Codes and conventions of RomCom's (from watching films)

I have been looking at the opening's of rom coms (by watching the openings of some films) as this is the genre we have decided to do for our film opening. Here is some research that i have done looking at common codes and conventions that appear with romcoms. 


P.S. I Love You,  (Richard LaGravenese), (2007). 

• Non diagetic music, guitar upbeat and happy
• Produced by Warner Brothers and Alcon Entertainment these are repeated again in writing over a black screen
• Establishing shot of a city then it pans down into possibly the central protagonist
• A males is approaching the female he is walking quickly up the stairs after her, they have an argument then make up and are friends again. 
• 12:30 for the self contained opening scene to finish, then the tittle appears with the main actors names.

10 Things I Hate About You, (Gil Junger), (1999).

• Touchstone pictures twice with two different animations, Mad chance and Jaret Entertainment production 
• The title comes in straight away after the production credits
• Pans across a sunny city
• The names of the main actors appear on screen over the picture
• Pans in onto two cars, with some of the main characters in them
• Establishing shot of the school
• Teenager in a head teachers office
• The opening scene in 3:30 seconds long

Marley And Me,(David Frankel), (2008).

• Production companies: 20th Century Fox, Regency, they are then repeated against the black background - 28 seconds of tittles
• Voiceover with non diagetic music. Someone is walking their dog your immediate reaction is that this is the central protagonist
• Then the music changes pace the action on screen freezes to show the main character
• Then there is a shot of a couple running along a road in the snow, then it cuts to them sat on the edge of a bath
• It then pans out through the window as they kiss it's also snowing, then it fades to white
• The music then changes by picking up paces, panning across sunny places with the music 'Shiny happy people' 
• The credits and tittle are against what's happening on screen
• It takes about 3 minutes to get to the self contained 'first scene'

The 40 Year Old Virgin, (Judd Apatow), (2005)

• Universal production company logo, also repeated against black in writing with non diagetic music
• Shot of houses to establish the location, central protagonist in bed, montage of him getting ready for the day doing exercise, making breakfast, having a bath etc, through this we find out he is a perfectionist, there is then a few shots of him travelling to work on his bike
• There are diagetic sounds but non diagetic music
• The opening scene is 2 minutes 50 seconds.
• However within this we don't see any signification of romance or love with the central protagonist 

Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason, (Beeban Kidron), (2004).

• Working Tittle production company edited as the music is non diagetic, other companies:  Universal, Studio Canal, and Miramax, repeated on the screen again over the black background 
• Slow motion effect used
• Link between the two central protagonist, with the novelty jumpers
• Intertextual reference to The Sound Of Music 
• 1 minute 10 seconds of tittles
• establishing shot of the village to ground the location
• 3 minutes for the opening scene to take place

The Breakfast Club
1985, John Hughes

• Non digetic sound of a song whilst credits are shown.
• Credits shown for 1.48
• Yellow writing on a black background isn't too formal.
• Quote, smashes into pieces which leads into the first shot- FX.
• The first shot is a high school, this is clearly where the film will be set.
• The voiceover provides exposition, as well as the still shots of different things.
• The voiceover is presumably our main protagonist.
• The main people are all in cars with parents, this suggests the film is going to be about students who dont want to have to go to school.
• The end of the opening sequence is at 4.41

The Ugly Truth
2009, Robert Luketic

• Upbeat, well known pop music
• Set in a city in America
• Helicopter- high budget
• Subtitle prodives exposition
• Working woman is the central protagonist
• Credits last 3.00

The Time Travellers Wife
2009, Robert Schwentke

• Credits last 45 seconds
• Music is digetic
• Family scene - mum dad and child.
• American, city, christmas time
• Main protagonist introduced

When in Rome
2010, Mark Steven Johnson

• Upbeat, pop music
• Water, Statues, Rome = love
• Postcards are used as exposition
• Main protagonist = small, blonde, pretty, american working woman
• Just split up with partner
• Credits = 45 seconds

Falling Up
2009, David M Rosenthal

• Upbeat music
• New York
• Titles done in fancy ways
• Credits = 2.30
• Main protagonist = male, white, america, fat

Leap Year
2010, Anand Tucker

• Opening shot- womans shoes. Working woman
• Upbeat music, sets tone
• Setting- Boston. Busy city
• Career shown, high flying
• Main protagonist shown  as happy with her partner.
• Credits- 3.25