Audience Research: Coming-Of-Age

    Since its creation, the coming-of-age genre has told stories that most align with a teenage audience. The genre focuses on growth, identity, and self-discovery, as people mature from childhood to adulthood. Most of the protagonists of coming-of-age stories are teens or tweens as well. All of these aspects make the genre very relatable to a teenage audience.

    Coming-of-age stories target teenagers by creating relatable scenarios and characters. For example, the film The Perks of Being A Wallflower focuses on themes of isolation, depression, rape, and sexuality. Even though the ideas that the characters battle with may not be relatable at a surface level, the broad struggle and pain that they feel may still connect with audiences. TPOBAW has both niche and broad topics for audiences to identify with. Not everyone will understand Charlie's battle with himself on coming forward about his childhood abuse, but most people can empathize with his internal struggle of trying to decide whether or not he should speak up about something. This duality of coming-of-age is what makes it so effective. It can tell unique stories that people can still see themselves in.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

    Some coming-of-age films, like The Hunger Games, manage to create reliability in situations that could not even happen in real life. Katniss Everdeen is not relatable because she has to fight for her life in a giant dystopian arena, but because she has to support her family and battle with intense emotions and loss. She also has to deal with a messy love life which many teens may find relatable and entertaining. Thanks to their teenage audiences, these movies also garner large fanbases, as teens find relatability, comfort, and a desire to be like the characters of these films, Teenagers not only want a character they can relate to, but also one they can admire, because they want a character who can guide them through a shared issue. Another reason the coming-of-age genre is so popular is because it is often an example of how to triumph over struggle. Teens want stories that show them they are not alone.

The Hunger Games (2012)

    Teen audiences also often favor films that don't necessarily do well with non-teenage viewers. A lot of adolescents like stories that are raw and powerful, For example, while many parents did not like the movie Archie's Final Project because of its graphic nature and 'offensive' content, many teenagers felt very moved after the film, as evident by an interview done with viewers after an early screening of the film which can be viewed here. The movie is hard-hitting and unique. It touches on the topics of mental health and suicide in a very emotional way as the characters overcome and face challenges that many teenagers may relate to.

Archies Final Project (2009)

To conclude my research, coming-of-age movies are for a teenage audience which seeks relatability and realism in its media. Teenagers want to see characters and situations they can empathize with and want to feel like they are less alone after watching a coming-of-age film. This helps me with my film opening because I now know that I need to focus on building a connection with my viewers and showing them a situation that they can relate with. This aligns with my plan because I want to make a film about social isolation.

Citations

Iyer, S. (n.d.). The evolution of the coming-of-age genre in film. Spartan Shield. https://spartanshield.org/29522/arts-entertainment/the-evolution-of-the-coming-of-age-genre-in-film/