Genre Conventions- content: Romantic comedy films, also called "rom-com", consist of films that usually end in happy endings. Usually ending in marriage or two people ending up as a couple. Also, they are centered around the idea of finding "true love", where the main characters overcome many obstacles to become the perfect couple. The comedy content of these films derives from how the partners meet. For example, in unusual or comic circumstances. In addition another comedic aspect to these films is the existence of various obstacles between the main characters such as miscommunication or misunderstanding, and when the two individuals are separated the realized they are "perfect" for each other. In the end rom-coms show a "meet-cute", which means how the characters meet, and the plot line for them to end up together with a happy ending.
Genre Conventions- production techniques: In romantic comedies, one of the main aspects is having the main character being a woman. Also, these films have usually smart, humorous, and snappy dialogue. To keep the audience happy and the film enjoyable, usually these films have a predictable happy ending. Finally these movies combine sexy and funny. The films must have scenes about love that include a comical dialogue to ease the tension.
Film Sample #1: Clueless directed by Amy Heckerling in 1995. Tells the story about Cher who is a spoiled rich girl that lives in Beverly Hills. When a girl named Tai transfers to Cher's school, Cher and her best friend, Dionne, give Tai a makeover. Cher decided that all of them should find Tai a boyfriend. During these quest, Cher realizes she wants a boyfriend of her own. She finds a guy named Christian, and she invites him over to his house, but while watching a movie it is clear that he wants nothing more than a friendship. Cher is told by her friends that she has been misunderstanding Christian, as he is "obviously gay". In the end, Cher realizes that she was in love with her father's ex-wife's son, Josh, all along who had always been there for her when she needed him, and they become a couple.
Film Sample #2: The Proposal directed by Anne Fletcher in 2009. The main character, Margaret Tate, is a well known senior editor from Canada who works at a New York publishing house. One day US immigration officers come to her office, and tell her that she will be deported due to the expiration of her work visa. In that instant, she lies and tells them that she will be marrying her assistant, Andrew, who is american. The officers give her a certain amount of time to get married before she is deported. The two characters travel to Alaska where Andrew's family lives. In the time there, the couple ends up actually falling in love. The fake wedding is called off, but the fake couple become a real couple, and they go back to the US. In the end, the two characters end up engaged.
Other Film Examples: Pretty Woman, 10 Things I Hate About You, Never Been Kissed, Crazy Stupid Love, Princess Bride, 13 Going On 30.
During this project, there are several points I will need to address. In this case is about representation of a group of people. In films, different groups of people have set characteristics that fit their identities. Sometimes these descriptions do not truly achieve to represent a group correctly. For example, in many cases women not represented well in films. Making sure women are represented well in films is an important point for any film.
Women in film are, in most cases, portrayed the same. They are shown as delicate over exaggerated people that need a man to save them from trouble. For example in the film, 13 Going On 30, describes the story of how a young girl travels into the future. She is portrayed as this defenseless woman who finds out that in the time she grew from 13 to 30, she became a writer who only cares about money and sleeping with men. In addition, all her female friends are just like her. In the end of the movie she realizes she is in love with her childhood's best friend, and goes back in time, just to go marry him instead. This film is a perfect example how films do not represent women well. Films do not show any depth into a female character, and shows them as shallow. In these film, and many others, woman need saving from themselves, and need a man to make a life changing realization. In addition, in the film Pretty Woman, describes the story about this young woman who is a "lady of the evening" in other words, "hooker". One night she meets a very wealthy man, and he takes her to his hotel room and asks her to be his pretend girlfriend for a week. In this period of time, the two characters end up falling in love with each other, and she ends up with him, and no longer is she in the streets. All these examples demonstrate how poorly woman are represented. These characteristics are not fair, since all woman are different and have more depth than what is being shown.
Even though most women are represented poorly, there are ways they have some representation. For example in Pretty Woman, works extremely hard to make some money, and during the film, one gets to know the reasons why she ended up doing that job. Also in the film, The Proposal, tells the story of a woman who wealthy senior editor. There are several films that demonstrate hardworking woman who are successful. These characteristics should be retained. The only characteristics I would challenge would be how women are demonstrated as shallow. This is completely incorrect, and more now a days films should address this problem and portray women having real issues more than just needing a man. In addition, demonstrating how hard a woman works without any help, and becomes successful.
