Romantic Comedy

• Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideals, as the true love is able to overcome most obstacles.

• In a typical romantic comedy the two lovers tend to be young, likeable and apparently meant for each other yet they are kept apart by some complicating circumstances (e.g. class differences, parental interference: a previous girlfriend or boyfriend) until they overcome all obstacles and finally get married. A Wedding bells, a fairy-tale style happy ending is practically compulsory.

CODES AND CONVENTIONS

• Two protagonists, a male that falls in love with the female, sometimes there are two males and one female that fight for the love of the female.

• Often starts with a voiceover explaining characters• A typical boy meets girl scenario • Normally set in an urban environment centered around the

work places, schools or apartments where a chance encounter would happen.

• Target audience male and females because of the hybrid genre

• Usually based on the female characters point of view

SUB AND HYBRID GENRES

• The Rom-Com genre is short for the genre Romantic Comedy. Rom-Com is a hybrid genre which means it has many conventions as it is a romantic film with references of comedy.

• The typical rom com features a ‘narrative that enters on the progress of a relationship and being a comedy resulting in a happy ending’.

MISE EN SCENE

• In romantic comedies costumes are usually simple, for females outfits are girly – skirt and dresses this is so we can think of the girl as a ‘princess’. Male characters are usually dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, this is so the audience can’t stereotype the male character.

• Makeup used in rom-coms is usually kept to the minimum this is so the main female character is very natural like a ‘princess’. There may be another female character who likes the male who wears a lot more makeup to show she isn’t as innocent.

FILMS WITHIN THE GENRE

• CLUELESS • FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS• THE BACK-UP PLAN• PRETTY WOMAN • LOL • BREAKFAST AT TIFFANYS• LOVE ACTUALLY • LEGALLY BLONDE • VALENTINES DAY • WILD CHILD • THERES SOMETHING ABOUT

MARY

METHODS SECONDARY

TECHNIQUES Internet Research

INFORMATION LOG http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romantic_comedy_film http://www.slideshare.net/search/slideshow?searchfrom=header&q=rom+com+conventionsORGANISATION Unit 1 Criterion 2

REVELANCE The information I have gathered helped me complete my assignment by giving me valid information that is very reliable. The information gathered has helped me understand my chosen genre a lot more.