Research: Title Cards

After researching the technical and scene conventions of a romcom, I want to start researching about what would be in our brief.  I found out that titles cards are typical of a brief, so I want to figure out what they are and all about them!

Title Cards:

What are Title Cards?

Title cards are the text design that appear at the beginning of a film. Title cards give information to the audience about what the movie could be about and establishes the style and tone of the movie. They overall reflect the genre of a movie, which is why each genre has its own title card conventions. Romcom title cards, like other genres, have their own title card conventions that tell the viewers that they are about!

Anyone but You(2023)                             Love at First Sight(2023)

Font and Typography:

Romcom title cards have typical font style and typography they have to follow to convey the tone properly. For example, romcom generally use serif fonts, handwritten fonts, and cursive fonts. These are used to express elegance, playfulness, light-heartedness, and personally romantic. These fonts are used in countless of romcom films. 

I Want You Back(2021)                                         Choose Love(2023)

Color and Background:

 The colors and background of a title card make the text readable for audiences and also set the tone. Romcom often use vibrant, warm, or pastel colors to suggest love, happiness, and playfulness. Certain aesthetics romcoms go for can be plain backgrounds, bright or muted colors and each serve their own purpose. For example, plain backgrounds can be used to keep the focus on the text itself. Bright colors are used to evoke energy and romance. In contrast to muted colors that evoke a more gentler, sentimental mood in the audience. Also these title cards are dependent on high contrast for them to stand out and be legible. 

        Oh, Hi!(2025)                                         Palm Springs(2020)

Self Reflection:

Learning more about title cards was really fun because this is where I can put a lot of my own creativity. I can make the title card how I desire as long as I follow the conventions of a romcom title card. Soon, I'll start making sketches and drafting ideas so I can use it in my brief with my partner! I'm grateful I learned this information about title card because they were honestly my favorite part about movies. I loved certain designs but I never knew their impact. I wasn't aware that they could convey the tone and mood of the entire film; however, now that I think about it I totally see it! I can't wait to put a title card in my brief!

Sources:

https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/iconography-and-titles-of-romantic-comedies/82457826

https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/10/the-art-of-the-film-title-throughout-cinema-history/

https://beckygroarkesblog.weebly.com/titles-and-credits-conventions.html

https://journal.sciencemuseum.ac.uk/article/choice-of-a-typeface/#main-body

Research: Technical Elements

Now that my partner and I have researched the typical scenes of a romcom, we have to research how to record those. To figure that out, we have to now research the technical conventions of a romcom. There are many crucial technical elements that tell the audience the specific mood of these scenes and I can't wait to find out!

Typical Genre Conventions:

Editing and Sound:

The editing styles of romcoms are the true storytellers of the film. The style determines the balance of romance and comedy, as well as the emotional factor of the movie. This balance makes it possible for these films not to be just slow, but also entertaining for audiences. These movie generally use continuity, cross-cutting, fades, and shot-reverse shots to put the movie together. The way directors use these methods are different. For example, continuity is used to keep a smooth flow throughout the film, cross-cutting is used to convey emotional parallels between characters, fades are used to mark emotional transitions, and shot-reverse shots are used to show dialogue between characters.

Anyone but You(2023)

This is scene from "Anyone but You" it shows a meet-cute between the love interests. Throughout this scene it had continuity, shot-reverse shots, and its editing style included comedic effect. The editing style of this clip took the 2 love interests meeting to a much more entertaining scene!

Furthermore, sound is essential for guiding how an audience feels. Romcoms typically use diegetic, non-diegetic, ambient sound, and dialogue. These sound elements are used to evoke a certain mood in a scene. For example in the movie "Red, White & Royal Blue," dialogue, diegetic, and non-diegetic sound is used to show the audience that this is an intimate scene between the 2 love interests. 

Red, White & Royal Blue (2023)

Cinematography:

Romcoms utilize specific camera techniques to emphasize the couple's relationship, highlight humor, or showcase scenes. Since there are 2 leads in these movies, two-shots are typical as they demonstrate the couple interacting with each other. These movies can also use close-ups, establishing shots, over-the-shoulder, mid-shots, tracking, and panning shots. Close-ups can be used to capture a character's emotions or facial expressions, a good scene where this could be used is during "Relationship in Trouble" scene to show how one character is heartbroken. Establishing shots and mid shots can be used to set the tone of current scenes. Over-the-shoulder shots are used to display typical dialogue in these films. Tracking and panning are used to show the audience the couple being together and reinforce their connection.

Red, White & Royal Blue (2023)- 2 Shot

Red, White & Royal Blue (2023)- Close Up

Mise-En-Scene:

In romcoms, embodying stereotypes are typical. For example, a common trope is opposites attract. To achieve this trope for the public eye, for example, one of interests has to be very stylish while the other has to be a geeky character. Outfits are a big factor for the audience to tell how a certain character is like. These films either embody commonly known tropes or dress their characters in causal clothing. Furthermore, locations in a romcom are realistic locations. They can be malls, workplaces, school, coffee shops, parks, etc. These locations are used to give the audience a more relatable feel because these are every day areas they can be at too. 

Love at First Sight(2023)

Self Reflection:

Diving into the technical side of romcom was not what I expected. I assumed that there was fancy cinematography but in reality, its elements are simple and easy to achieve between me and my partner. I can picture me and my partner having so much fun while record instead of being stressed which is great news! Now knowing the ropes, I'm excited to start recording my brief and include all of these key factors like a true pro!

Sources:

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/your-place-or-mine

 https://georgedavisonstudios.com/blog/decoding-how-filmmakers-create-romantic-comedies/

https://medium.com/aputure/filming-romantic-scenes-b0326bdb1f09

https://untamedscience.com/blog/behind-the-lens-how-cinematography-enhances-love-stories-in-film/

https://prezi.com/rkxwxfdt1wj4/codes-conventions-of-romcom/

https://www.stephaniebourbon.com/post/romantic-comedy-character-archetypes-who-needs-to-be-included

Research: Rom-Com Genre Conventions-Narratives

 Ultimately, me and my partner decided on creating a rom-com film opening. We both enjoy watching this genre of movies in our free time and we feel like we would be able to film it very well. We can follow the typical genre conventions of a rom-com, and successfully do so, we will have to research these genre convention in depth. I want to start with research of romcom narratives since these obviously shape the story. I need to know if they are important scenes to include in me and my partner's brief!

Typical Scenes in Rom-Coms:

Meet-Cutes:

Meet-cutes are a typical scene in rom-coms because they demonstrate the first encounter between love interests in the film. It showcases to the audience their "love at first sight" and immediate chemistry. This scene sets up the audience for what type of couple they are going to be and the tone for the rest of the movie.

A Unique Situation:

This unique situation creates a conflict that brings the couple together for some odd reason. This gives the couple more reasons to interact with each other and introduces the plot. These odd scenarios make the couple more intriguing to the audience and this catches their attention.

Montages:

Montages are typically in rom-coms and they show the main couple bonding. Their bond is strengthened by them learning about each other, spending time, and the audience can tell they are getting more and more friendly. This is meant to be an entertaining aspect, perhaps humorous, for the audience. 

Relationship in Trouble:

When the relationship gets in jeopardy, this is when a challenge threatens their relationship. Their compatibility gets put to the test and this raises tension in the film. This determines whether the couple is endgame or not. 

Light-Bulb Moment:

These light-bulb moments are supposed to represent the moment of realization for both of the characters that they are meant for each other. This occurs after their relationship faces the obstacle.

Happy Ending:

The happy ending conclusions is typical in romcoms to give the satisfying ending the audience wants. How the happy end takes place depends on the movie but this closure reinforces the romantic tone of the movie.

Self Reflection:

After conducting my research, I believe that creating a romcom can be very achievable for me and my partner. I have learned a lot from this research. Some things I learned are the typical scenes/ the narrative a romcom follows. For example, I wasn't aware a meet-cute was a thing, I just assumed it was the characters meeting. Learning more about the conventions of romcom scenes get me excited to start recording because showing these clips in our brief will make it evident that it is a romcom! This insight gives me various ideas for our brief. I'm excited to record these iconic scene clips with the right actors!

Sources:

https://ew.com/gallery/meet-cutes-romantic-comedies/ 

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/jul/26/the-proposal-sandra-bullock

https://www.theringer.com/2022/04/22/movies/rom-com-fall-in-love-montages-logistics

https://ew.com/movies/2019/03/31/10-things-i-hate-about-you-90s/

https://screenrant.com/shes-all-that-reasons-classic-movie/

https://parade.com/850940/lindsaylowe/valentines-day-movies-10-romantic-comedies-for-single-people/

https://www.bustle.com/articles/140837-do-romantic-gestures-work-in-real-life-heres-how-many-people-have-tried-recreating-romantic-movie 

https://openingclass.com/2023/01/31/genre-conventions/ 

https://screencraft.org/blog/the-9-elements-of-all-great-rom-coms/

Research: Subgenre for Top Choices

After viewing my partner's and my own research my favorite genres were comedy and fantasy. If me and my partner were to choose these genres for our film opening we would have to research the subgenres. 

Comedy-Romance:

Romantic comedies blend humor and the emotional appeal of romance into one film. However, overall, it mainly deals with love and human relationships. There is always two love interests whose chemistry keeps the audience engaged with the content and follow along with their love story. 

This lovable couple usually encounters an obstacle that tests their love and compatibility with each other and brings them closer. Together the couple grow and overcome the issue and they end with their happy ending. 

Films like these have to balance out the romance with comedic side characters and subplots that continue to get the viewers attention. These side characters often give advice to one of the love interest and give them the push they need to end up with their future partners. Some examples are She's the Man, The Proposal, 50 First Dates, and 27 Dresses.

Sources:

https://screencraft.org/blog/the-9-elements-of-all-great-rom-coms/ 

https://www.imdb.com/list/ls058479560/ 

Self Reflection:

I feel like if me and my partner chose this genre it would easy to achieve and put our own spin on it. It would be easy to get our props and sets since these movies are set to be realistic. Additionally, it would be very fun to record and make our actors have chemistry on our cameras.

Fantasy-Drama:

Comedy‑horror films are a subgenre that mix scary elements with comedy to entertain audiences in a way that feels both thrilling and fun. Instead of being purely frightening or purely funny, these movies use humor to soften or exaggerate typical horror situations like monsters, ghosts, or creepy events. This balance keeps viewers engaged because they don’t know whether they’ll laugh or feel suspense next, and the way fear and humor interact creates a unique emotional experience that feels unpredictable and exciting.

This mix works well because it makes horror more approachable while still offering the adrenaline that comes with tension. For example, Shaun of the Dead and Tucker and Dale vs. Evil both turn horror scenarios into comedic situations where characters’ reactions or misunderstandings provide humor. Zombieland uses comedic character dynamics and rules about zombies to balance scares with laughs, and What We Do in the Shadows pairs vampire lore with awkward modern life humor to achieve the same effect. Comedy‑horror succeeds because it balances fear and laughter in a way that keeps audiences emotionally invested from start to finish.

Comedy‑horror also draws in viewers by making characters relatable even in outrageous or supernatural circumstances. Because the scary elements are softened by humor, people who might normally avoid traditional horror still enjoy these films. Overall, comedy‑horror lets audiences explore fears and absurd situations while laughing at the unexpected twists, making the genre feel fresh, entertaining, and accessible.

Sources:

https://southernmagazine.com/why-horror-comedy-films-succeed-at-the-box-office

Self Reflection:

This genre seems like it would be really enjoyable to film and create. It would be fun creating the props and makeup for the actors. However, I feel like if we chose this genre that it would be difficult to give the fictional world the real-life feel without the focuses on one genre rather than both.

Research: Possibilities for Genres

Me and my partner, Zunairah, decided to branch out in different genres to find which would be the most enjoyable and the easiest to achieve in our portfolio.  I researched adventure, comedy, and mystery. While my partner went on to research genres she was interested in. 

Adventure

Adventure films are built on quests for the main character. On this journey, it follows the protagonist on cliches such as obtaining a valuable object or fighting an antagonist. Films like this normally include high stakes and stressful, fast scenes. They can create this type of feel by creating tension and suspense.

A key convention that adventure movies need is a strong protagonist. This is typical because this character goes through unbelievable dangers and obstacles and surpass them with endurance and intelligence. This character is also typically an ordinary human who is charismatic, yet still flawed, which makes them enjoyable.

Adventure films are normally set in exotic, unrealistic environments. These fictional worlds allow for more difficult obstacles for the protagonists. However, although the challenges the main character face are unrealistic, they can excel through them logically. This can be seen in The Mummy as protagonist defeats the mummy by understanding the ancient rules. 

Sources:

    https://brianair.wordpress.com/film-theory/codes-and-conventions-of-action-adventure-films/ 

https://nofilmschool.com/adventure-genre 

    https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title_type=feature&genres=adventure

Comedy

Comedy films are one of the most loved genres in the industry. They primarily entertain their audiences through humor. Films make the humor happen through different ways such as exaggerated situations, wordplay, and certain characters. 

The protagonist in these types of films are normally flawed. They are depicted as ordinary people, usually underdogs or awkward. These personality traits make it more enjoyable for the audience as they follow them in their everyday lives or journey.

The structures of comedy movies are very typical. The ordinary protagonist faces an incident that disturbs their normal life and then they go on a comedic journey full of failures that is humorous. A movie that exemplifies this example is the movie Dumb and Dumber.

Sources:

    https://nofilmschool.com/comedy-genre

    https://robincatling.com/conventions-of-the-comedy-genre

    https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title_type=feature&genres=adventure

Mystery

Mystery films revolve around a certain unknown question that has to be solved before the film ends. This question typically is a crime, and it makes both the characters and the audience engage their curiosity to figure it out. The crime is commonly a theft or a murder.

The audience follows the protagonist as they try to find clues throughout the film. This can be interviews, observations, and journaling, leading them to have possible suspects and suspicions. This also keeps the viewers suspecting certain characters themselves and remain uncertain on who the culprit is. 

It is typical in mystery films that backstories and drama all gets unraveled near the end. These are the films last attempts to give hints to the audience so they can guess the culprit. The film concludes by revealing who the culprit was, along with their motives and methods. Some examples of mystery movies are Knives Out, Sherlock Holmes, The Prestige, and Shutter Island. 

 

Sources:

    https://www.mandy.com/magazine/article/mystery-genre-in-film-and-tv-79307/

    https://prezi.com/5mzjb19lq2rf/mystery-genre-conventions/ 

    https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title_type=feature&genres=adventure