Teen dramas

Teen dramas

• 2.
  Teen dramas areoften used to show the reality of their target audience, but exaggerate it to make the show exciting and successful. The key is for the audience to recognise themselves in the drama, and be able to identify with the characters. This helps the creators of the drama to use their production to address certain issues, such as homosexuality, drug taking, alcohol abuse and violence. Examples include: • Skins • Misfits • Waterloo Road • The Inbetweeners • Gossip Girl • 90210 • Dawson’s Creek • Glee • Pretty Little Liars
• 3.
  • • • • • • The new personin school: often becomes the star Geek Loner Mean girl Underdog/Unpopular Person A love interest All of these different characters are looked into and develop throughout the series. In series like Waterloo Road or Skins, one episode usually focuses on one character and follows them, whereas the involvement of other characters is limited.
• 4.
  A lot ofteen dramas are set in schools, and revolve around the different social groups in this setting. This environment is often use as it is a realistic and easy way to portray different characters, and the contrasts between each social group as they interact with each other. Examples that do this are Waterloo Road, The Inbetweeners and Gossip Girl. However, the main character's housing are often shown to give an indication to their wealth, and to show how the character acts in different settings. The character will often act differently at home, and this setting if often used to give an insight into the life they have outside of school. Serious issues are often showed in a home setting. American dramas often portray their characters as rich whereas English dramas make their characters more average.
• 5.
  • • • • • The beginning plotin Teen Dramas is often a new arrival at a school, who is often an underdog or unpopular. A lot of series begin with a new year/term. This character often joins the mean, popular girls at school. A love interest/relationships are common themes throughout the genre. Real life issues are often addressed, such as; alcohol/drug abuse, homosexuality, ect. A gay student is outed.
• 6.
  • • • Overall, bright coloursare used to portray positive atmospheres in teen drama. However, darker lighting is often used when addressing certain issues, and is used to make a negative mood. The costumes used are often a uniform if the drama is set in a school, otherwise it is casual clothing. Different social groups are often shown through their clothing; such as those who are more wealthy may wear more expensive, designer brands. Uniform is modified to look more appealing More expensive, own bought clothes as opposed to a uniform that is given to all students. However, here the uniform is more traditional and fitting to the setting of a school (female character is wearing a tie).