Sub-genre conventions - Plots, story lines, characters and social groups in teen drama films

Sub-Genre convention: A sub-genre convention is a subdivision of a genre. For example, a romantic comedy.

An example of a sub-genre convention in a teen drama is horror; Scary Movie for example.

They are often really dark with eerie atmospheres and scenes of isolation which is why forests and abandoned places are often used as settings for this sub-genre. Adding on to that, the soundtrack that goes from high pitched violins to low pitched trumpets combined with the images creates immense tension within the audience. There are lots of dark filters and colours used, which further emphasizes the plot which is mainly about death.

There is a main formula that follows within this sub-genre; a vulnerable character that has the leading role, the joker who is always trying to make other laugh, the "dumb blonde", often part of the cheerleaders also known as the popular girls, A black character, the not so popular character, often sensible, kind-hearted, and uses their brain to get them out of danger, sometimes lucky enough to survive the whole film, and the outcast, who often feels left out and lonely.

Comedy has elements of comedy making the audience laugh in one scene but frightened in another. Scary Movie does a great job at this aspect. The plot is similar to horror as they have a character who is often sensible, calm and collected whereas the other would be the polo opposite; wild, crazy and hectic.