What is Romance?
Romance is a popular genre of film production which allows audiences to develop a sense of realism. This genre has many types of variations of the love it portrays. This variation can then lead to a skewed audience demographic. The way a film structures romance usually involves many plot elements of drama, comedy, and even mystery to fully develop the relationship between the two characters that the story centers around.
Content
The exposition of romance genre content would develop the setting of the love interests in the film and give background to the characters. Depending on the setting of the establishing scenes, the relationship between the two characters would become defined. For example a high school romance of a nerd and a jock where the jock does not know the nerd exists, or on the other hand co-workers who have developed secret feelings for one another but are afraid of admitting these feelings.
Following the introduction of the romance would be the establishment of the storyline. This would include how these characters meet and interact for the romantic feelings to occur. This would also communicate to the viewer the conflict of the romance and why the characters cannot easily get together or establish what is in their way.
Admittance of feelings would then become a pivotal point in the content of the romance and this is where the most important shots and dialogue occur. This could be in the middle of the film where conflict holds the characters back from each other. All things following this scene would be to explain how the couple ends up with each other and the result of a happily ever after.
Production Techniques
With romance films, a sense of realism is a priority when developing production. Techniques to follow realism would be making scenes look natural when in natural settings. The use of natural lighting and minimal editing is used for the piece to have a realistic comparison for the audience. The setting of dramatic lighting would occur if the mood of the romantic piece was to be set for a date or special occurrence. To obtain this magical feeling the film is trying to provide, the directors will intricately place moments in the scenes that the audience would observe as special or not common in normal life. Dialogue has to be realistic but never plain and unresponsive. Saying things that are funny or invoke a reaction between characters helps establish the relationship. The color of clothing and hair are particularly chosen for the feel of the scene. A red outfit relays passion and further develops the scene as this is the color of love. Makeup design can determine how a character wants to present themselves or how important an event is to a character.
Marketing
Romance films are marketed in multiple ways. The varying lead actors starring in the movies can use their reputable fan base to publicize the movie's existence. Streaming platforms as well as movie theatres create advertisements for the films in an eye-grabbing manner. Most romantic movies use red or other warm hues in posters for a sense of passion and excitement. Creating these advertisements to pop up on popular social media platforms as well as popular grossing games or apps is commonly used. The budget for the film determines the type and the extent of marketing. As society modernizes, strategies filmmakers use to create their story is to target a specific audience and create new ways of modern romance to be replicated in their productions. Romantic films usually target the ages of the established characters in the film, but the audience age can range to all ages.
Film Sample 1
More recently with the rise of the LGBTQ+ audiences, romance movies have started to create romance plots to serve that wide audience. For example, the movie "Love, Simon" develops a romance plotline of a highschool boy and the struggles of being gay. These struggles create easy forms for the audience to relate to. The character's realistic issues of identity coupled with the simplicity of falling in love as a normal teenager. Marketing of this romance movie reaches a wide spectrum of people due to the small number of movies discussing these different sexual orientations. This film made 66.3 Million Dollars as a worldwide total which easily tripled its film budget. This film was created based on a book about this widely recognized struggle. Many audiences were excited about the creation of the film. The life of a teen, 17-year-old Simon, easily reaches the target teen audience who struggle with similar issues at this age. The film creates backgrounds of a teenager at school and the costuming as very generic everyday wear.
Film Sample 2
Romance films have started developing modernistic forms of portraying love in many ways. The 2019 film "Five Feet Apart" shows the difficult love of two teens with cystic fibrosis who are not allowed to be close together due to the disease they both share. This form of romance reaches many sympathizers of deadly illnesses as well as those audience members who have also known someone they knew with an illness that limits their experience for romance. The film is structured around the very popular Cole Sprouse, who gained popularity as a love interest on Riverdale, as well as being on Disney for a decade. The combination of Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson targets audiences who loved watching these two actors in their previous productions. This movie was widely publicized through social media platforms from co-stars of the main actors as well as the well-known actor directing this piece, Justin Baldoni. Structuring of the content of two teens who just can't help their situation and find unexpected love with a deadly risk of existing together. The realistic life of being stuck in a hospital with strict regulations helps create realism. The unfortunate ending of an implied death of the male love interest 'Will' from the disease, is an example of this genre not always having a happily ever after ending.
Other Romance films to offer:
Midnight Sun (2018)
The Hate You Give(2018)
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