Codes and Conventions

Codes and Conventions

Romance

• Main characters are introduced

• 'Boy meet's girl' - very typical in a romance film

• In older trailers a voice over was very common to introduce the characters and love themes

• Usually involves something which connotes love (wedding bells, roses, flowers, hearts)

• Story usually involves emotions/feelings/pain/love/failure/flashbacks/past stories

• Usually attractive pairing (e.g Channing Tatum + Rachel Mcadams) and well known actors who play the main roles

• Man/woman is usually paired with the wrong person when the two love interests meets

• Nearly always set either in the city (London/NYC) or out in the countryside

• Normally more than one issue, not just the one relationship the characters will also have family issues to solve or job commitments or past problems to sort

• Something the audience can relate too

• Would normally include emotions and empathy

• Dramatic dialogue about love and commitment

• Music often upbeat and fun, may have a dramatic twist to it later on in the trailer

• Music usually sets the scene as to whether the film will be more happy or more sad

• Two shots are common in romance trailers, mid shots are often used to introduce characters