Evaluation of own Rom-com

In what ways does your media product use, develop, or

challenge forms, conventions of real media products?

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms, conventions of real media products?

• Genre is seen as being difficult to define as Gledhill suggests, “Genres… are not discrete systems, consisting of a fixed number of listable items”. This suggests that the boundaries of genres have become blurred; they can no longer be clearly defined using a set of specific conventions for any one genre. This is because over time, genres have split into many sub-genres as well as mixing more than one. For example, the teen rom-com genre is part of the romance, comedy as well as being part of the teen genre. This type of film therefore consists of three types of genre and includes features from all three.

• Steve Neale states that genres are instances of “repetition and difference”, and that they are systems of expectations and conventions that circulate between industry, text and subject

•In the same way as Neale argues, I followed conventions of the three genres I’m looking at. By repeating these I have met audience expectations.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms, conventions of real media products?

• To advertise a new film

• To attract the specific target audience making them want to see the film

• Inform the audience about the films general plot

• Entertain the audience

•Tease the audience with unfinished sequences and snapshots from the best bits of the film, so not to give too much of the plot away (Therefore attracting the audience to go and see the film)

• Show off the actors/actresses and the characters they play

• To inform the audience of the release date and production team

Typical objectives of Film Trailers

Plot – Love, Obstacles (external and internal stopping them), happy ending as a final resolution, disagreement between friends, finding own identities

Characters - The main “Average” female character, The hero (main guy character) usually the “good-looking” type. The villain is generally the seemingly popular girl. There is always different “social groups” in the rom-com

Mise-en-scene – School, Prom/ party setting, Park or streets where the group would often go to, bedroom/house setting

Camera work and editing – Close ups on characters faces to show emotion, Establishing shots of the settings, Some unique shots to emphasise comical side to the film. High angles to show vulnerable moments of the main character and low angles to indicate the main male protagonists status in the setting. Quick shots and editing for tense or funny scenes, Some continuity as well as straight cuts. Generally quite slow paced

Sound – Usually non-diegetic “Indie” music which is quite well known and famous. Some faced paced music. Diegetic sounds like laughing, talking, natural sounds of the setting

Forms and Conventions of Teen Rom-com genre

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms, conventions of real media products?

How I followed Forms and Conventions of the Rom-com genre:

• I chose to use the conventional characters found in Rom-coms.

- Main female character trying to find her identity, wears quite comfortable clothing and is portrayed as being quite “plain” by fellow characters

- Male character; typically good looking, wears stylish clothes and is usually very popular

- Main female characters rival is often quite arrogant and popular as well as being very stylish

I chose to follow these conventional character types as the target audience usually expect to see similar characters as well as relating to the main female protagonist and characters in the Rom-com. Therefore, by choosing similar character roles, this would attract my target audience

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms, conventions of real media products?

How I followed/ challenged Forms and Conventions of the Rom-com genre

• I decided to use the conventional plots of a Rom-com genre as my trailer included rivalry, love, friendship, comical situations. The film also has a typical structure of plot which I have tried to follow as my trailer emphasises the main characters independent and isolated state, introduces the male protagonist as well as showing a growing relationship. The trailer then includes a problem (The character Chelsea) and although the trailer doesn’t resolve the problem this is typical of film trailers. It is also typical of trailers to not be in chronological order which I have also tried to follow

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms, conventions of real media products?

The settings I decided to use are also conventional of typical Rom-com trailers as they are typical teenage settings such as school, park and general outside settings.

However, I have challenged typical conventions of American Rom-coms as my trailer doesn’t include a party/prom scene which is typically found in Rom-coms as a romantic setting. This emphasises that my Rom-com is English so is not as glamorous as typical Rom-coms.