Macro - syntactic: the stories the films tell
Micro - semantic: the way the films look
Macro conventions, in more detail, are the plots and story-lines of films, characters and social groups. These conventions are shared throughout most/all Teen Films.
The main plot of teen films is usually the concept of coming of age in some way.
The way that this concept is told depends on the sub-genre but it is likely to focus on an aspect of the following in order to represent the character's coming of age:
- Youthfulness of main characters
- Conflict within relationships
- Conflict with an older generation
- Management of adolescence by families, schools, law, etc
- Romance
- Sexuality and sexual experiences
These are the macro/syntactic conventions of both sub-genres of Teen Films - Youth Dramas and High School Dramas.
Youth Drama:
- Focuses on the daily struggles that teenagers face and their adolescent experiences
- Characters are usually more aggressive and there is more conflict
- Focuses on social/economic dilemmas
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| Fish Tank |
- Follows the difficult lifestyle and every day challenges of a teenage girl
- Teenage girl from a family with low income and lives on a council estate
- Troubled teenager dealing with social isolation, independence and daily struggles
In what order is the storyline introduced?
- Main character argues with family and peers/confrontation
What characters are introduced?
- Teenage girls dancing
- Teenage boys watching the girls dance
- Main character (teenage girl, Mia)
- A man, the owner of the horse
What social groups are represented?
- Lower/working class
- Chavs/urban teenagers
- Cool girls
- Social outcast
- Bad boys
High School Drama:
- Usually focuses on a teenage girl as the main character however this is mainly from a boy's perspective
- Typically features a party of some sort
- Mainly focuses on conflict, jealousy and changes between and within the different social groups e.g. popular groups versus alternative group
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| 10 Things I Hate About You |
- Revolves around two sisters - one a stereotypical, popular 'it' girl (Bianca) and the other alternative (Kat)
- Main focus on the 'popular' sister
- Perspective of the new boy, being shown around the high school and introduced to the social groups
In what order is the storyline introduced?
- Popular girls dancing in the car to pop music (norm) and the alternative sister alone in her car, drives alongside them listening to rock/alternative (unique) - displays contrast between both sisters
- Introduces high school life
- Introduces all of the main characters
What characters are introduced?
- Popular, stereotypical girls (Bianca and her friends)
- Alternative girls (Kat and her friends)
- Headmistress
- New boy (geek)
- Bad boy
- The student guide
- Social groups within the high school
What social groups are represented?
- Popular
- Jocks
- Geeks
- Semi political
- Cheerleaders
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