romance genre analysis

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ROMANCE GENRE ANALYSIS By Charlotte Addison

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ROMANCE GENRE ANALYSIS

By

Charlotte Addison

WHAT I’M GOING TO DO

I am going to create a romantic genre

teaser trailer for my A2 media course whilst

including the generic codes and

conventions of a romantic genre. As a

result I have studied three different

romantic teaser trailers and have written up

a detailed analysis of them.

THE VOWI believe this shot of the food is used right near the start of the

trailer as it allows the audience to know that this film is going to

be about a love/close relationship between two people;

therefore justifying romance. I also believe that they have

chosen to use a close up to emphasise that this is going to be

based on a love story as well as being able to see it clearly

through the close up therefore as an audience member you are

unable to miss it.

This is the follow on shot from the ‘move in’ close up, I feel they have

used a big close up to highlight and again put the emphasis on the strong

bond between these two people. It also again reiterates the fact that it is a

genre romance due to the close up on the stereotypical ‘looking in to

each others eyes’ close up which is also a typical convention of romance

genres. The setting of this is also placed within the home which is known

to be a calm and welcoming place therefore it expresses the passion

between this couple as it shows how comfortable these two are with each

other.

Fade/blackouts transitions are a typical convention of teaser

trailers due to them being quick and therefore needing to get to

the point is really important. It is also used typically when trying

to portray the past or a flashback of something significant; in

this case a tragedy which is again another convention of

romance genres.

This shot is when the audience are first presented with the

‘tragedy’ of this love story genre; it is also a common accident

that often occurs during romances as the audience members

know that car accidents can be fatal. I believe they have

chosen to use a big lorry with snow as it excites the audience

and gets them interested for what is going to happen next due

to knowing that the impact could be massive. This shot is

presented within a flash back and therefore is telling the story

of this couple and how their life have been affected from it.

This medium shot is set within the hospital after the accident where the

girl is unaware of what has happened and therefore expresses her

confusion when she actually says to her partner ‘was anyone else hurt

doctor’. As she is in a hospital bed with a pulse monitor on her finger

and an oxygen tube up her nose, it exposes to the audience to the fact

that this accident was bad and therefore is going to put a strain on the

perfect relationship she had with her boyfriend. This is also a slightly

higher angle which I believe have been used to put emphasis on how

small she is feeling right now due to not being aware of what has

happened.

During this shot a voice over is used to express the guys

thoughts by saying ‘I need to make my wife fall in love with

me again’ therefore showing the strain and frustration that

the accident has put on the relationship that once was so

passionate before. This is a convention of a romance genre

as it is highlighting the tragedy that is stereotypically used

within romances as well as showing how much he loves his

wife and how hard it is for them which also allows the

audience to empathise with him.

This over the shoulder shot is used purposely to make the

audience see what Paige, the lady is watching as it is her

wedding video which therefore is allowing her to try and

remember what her life was like and how important he is to

her. I believe it is also shown to allow the audience to feel

part of her sadness as she is unable to understand what has

happened to her and therefore seeing what her life was like

allows the audience to engage and feel sympathy towards

her which is a strong convention of romance genres.

The holding and the kiss of the hand is a very stereotypical

convention of a romance genre as it reinforces the

connection between Paige and Leo even though she is

unaware and cannot remember anything about him. I

believe that a close up has been chosen as it allows the

audience to really focus in on the characters and therefore

feel part of their romance which creates them to feel

endearing towards to them.

The title of the film is a convention of every teaser

trailer that is often shown towards the end. I believe

this is used as it allows the audience to clearly see the

name of the film which therefore would hopefully stick

in their head so when the film is released they will

remember it which will lead to them wanting to go and

see it; as a result the company are able to make more

money.

SOUND- THE VOW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sazgoZaFUBgAt the start of the trailer the only sound that is heard is the speaking of the wedding that took place in a museum that they broke in to; I believe they have chosen to do this to highlight the importance of that one key moment of the film. The sound played is quite upbeat after the wedding to reinforce the new journey that has begun. At the scene of the crash the sound focuses in on the horn of the lorry as it implies and puts an emphasis to the audience about the negative impact that is about to happen. During the hospital scene the audience can only hear the sound of the actors dialogue, I feel the produces have chosen to do this to again, highlight the importance of the scene as it has a great impact on the connection and future between the two characters. The sound in the following scenes is often quite dramatic and quicker paced, I feel this is to show the frustration and strain that both characters are feeling towards one another as Paige cannot remember or understand anything like before and therefore Leo is finding it hard to cope.

SAFE HAVEN

A panaramic long shot towards the start of the

teaser trailer is a typical convention as it sets the

scene and allows the audience to grasp a feel of

what the film is going to be like. The bus also

symbolises that this film is going to be about a

person on a long journey that may impact on their

life.

This close up highlights the impact that leaving has caused

on this girl, I believe it has been used in this was to

emphasis that she is in hiding and therefore the medium

close up allows the audience to see the expressions on her

face. The fact that she is gazing out the window could

engage that audience and make them wonder what she is

thinking about and therefore make them want to carry on

watching the trailer, also known as an enigma.

A flash back of the main characters past is a

typical convention used within a romance as it

allows the audience to understand and feel

empathy towards the characters tragic past.

A meet cute- Showing when the two main

characters meet is an important shot to have within

a trailer as it highlights the romantic genre right from

the start. It also sets the scene as within this trailer

a stereotypical ‘boy meets girl unexpectedly’ scene

was used which is commonly used when telling a

romantic story.

During romantic films there is usually an object or a place

that connects two people together, in this case the guys

stayed up all night making a bike for the girl he had only

met yesterday. This engages the audience and

encourages them to feel happiness towards the guy as he

clearly feels something towards the lady. As he left it by

his door it therefore gets her to speak to him to say thank

you, as it only shows a shot clip of this in the trailer it

would make the audience want to know more and

therefore want to make them watch the whole film. The

setting of this scene is also within his shed or garage

which would indicate that he made it at home therefore

taking time out of his day; this again puts emphasis on the

romantic genre trying to be shown.

Showing when the film is going to be released is an

important convention of trailers as it informs and

encourages the audience to remember that date and

therefore will allow the company to make more money

through the film. In contrast teaser trailers usually use a

‘Coming Soon’ take on it as it interests the audience to

follow and look out for the full trailer so they can be made

aware of when the film is going to be released. This creates

anticipation which is what a teaser trailer is there to do, as a

result I will ensure I use this within my teaser trailer.

All of these shots used are

very stereotypical of romantic

genres. For example, the mid-

shot of the rowing implies a

first date which is also set in a

romantic settings.

As well as the mid shot of the kiss putting emphasis on the

romance and passion between these two characters.

These shots were all shown over a matter of seconds to

only give some sighting to what the film is about; therefore

intriguing the audience members. As a result I am going to

try and recreate these kind of shots within my romantic

teaser trailers.

Within these four shots a typical convention of romantic genres is displayed due to it

showing the girl running away with her hood up to indicate danger to the over the

shoulder bed shot showing and putting emphasis on the fact she was in danger and

therefore the guy had been keeping her safe. As a result, the guy ended up breaking

in to a burning building just to save her even though he had only known her for a

shot period of time the romance and passion between them was clearly indicated as

it shows he was willing to go to extreme lengths to find her. The use of the fire also

allows the audience to feel part of the film as they can empathise with the characters

emotions as well as being put on edge, the pacing of these edits is also quick to

highlight further than something big was about to happen but also that she needed to

get away quickly.

‘Happy ever after’ is a typical story line used throughout romantic

genres where two people meet, they fall in love and then a tragedy

happens but they always work it out in the end. These two shots

highlight this as the location set is around where they first met which

makes it more romantic and the mid-shot of them hugging highlights

that she feels safe and secure now that she has him back again. The

close up of them in the bed where they are both looking at the

holding of the hands puts further emphasis on the love connection

between these two characters; this also highlights and allows the

audience to see that this is a romantic genre. I also feel that the close

up highlights and puts an emphasis on the emotions between these

two characters as if a wider shot were to be used then the audience

would be loose and therefore be unable to see the full expression.

The lighting used within this shot also portrays a ‘dream like’, fantasy

feel which I feel is used to show that these characters may feel that it

is to good to be true therefore adding to the romantic feel of the

trailer.

Again in the trailer the title of the film is displayed, this is

an important convention that would be expected to be

shown within the teaser trailer as it informs the audience

members about the name of the film therefore allowing

them to look out for it when it is released. The picture in

the background is also a key element of the film as it is

where the main filming took place as well as where the

first love connection between the two characters was

made.

SOUND- SAFE HAVEN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3y8fFPPgdA

Throughout the whole of this trailer a dramatic and romantic non-diegetic

score is played within the background with the dialogue of the characters

put over the top; I believe that because the story line is quite dramatic it

was more important to hear the dialogue of the characters over the

sound played however the sound adds further passion and romance of

the overall trailer. Again like other romance genres, the music stopped at

key moments of the film; for example when they first meet in the shop

and he asks her to go canoeing, I feel this is to highlight that key moment

and allow the audience to pay full attention to it as it is when the

produces have placed a meet cute within the film. ‘Open up, everything's

waiting for you’ is one of the only lines of the sound played in the

background that the audience can hear which is played when the girl is

assessing her situation and whether she wants to start letting the guy

become close with her. I believe the producer cleverly used this to

emphasise her thoughts and what everyone is telling her to do therefore

allowing the audience to feel part of the film and allowing them to feel the

desperation for her to open up to the guy.

DEAR JOHN

‘Boy notices girl’ is a very typical shot used within romantic

films. Not only does it display who the main characters are

going to be but it also displays how two people from different

lives and situations can become so close. The medium close

up of this shot also allows the audience to focus in on the

character whilst also doing an eye-line cut to show the long

shot of the girl standing talking with her friends without even

noticing him.

The fact that her bag fell off the pier in to the water

and he saved it is a strong convention of romance

genres as it allows the boy to first interact with the girl

he had noticed. The fact that this scene is set on the

beach is also a typical location due to it being thought

of as a romantic place to be with an individual.

This long shot of the boy and the girl walking

along the beach not only sets the scene but also

allows the audience to engage in the romantic

mood and atmosphere that is being put across.

The sun setting the background also emphasises

this.

A Medium close up of the girl looking at this guy

that she has just met portrays the romantic feel of

the film really well. This is because the audience is

able to see how ‘love stuck’ she is gazing in to her

eyes whilst also seeing the candle lights in the

background which again, reiterates the romantic

atmosphere within the film.

The fact that the producers have included another well

known romantic film within the opening scenes of the

trailers allows the audience to know that not only is it a

romance genre but also the fact that the author had written

another famous romantic film before. The positive effect of

this therefore allows the audience to be more eager to not

only carry on watching the trailer but also to see the film as

they are aware that the notebook is a well known and

brilliant film.

This is the first point in the trailer where the audience get

an insight to what the guy does with his time. The army

uniform is a well known and recognizable symbol for the

army therefore giving the audience a clue about the fact

that this ‘happy ever after’ relationship might not last

forever.

The location within this scene is a typical romantic place

to be as they are looking up at the clear sky towards the

moonlight. The fact that it is a medium long shot from

behind also allows the audience to see the setting from

the characters perspective therefore adding to the

romantic feel of the overall trailer.

A medium close up of the two characters kissing is

a strong and widely used shot within romantic films

as it highlights the love connection and

exaggerates the passion that the characters feel

within that moment. The fact that the producers

have also chosen to perform the shot whilst raining

again, implies and reiterates the fact that it is a

romance genre due to ‘kissing in the rain’ being

associated with love and passion.

The tragedy has stuck again within another romance

genre, therefore conveying the strong convention of

tragedies occurring with romantic films. In this case it’s

the fact the guy has to go back to the army, the mid shot

allows the audience to see the shock and disappointment

on her face as well as the location emphasising this due

to it being a ‘casual’ place to find out.

This long shot reiterates the point that this guys duties

are serious as it shows the landscape and the feel that

these men are about to go and fight within the army. It

also highlights the sadness that the girl is going to feel

when she has to say goodbye.

The fact that the girl is clinging on to the guys arm

clearly shows the audience that she does not want to

let go and that she loves him to much. Also the fact you

can see him in his army gear also emphasizes that she

is not going to see him for quite some time and

therefore the love connection between them is going to

have to be strong in order for their relationship to

survive.

Where they first met, where they say goodbye. This mid

shot of the couple is again set in the romantic beach location

where they first met, however this time it’s to say goodbye;

the beach creates the audience to feel sympathy and

sadness for the two characters as they are having to over

come this obstacle that is stopping them from being together

for the time being.

The location of this mid shot allows the audience to see how even

though he is doing something so great for his country he is still

missing her so much and is clearly thinking about it whilst out on

duty. The is a typical convention of love as quite often when

relationships struggle it effects individuals day to day tasks.

The letters written to one another is an iconic symbol used

throughout the film as it is the only way this couple can

interact with one another. Therefore every time one another

gets a letter it allows the audience to become endearing

towards the characters as they know that it is going to make

both the girl and both extremely happy. Within these two

shots you are also able to see that both the characters use

their only free time to write/read these letters as well as

being able to see how opposite the location settings are to

one another which puts further emphasis on the fact they are

in two completely different places far away from each

another.

Within these scenes the romantic genre is strongly portrayed;

this is due to the medium long shots of the girl jumping on him

which highlights how much she has missed him. The fact that

they passionately kiss also puts emphasis on the fact that

these two character's have a strong connection and therefore

do not want the fact they don’t see each other often to ruin it.

The setting on this scene is also in the airport which is a

typical convention used throughout romance genres, the busy

background with the random passengers looking at these two

characters allows the audience to really focus on the main

point of the scene. Another example of a film that did this is

Love Actually.

The strain on the relationship begins to grow, the top

picture really shows this due to the over the shoulder

shot of the girl allowing the audience to see the guy

from her perspective therefore being able to see the

frustration on his facial expressions. The bottom close

up of her face engages the audience as it makes them

feel sympathy for her because as an audience member

you are able to clearly see the tears building up within

her eyes. The fact that she is also gazing out the

window implies that she cannot stop thinking about

him; a strong convention of romance genres.

This two shot of the guy and his dad is a common convention of

romances due to the fact that although him and his girlfriend are

feeling the strain, relationships that were rocky in the first place are

now becoming stronger. This allows the audience to see his dad in

hospital where he is clearly very ill and although they did not always

get along; everything is put to the side which as an audience member

would make me to feel empathy towards the two characters.

A flashback, again used within another romance genre therefore

being a common convention. Within this scene the audience are

exposed to the true emotions that the guy is feeling as he drives

home. The close up allows the audience to see how upset he is

but also the fact that he is in a car driving is a typical location as

driving is often related to clearing your head and thinking about

your life problems. The bottom shot of the two kissing and being

intimate also adds further emphasis to the fact that he is so

frustrated about the strain and rocky relationship that has

progressed between him and the girl as he cant stop thinking

about the good memories they had already created.

The title of the film has appeared in every teaser trailer

that I had watched therefore being a convention that I will

make sure I use within my teaser trailer. It also allows the

audience to be exposed to the name which therefore can

allow them to remember and recognize it when it is

released as a film.

SOUND- DEAR JOHN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLkTKkNXDp4The sound within this teaser trailer is light, airy and fast paced. I believe that the producers have chosen this type of sound to reiterate how fast the relationship progresses and how quickly things change throughout the trailer. It also plays throughout the whole trailer whilst getting louder and quieter in specific areas; for example when the relationship begins to strain the music goes quieter to allow the audience to engage fully with the story line. The sound also turns silent on the kiss outside, I believe this is used to emphasis the passion and allow the audience to really focus on and feel part of that one romantic moment. The voice over of the characters gets louder and quicker as the trailer progresses as I believe this highlights the desperation and stress that the characters feel from being so far apart.