initial research : Chosen Genre And Its Conventions

Prior to starting any form of production on this A2 project, I knew that this year I wanted to test myself. As a default I would resort to shooting comedy or action, or something within those lines. However, as I am pursuing a career in the film industry - creating something that is outside the general scope of what I am used to means that I can push myself as a Filmmaker. I was inspired by the Academy Award winning film  'The Theory Of Everything' which blends the drama and romance genres together.

Genre 

Romance is generally a concept driven heavily towards the female demographic as stereotypically females are known to be the more emotionally attached of the two sex(s) this could imply that females may be more likely to become more emotionally invested in the plot line. Conventionally female characters in romances are given lead roles as it appeals to the female psyche - by having a point of reference that they can fall into. Males however, are usually given roles as the 'Love Interest' to play into the female gaze. Usually the narrative often follows the conventional character arch where boy meets girl, and their relationship begins to develop from there. Todorovs theory of equilibrium often comes into play at this point where there is a disruption of the equilibrium caused by a certain obstacle leading to the couple breaking up and eventually finding their way back to one another in a 'happily ever after format'

Mise en scene 

The mise en scene of most romance films encompass a few different types of props that include flowers, chocolate etc that will be exchanged from one character to another, it is commonly associated with the genre as it is has connotations of love. Stereotypically in romance genre, high key lighting or soft lighting is usually used as it has connotations of happiness and love within a relationship. The colours white and red are often used within the romance genre as white has connotations of purity, representing as romance as an innocent feeling to have Red has more of a direct connotation with passion and lust, typically shown through costume or make up such as a red lip; a conventional element of the genre. The use of soft lighting is usually shown within a private domestic setting, it gathers a feeling of reality making romance films more believable. 

Shots 

Establishing shots are also frequently used to show the location of romance films which conventionally take place within a city setting, many people can easily associate themselves with a city setting therefore having a greater understanding of the film. Camera angles within the romance genre can vary however close ups or extreme close ups are often used as they clearly show the emotions of characters at times of happy/sadness. These close ups allow for a connection to be established between the audience and characters whether it's a sympathetic or happy feeling as they gather an understanding as to how the character is feeling which helps them to interact with the film more.

They can also help link to the personality of characters along with creating mood and suspense when trying to create the feel of a romance film. A common icon of the romance genre is sound, commonly soft music is used in order to represent the tenderness and sensitivity of a relationship.