Genre and Audience

Genre
Romantic Comedy

This genre is traditionally about a young man and woman who cope through obstacles in their struggle to find love; and eventually solve their difficulties and realise that they were meant to be together. They are light-hearted and leave the viewer feeling positive and happy - whereas romances alone can tend to end in tragedy or heartbreak. In many films of this genre, the two leads (eg. Leap Year) tend to get along terribly when they first meet, but the film brings about certain hints of their being a romantic interest. Another variation that is commonly seen is the man and woman finding each other on their personal journey of discovery - with some struggle or dilemma which sends them off course.


My aim is to break away from the typical genre. This may prove to be a difficulty because it means that I will have to create an audience that will find this type of film interesting. Following the comedy genre, I wish to have a positive and uplifting ending - which will be hard to achieve without following conventional boundaries. Often in these types of film the couple will either: solve their disputes and get together, get engaged or married. Although I am only creating the film opening, I would like to have a firm idea of how I see it to end. I may be able to send subtle messages as to where the movie is going - in terms of: props, colour, music etc. used to establish a mood. This could influence the audience in the way that they hope the film the finish, so they leave feeling as though the film has come to a come to a conclusion and has been completed.

Audience


Establishing audience is important because it helps market the film to the right kind of people. When making a film, it is often important to aim it at a wide audience so that the ticket sales far exceed the production costs. If a film is mainstream, it is more likely to appeal to a more traditional and much larger audience, whereas an art house movie is more focused on making a statement and creating viewers that will be interested in a fresh, unique style. By knowing your audience, it makes it easier to plan the movie to the viewer's interests; to keep them engaged and enable them to feel something in response to the film.


Important factors in determining audience are: age, gender, personality/stereotype, class, culture, and beliefs. Romantic comedies generally appeal to the teenage and young adult female audience. Depending on the age of the two leads, the audience age can alter significantly towards older people; with age guidelines tending to be above 12 or 15. These types of film are typically shown around Valentine's Day but remain in the cinema throughout the year. One of the aspects that really makes this kind of film successful are the characters. A female audience should be able to relate to the female lead and fall for the male. However, more recent romantic comedies are taken from the point of view of the male. This is a good way of encouraging the male audience whilst retaining the original viewers (eg. Yes Man). 


Alongside the couple, main characters often include: the best friend, an ex or current boyfriend/girlfriend, family members: siblings or parents, and a boss or co-workers. These extras help to create dilemmas or bring the couple together. They often include their own personal stories and events - and can cause a change of direction for the rest of the film.


Another factor for consideration is the interests of the characters. Often romantic comedies are also focused on the lead finding themselves through a hobby or dream. This makes it easier to understand the characters and creates another plot in the storyline. As with any film, it gives the viewer an alternative to reality - this genre should leave them feeling happy and uplifted.