Comedy: The goal of the comedy is to induce laughter or amusement by looking at the humorous side of a situation. A comedy may be satirical and usually has a happy ending. Be careful not to go for "silly" or slapstick. Strive for more subtle effects.
CLICK HERE for suggestions on how to make your writing funnier.
Documentary: A documentary film is a non-fiction work that showcases some aspect of reality to highlight experiences, problems, or situations. Documentary films are not eligible for acting awards. Interviewees or participants in the documentary can speak English but students should do a voice over in the target language.
CLICK HERE for suggestions on how to make a documentary film.
Drama: This type of film examines problems and issues by underscoring emotions in a realistic setting.
CLICK HERE for suggestions on how to write a dramatic screenplay.
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller: This film involves an unsolved crime or mystery and relies on suspense and tension.
Science Fiction / Fantasy: This type of movie presents other worlds, places, and times without the scientific, spatial or temporal limits of the real world. Or it may present our world with unusual features or changes.
Social Justice (genre open): The film addresses topics such as equality, discrimination, the equal and just distribution of resources, equal treatment of all people under the law, moral questions involving human rights, social and political conditions that create opportunities for flourishing societies and individual opportunity etc. In contrast to a documentary, social justice films are fiction and include an original story.
CLICK HERE for five steps to write effectively about social justice.
Super Shorts: Less is more! How can you convey an idea or an experience effectively in only a few minutes? Being concise is a challenge but a brief video or film can often be more powerful than a longer film.