Coming from the opposite direction is a man, a writer who is on his way to a meeting with a possible publisher for his book. He already spilled coffee on his shirt when he heard the news of the impromptu meeting and he has roughly twenty minutes to get there or he misses his chance. All of this panicky behavior on both sides comes to a head when the two people slam into each other. His phone falls to the ground and her papers fly everywhere. They both bend down to frantically scoop up the papers, apologizing along the way. Then they look up, lock eyes, and pause for a moment.

What we’ve just described is a ‘meet-cute’, one of many stylistic tropes present in a romcom movie. However, it’s not simply the plot and characters that make tropes like these work well in a romcom movie, it’s all of the behind-the-scenes production of the movie.

(Note that while many films featuring these elements fall into the romantic comedy genre, not everyone is needed for a romcom or is used exclusively for the genre.)

GOING OFF-SCRIPT

Part of what makes a romcom work is a tight script. When the dialogue and plot feel natural, people are more invested in the film. Sure, a joke or two might not land, but the majority need to result in laughs for a successful movie. But by the same token, improvisation is not the enemy. Quite a few of the iconic scenes in romantic comedies (and comedies in general) have been because of the actors improving. Encourage your actors to insert their own dialogue or actions. If the improv doesn’t work, just shoot the scene as scripted. Alternatively, do a few improv sessions during rehearsal. It may result in new scenes being created.

LET THERE BE LIGHT

The romantic moments of a romcom are powerful scenes that require expert attention. Lighting can set the mood more than any other aspect of cinematography. Soft, gentle light and focus on the leads can make even a mundane scene have romantic undertones. Don’t be afraid to use multiple sources and filters to get the exact glow needed. The video below by Aperture details how the lighting is set up in various romantic scenes and serves as a good reference.

EDIT LIKE A PRO

What bogs down most disliked romcoms is the editing. Comedy is a genre that’s defined by the editing room. Even subpar jokes can cause laughs if the camera angles and editing are tight and fast-paced. The same goes for romances. Certain lighting, angles, and music can make a ho-hum kiss a monumental declaration of love. For beginners, it might be worth seeking out a professional editor to help during post-production or at least offer a few pointers. Good editing also doesn’t require a high-end, expensive program. Even a basic editing program can get the job done.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MOMENT

What’s “The Moment?” It’s the aforementioned big kiss (or its equivalent). This is where directors show their mettle and offer something new. We’ve all seen the standard kiss, but what makes this kiss so special? It’s up to the director to sell the moment. Again, experiment with different angles or lighting. Try zooming or panning around the actors. Encourage them to put their actual emotions into it (provided they’re comfortable with it).

READY FOR MY CLOSEUP

Speaking of “The Moment,” many of the best romcoms use a closeup during the scene to heighten the sense of intimacy and the overall impact. This is the climax of the film, after all- the payoff for seeing the two leads fall in love. However, it works well in other scenarios. If someone’s advances have been rebuffed, a closeup can show us the anguish of the person in love- and the object of affection’s disgust. It’s not ideal to use a closeup for comedic scenes, but when the narrative calls for tension and drama, it’s a solid option.

AWKWARD AND AWESOME

Stilted dialogue and clumsy acting are surefire ways to turn an audience off. However, there’s one exception. The meeting between the two romantic leads should be cute, funny, and maybe just a bit awkward. Because a romcom is so dependent on its comedy, a bumbling first meeting can keep audiences engaged and get them rooting for their inevitable romance. Even if the meeting isn’t somewhat cringe-worthy, it’s still worth putting into the movie. A flashback will work if need be (for example, the characters are childhood friends).

THE OVER-THE-SHOULDER SHOT

Rewatch any romcom from the past few decades. You’ll notice an abundance of over-the-shoulder shots. Not only are they easy to set up and film, but they make a conversation more intimate. You’re able to see the facial expressions of the character speaking while keeping another character in-frame. Body language is somewhat visible as well, giving the scene a sense of realism. It can establish any kind of relationship- hostile, friendly, wary, etc. Don’t go overboard though! Too many shots of a certain kind will result in a repetitive film. Still, it’s a staple of the genre and a good groundwork to build artsier shots from.

KEEPING IT REAL

One of the biggest complaints about romcoms is how formulaic they can become. Seeing the same scenarios play out time and time again makes a genre grounded in realism feel fantastical. Repetition may work in comedy, but not in romance. That’s why using real-life love stories as a basis for your film can prove beneficial. One of the elements that has kept When Harry Met Sally in the spotlight for so long are the interviews spliced throughout the movie. Talk to friends and family about their love stories, and work parts of their journeys into the narrative. Provided they give you permission, of course.

AUDITORY CUES

Has a song ever sparked a certain emotion in you? If the lighting and cinematography just isn’t cutting it, insert some mood-setting music. A classical love song will give a scene the last romantic edge it needs. For funny moments, a modern pop song or a jaunty instrumental will heighten the laughs. Even within the public domain, there are plenty of songs to craft a wonderful soundtrack and enhance the vibe of a certain scene.

The post Decoding How Filmmakers Create Romantic Comedies appeared first on George Davison Studios.

NOTE: All of these films are rated PG-13 or higher and feature themes that may be uncomfortable for some viewers.

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER (2012)

Set and shot in Pittsburgh, the film adaptation of Stephen Chbosky’s coming-of-age story is a bit different than your typical high school dramedy. The main character, Charlie, has severe anxiety and other mental health issues- obstacles treated with brutal honesty. It stars major Hollywood actors Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller in roles fairly opposite to the ones that made them famous. While it was a success when considering its budget and received critical acclaim, the film and book have both somewhat faded into obscurity. It’s worth revisiting if only for the frank and realistic depiction of being a teenager, regardless of its 90s setting. (Maybe this isn’t the most “indie” example, at least in terms of studio, but the overall themes and budget make it qualify.)

THE LAST SUPPER (1995)

Speaking of the 90s, this obscure black comedy is one of Cameron Diaz’s earliest works, starring alongside Ron Eldard and Bill Paxton. The film’s premise is spun off from that classic philosophical question: if you met a young Hitler and learned of his ideas, would you attempt to improve the future at the cost of his life? It’s an already morbid hypothetical made more gruesome by a group of grad students. They invite a stranger to eat dinner with them, listen to their thoughts on life, and decide whether it’s a night to play executioner. Despite the very dark story, the comedy is enough to keep it from growing too dour.

HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE (2016)

Directed by Taika Waititi (of Thor: Ragnarok fame), Wilderpeople follows a teenage boy and his father figure as they flee to the New Zealand bush. Their reasons for disappearing are gut-wrenchingly realistic and far too much of a spoiler for this little blurb. But the true strength of the film is how main characters Hec and Ricky play off each other, portrayed by Sam Neill and Julian Dennison respectively. The dialogue is classic Waititi, with almost every line feeling like an outtake from Ragnarok or last year’s Jojo Rabbit. It’s also worth noting that this is the highest-grossing New Zealand film in history.

A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT (2014)

While created in America, this “vampire western” is set in Iran and uses the Persian language exclusively. It combines elements from vampire films like Dracula with the style and general tone of spaghetti westerns a la Sergio Leone. Writer and director Ana Lily Amirpour has gone on record saying she had the cast watch Nosferatu and other western films in preparation for their roles. While it uses black-and-white to enhance the creepiness of the film and emulate its inspirations, the real standout is the use of shadows. The monochrome enhances the use of lighting- or lack thereof. The film also spawned a graphic novel adaptation and an alternate soundtrack, released in 2018.

THE FLORIDA PROJECT (2017)

It’s difficult to capture the perspective of a child, especially one going through a difficult situation. Their tendency to drift towards fantasy and imagination is sometimes a skill lost as adults. However, director-producer-writer Sean Baker proved he was capable with The Florida Project. A young girl lives in a Kissimmee, Florida motel room with her single mother as the parent tries to prevent them from becoming homeless. Not only does it accurately depict how a child would view and behave in such an environment, but the filming methods add a sense of realism. It was shot entirely on-site with a 35mm film. The film was a critical success, with Willem Dafoe being nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

THE STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT (2015)

A film adaptation of the controversial Stanford prison experiment was originally announced in 2002. The movie would cover the 1971 project, in which a psychology professor used volunteer students to study abuse in the prison system. The time spent in development was due to the extreme nature of the original experiment and whether the film was profiting off the event. In the end, a more indie production was made and premiered at Sundance to rave reviews. Audiences praised the critical look at how quickly humans can turn on each other in positions of power. During its Sundance run, it won the Alfred P. Solan Feature Film Prize and the Waldo Walt Screenwriting Award, alongside being nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.

24 FRAMES (2018)

Some might argue whether this qualifies as a “movie,” seeing as there’s not a real plot. Instead, Abbas Kiarostami’s last production is two hours of 24 scenes that don’t seem to interconnect. It plays out closer to a series of short films than a cohesive work. But each scene features a different filming technique that might otherwise be seen as a gimmick. The short length- around 4 and a half minutes- keeps them from overstaying their welcome. It’s also considered to be a perfect encapsulation of Kiarostami’s history as a director, making it a must-watch for his fans.

What are your favorite underrated indie movies? Let us know!

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Mystery and thriller films are designed to shock the viewer. Audiences are more invested if the killer isn’t immediately obvious. A twist ending leaves people with a firm memory of how the movie managed to pull the rug out from under them. Scenes should be tense and leave watchers on guard, even if they’re not in any actual danger. We’ll get more into why these scenarios repeat themselves later, but first let’s break down these elements.

FOR ALL INTENSE AND PURPOSES

This is an element more commonly seen in thriller movies, rather than mysteries, although there is a great deal of overlap. In order to keep viewers engaged, filmmakers will employ several tricks to make the characters anxious. Because viewers relate to the characters and their situations, these same tricks make the audience nervous as well. One common method of enforcing suspense is through a time limit. If the heroes only have until a certain point to save the day, it adds tension. Time management is key, and it helps keep the pace steady.

Another common tactic is fear of the unknown. It’s scary to know who (or what) is behind the film’s events, but it’s downright terrifying when audiences don’t know. The lack of knowledge builds suspense. It creates a hostile energy between the characters due to lack of trust. Viewers might also get the sense that they aren’t safe either. Imagination fills in the gaps. However, this can backfire in two ways. Watching the movie for a second time, aware of what the unknown villain is, will ruin some of the suspense. Secondly, depending on the viewer’s imagination, what they conjure up might be more frightening than the actual threat.

WHAT A TWIST!

The twist ending- possibly the most iconic element in mystery films. All of the clues are pointing to one person, and it seems like the hero has them pegged. But it was a red herring- the true culprit has successfully fooled everyone, including the audience. It encourages multiple viewings to pick up on the subtle hints and foreshadowing to the true ending. For every The Sixth Sense, however, there is a Now You See Me. If the twist isn’t set up properly or makes no sense, it could ruin what is otherwise a fantastic movie.

Sometimes the greatest trick is to not play one at all. Building up to a twist ending but never delivering could either satisfy crowds or leave them disappointed. It’s a fine tightrope to walk. Even the best twists still have their detractors, though, so don’t be afraid to go for the mind-bend. Just be sure to leave enough hints that it doesn’t feel too out of nowhere.

BEHIND THE CAMERA

The script is arguably the greatest weapon a thriller/mystery movie has, but it is far from the only one. Directors have a few techniques to keep investment levels high. For example, certain camera angles instill fear or other emotions in the audience. A bird’s eye view looking down at the hero makes the protagonist seem helpless. For emotional shots- like a character reacting to the reveal of the villain- a close-up gives viewers a good look at the anguish on the actor’s face. A panning shot indicates a character is being followed. These shots all add to the film’s tension in nonverbal ways. They fill in gaps that the script might have.

Similarly, there are certain angles that can be used to make the bad guy more intimidating. Tilted shots leave the viewer feeling uneasy. One angle, the Dutch tilt, is rather infamous for its usage in thriller movies. It’s meant to give the audience a sense of psychological unease. The Dutch tilt- which, funnily enough, has nothing to do with the Dutch language- is so pervasive it’s even shown up in video games.

Of course, we’d be remiss to not mention the Dolly zoom. It was first created by Irmin Roberts for Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. The effect is achieved by zooming in with the lens while physically moving the camera away from the subject. The result is a distorted perspective that almost induces a sense of nausea in the viewer. It’s unsettling, to say the least, and can heighten emotional impact if use properly. The most famous example is in Jaws, but it has appeared in other films like Lord of the Rings, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Goodfellas.

DON’T GOT NO BODY

As mentioned above, imagination can frequently be more frightening than anything that appears on screen. So why not employ that with the victim? Murder mystery movies make it a point to show the body to the audience, often in gory detail. For a subversion, keep the body hidden. Certainly, have characters talk about the victim, or even a few shots of the surrounding area or the extremities. But don’t linger on the corpse. Let the audience picture the violence for themselves. In theory, it will keep them invested and make them more susceptible to later horror. NOTE: this is just a suggestion. Follow this idea at your own discretion.

Creating a mystery/thriller film is not as easy as just following the tips above. They can help, but it takes the entire cast and crew working in tandem to pull it off. From the script to the cinematography, everything must be working together to fully invest and surprise the audience. And even if there’s a few critics, just remember that not everything will please everyone.

That’s how it is in show business, after all.

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