Media Studies Portfolio

There is no argument in saying that Latino actors have made many amazing films; however, sometimes they are not represented or portrayed in the best way. It seems that Hollywood loves Latinos as janitors and maids. Jennifer Lopez, although born in New York, she is daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants and has made a career for herself with many different roles in movies. One such role, is the one she played in the movie "Maid in Manhattan". Lopez plays the role of a maid in a luxurious hotel, along with other Latino actresses.  These kind of movies make it seem as if Latino women are only capable of working as a maid or just being good for cleaning, when obviously that is not the case. As a Latino woman myself, I do not feel like we are only good for cleaning and I feel like we have broken that stereotype by showing what we are capable of.  Another stereotype seen in many movies, is that of all Latinos being thugs, drug dealers, and part of gangs. The 1961 film“West Side Sto

1. Genre: Horror 2. Genre Conventions (content): Themes associated with the horror genre include supernatural events, religion, and survival. Usually involves a group of friends or a family. Almost always include a killer. Death is also common in many horror films 3. Genre Conventions (production techniques): jump scares, the lighting is made to take place at night, creepy and suspenseful sound effects, closeups of the antagonist and other characters so the audience can really feel what the characters in the movie are feeling. 4. Film sample #1: The Exorcist (1973)- This film perfectly embodies the genre of horror as it uses many different techniques such as suspense and pop up scares in order to create one of the greatest horror movies ever made. An example of a horror technique used was when one little girl spun her head all the way around while she was throwing up. This plus special effects made this scene extra scary and helped the film be one of the most terrifying films ever m

Genre Database Genre: Teen Drama Genre conventions (content): story about adolescence, growing up, and the trials of youth. There are cliques, stereotypes, “teen issues” (peer pressure, being the outcast, hating life). The main setting is usually a high school. Main character usually narrates the film, allowing audience to understand what the character is feeling and thinking throughout the movie.   Genre conventions (production techniques): dull lighting (portrays gritty and bleak nature), closeup of characters, low angle and high angle shots (to portray strengths and weaknesses amongst characters), clear shots and angles show different groups within the cast. A soundtrack is usually present and the music is usually classic songs or modern day so the audience can form a connection. Institutional conventions (marketing): Trailers, film posters, talk shows, promotional tours, stars promoting the film/ TV show, critique reviews.   Film sample #1: Mean

My name is Sara Briones, I am 17 years old and a junior at Cypress Bay High School in Weston, Florida. The purpose of my blog is to document the knowledge obtained throughout the course of my AICE media class.