am going to use to my advantage and use fast paced shots and editing. I also will be sure to incorporate an element of drama into my film to keep them engaged.  

Gen Z is also very diverse (in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, etc.) so I know I need to find actors that match these descriptions in order for their generation to feel represented.

I also want to utilize technology in my film somehow, because this will also help to make it more relatable (for example, one of my actors can use a computer or phone).

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/coming-of-age-movies#a-brief-history-of-comingofage-movies

https://study.com/academy/lesson/coming-of-age-novel-definition-examples-quiz.html

https://www.imdb.com/list/ls024933763/

https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/05/14/on-the-cusp-of-adulthood-and-facing-an-uncertain-future-what-we-know-about-gen-z-so-far-2/