The basic plot of a romantic comedy is that two people, usually a man and a woman, meet and then part ways due to an argument or other contrived obstacles. Initially, these two people do not become romantically involved, because they believe that they do not like each other, because one of them already has a partner, or social pressures. However, the screenwriters leave obvious clues that suggest that the characters are in fact attracted to each other, or that they would be a good love match.
While the two people are separated, one or both individuals then realize that they are "perfect" for each other, or that they are in love with the other person. Then, after one of the two makes some spectacular effort to find the other person and declare their love, (this is sometimes called the grand gesture), or due to an astonishing coincidental encounter, the two meet again. Then, perhaps with some comic friction or awkwardness, they declare their love for each other and the film ends happily.Meet Cute
One of the conventions of romantic comedy films is the contrived encounter of two potential romantic partners in unusual or comic circumstances, which film critics such as Roger Ebert or the Associated Press' Christy Lemire have called a "meet-cute" situation. During a "meet-cute", scriptwriters often create a humorous sense of awkwardness between the two potential partners by depicting an initial clash of personalities or beliefs, an embarrassing situation, or by introducing a comical misunderstanding or mistaken identity situation. The attraction between the lead characters must be established quickly. The subject matter of romantic comedies are the obstacles that the potential pair must face before they can acknowledge, fulfill, or consummate their love, and the audience must care about the relationship enough to finish the movie. The meet-cute, by virtue of its unusual situation, helps to fix the potential relationship in the viewers' minds, and the spark of the meeting is the impetus by which initial vicissitudes of the developing relationship are overcome.
Secondary Characters
The audience are usually introduced to the best friends, and maybe some family members, of the two main characters. Although they are there to offer their support, they are usually the main source of humour in the film. The audience can relate to the best friend in the film, and they would consider what they would do in that situation.
Lighting
Majority of the film will have a happy tone/atmosphere, so the lighting will be used to reflect this. Romcom’s are less serious than other genres, and are designed primarily to entertain the audience. There may be certain points in the film when a scene goes darker to mirror the tone, but this won’t happen very often.
Soundtrack
Very much like the lighting, the soundtrack of Rom-coms is used to mirror the mood of the scenes. Horror films tend to have a score, where orchestral music is used instead of songs. In rom-com’s however, songs are mainly used instead of orchestral music (this doesn't mean that there is no orchestral music though). The songs that are used in the film will usually be well known pop songs, so that the audience can recognise them easily. They must relate to the story being told in the film. The songs can even assist in the story-telling process.
Setting
Romantic comedies are usually set in a big, well-known city. The most common place in the UK to set a rom-com is London, however internationally New York seems to be extremely popular as a romantic setting. It is a place that, even if people haven’t been there, they can picture. In a place like London, there is always something going on, so it is easy to believe that the events in the film could happen.
Conclusion
Normally, the conclusion of a film will be happy, with the two main characters getting back together. However, it is getting increasingly popular to show the reality that sometimes, it doesn’t all work out exactly the way we want it to. This is evidence of modern manipulation of conventions
A Little Bit of History
Firstly Shakespeare himself is often credited for writing some of the best romantic comedies of all time. Many of his plays were intended to be humorous as well as emotional and romantic; proving that rom-coms are by no means a modern style of film.
Romantic comedy declined in popularity and quality during World War II, Though several directors and production companies kept working at it. At this point rom-coms were better known as screwball films. The Lady Eve was one of the most successful of the time, it features a protagonist (Henry Fonda) so blinded by love that he marries the same woman (Barbara Stanwyck) three times without knowing it. The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1944) took madcap comedy to a level beyond screwball and managed to become a box-office hit despite dealing with the sensitive subject of wartime promiscuity.
In general, the 1950s and 1960s were a low point for romantic comedy. Doris Day (b. 1924) became one of the most popular actors of the era, appearing in several of what were called "sex comedies," often opposite Rock Hudson (1925–1985). These films trade on the same kind of titillation that fueled theatrical sex farces, and they were equally conventional in their morality. By the mid-1960s, the genre virtually disappeared from Hollywood, with a few notable exceptions.
In 1977, however, the success of Woody Allen's Annie Hall fundamentally reinvented the genre. Both a box-office hit and winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, it brought about a general revival of romantic comedy rooted in the changes in courtship and marriage that were occurring in the 1960s.
From the late 70's onwards romantic comedies have successfully rooted themselves as one of Hollywood's greatest creations. The genre has produced hundreds of films with a formula that seems to be immortal.
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