The document provides an analysis of romantic genre conventions found in three romantic teaser trailers: The Vow, Safe Haven, and an unnamed third trailer. The analysis examines various shots and scenes in the trailers, identifying conventions like establishing intimacy between characters, portraying a tragedy that strains the relationship, using music and sound to emphasize important moments, and showing how the main characters meet and develop feelings for each other. The purpose is to understand romantic genre conventions to apply them to a teaser trailer the author is creating for a class project.

1. ROMANCE GENRE ANALYSIS
By
Charlotte Addison

2. WHAT I’M GOING TO DO
I am going to create a romantic genre
teaser trailer for my A2 media course whilst
including the generic codes and
conventions of a romantic genre. As a
result I have studied three different
romantic teaser trailers and have written up
a detailed analysis of them.

3. THE VOW
I believe this shot of the food is used right near the start of the
trailer as it allows the audience to know that this film is going to
be about a love/close relationship between two people;
therefore justifying romance. I also believe that they have
chosen to use a close up to emphasise that this is going to be
based on a love story as well as being able to see it clearly
through the close up therefore as an audience member you are
unable to miss it.
This is the follow on shot from the ‘move in’ close up, I feel they have
used a big close up to highlight and again put the emphasis on the strong
bond between these two people. It also again reiterates the fact that it is a
genre romance due to the close up on the stereotypical ‘looking in to
each others eyes’ close up which is also a typical convention of romance
genres. The setting of this is also placed within the home which is known
to be a calm and welcoming place therefore it expresses the passion
between this couple as it shows how comfortable these two are with each
other.
Fade/blackouts transitions are a typical convention of teaser
trailers due to them being quick and therefore needing to get to
the point is really important. It is also used typically when trying
to portray the past or a flashback of something significant; in
this case a tragedy which is again another convention of
romance genres.

4. This shot is when the audience are first presented with the
‘tragedy’ of this love story genre; it is also a common accident
that often occurs during romances as the audience members
know that car accidents can be fatal. I believe they have
chosen to use a big lorry with snow as it excites the audience
and gets them interested for what is going to happen next due
to knowing that the impact could be massive. This shot is
presented within a flash back and therefore is telling the story
of this couple and how their life have been affected from it.
This medium shot is set within the hospital after the accident where the
girl is unaware of what has happened and therefore expresses her
confusion when she actually says to her partner ‘was anyone else hurt
doctor’. As she is in a hospital bed with a pulse monitor on her finger
and an oxygen tube up her nose, it exposes to the audience to the fact
that this accident was bad and therefore is going to put a strain on the
perfect relationship she had with her boyfriend. This is also a slightly
higher angle which I believe have been used to put emphasis on how
small she is feeling right now due to not being aware of what has
happened.
During this shot a voice over is used to express the guys
thoughts by saying ‘I need to make my wife fall in love with
me again’ therefore showing the strain and frustration that
the accident has put on the relationship that once was so
passionate before. This is a convention of a romance genre
as it is highlighting the tragedy that is stereotypically used
within romances as well as showing how much he loves his
wife and how hard it is for them which also allows the
audience to empathise with him.

5. This over the shoulder shot is used purposely to make the
audience see what Paige, the lady is watching as it is her
wedding video which therefore is allowing her to try and
remember what her life was like and how important he is to
her. I believe it is also shown to allow the audience to feel
part of her sadness as she is unable to understand what has
happened to her and therefore seeing what her life was like
allows the audience to engage and feel sympathy towards
her which is a strong convention of romance genres.
The holding and the kiss of the hand is a very stereotypical
convention of a romance genre as it reinforces the
connection between Paige and Leo even though she is
unaware and cannot remember anything about him. I
believe that a close up has been chosen as it allows the
audience to really focus in on the characters and therefore
feel part of their romance which creates them to feel
endearing towards to them.
The title of the film is a convention of every teaser
trailer that is often shown towards the end. I believe
this is used as it allows the audience to clearly see the
name of the film which therefore would hopefully stick
in their head so when the film is released they will
remember it which will lead to them wanting to go and
see it; as a result the company are able to make more
money.

6. SOUND- THE VOW
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sazgoZaFUBg
At the start of the trailer the only sound that is heard is the
speaking of the wedding that took place in a museum that they
broke in to; I believe they have chosen to do this to highlight the
importance of that one key moment of the film. The sound played
is quite upbeat after the wedding to reinforce the new journey
that has begun. At the scene of the crash the sound focuses in
on the horn of the lorry as it implies and puts an emphasis to the
audience about the negative impact that is about to happen.
During the hospital scene the audience can only hear the sound
of the actors dialogue, I feel the produces have chosen to do this
to again, highlight the importance of the scene as it has a great
impact on the connection and future between the two characters.
The sound in the following scenes is often quite dramatic and
quicker paced, I feel this is to show the frustration and strain that
both characters are feeling towards one another as Paige cannot
remember or understand anything like before and therefore Leo
is finding it hard to cope.

7. SAFE HAVEN
A panaramic long shot towards the start of the
teaser trailer is a typical convention as it sets the
scene and allows the audience to grasp a feel of
what the film is going to be like. The bus also
symbolises that this film is going to be about a
person on a long journey that may impact on their
life.
This close up highlights the impact that leaving has caused
on this girl, I believe it has been used in this was to
emphasis that she is in hiding and therefore the medium
close up allows the audience to see the expressions on her
face. The fact that she is gazing out the window could
engage that audience and make them wonder what she is
thinking about and therefore make them want to carry on
watching the trailer, also known as an enigma.
A flash back of the main characters past is a
typical convention used within a romance as it
allows the audience to understand and feel
empathy towards the characters tragic past.

8. A meet cute- Showing when the two main
characters meet is an important shot to have within
a trailer as it highlights the romantic genre right from
the start. It also sets the scene as within this trailer
a stereotypical ‘boy meets girl unexpectedly’ scene
was used which is commonly used when telling a
romantic story.
During romantic films there is usually an object or a place
that connects two people together, in this case the guys
stayed up all night making a bike for the girl he had only
met yesterday. This engages the audience and
encourages them to feel happiness towards the guy as he
clearly feels something towards the lady. As he left it by
his door it therefore gets her to speak to him to say thank
you, as it only shows a shot clip of this in the trailer it
would make the audience want to know more and
therefore want to make them watch the whole film. The
setting of this scene is also within his shed or garage
which would indicate that he made it at home therefore
taking time out of his day; this again puts emphasis on the
romantic genre trying to be shown.

9. Showing when the film is going to be released is an
important convention of trailers as it informs and
encourages the audience to remember that date and
therefore will allow the company to make more money
through the film. In contrast teaser trailers usually use a
‘Coming Soon’ take on it as it interests the audience to
follow and look out for the full trailer so they can be made
aware of when the film is going to be released. This creates
anticipation which is what a teaser trailer is there to do, as a
result I will ensure I use this within my teaser trailer.
All of these shots used are
very stereotypical of romantic
genres. For example, the mid-
shot of the rowing implies a
first date which is also set in a
romantic settings.
As well as the mid shot of the kiss putting emphasis on the
romance and passion between these two characters.
These shots were all shown over a matter of seconds to
only give some sighting to what the film is about; therefore
intriguing the audience members. As a result I am going to
try and recreate these kind of shots within my romantic
teaser trailers.

10. Within these four shots a typical convention of romantic genres is displayed due to it
showing the girl running away with her hood up to indicate danger to the over the
shoulder bed shot showing and putting emphasis on the fact she was in danger and
therefore the guy had been keeping her safe. As a result, the guy ended up breaking
in to a burning building just to save her even though he had only known her for a
shot period of time the romance and passion between them was clearly indicated as
it shows he was willing to go to extreme lengths to find her. The use of the fire also
allows the audience to feel part of the film as they can empathise with the characters
emotions as well as being put on edge, the pacing of these edits is also quick to
highlight further than something big was about to happen but also that she needed to
get away quickly.

11. ‘Happy ever after’ is a typical story line used throughout romantic
genres where two people meet, they fall in love and then a tragedy
happens but they always work it out in the end. These two shots
highlight this as the location set is around where they first met which
makes it more romantic and the mid-shot of them hugging highlights
that she feels safe and secure now that she has him back again. The
close up of them in the bed where they are both looking at the
holding of the hands puts further emphasis on the love connection
between these two characters; this also highlights and allows the
audience to see that this is a romantic genre. I also feel that the close
up highlights and puts an emphasis on the emotions between these
two characters as if a wider shot were to be used then the audience
would be loose and therefore be unable to see the full expression.
The lighting used within this shot also portrays a ‘dream like’, fantasy
feel which I feel is used to show that these characters may feel that it
is to good to be true therefore adding to the romantic feel of the
trailer.
Again in the trailer the title of the film is displayed, this is
an important convention that would be expected to be
shown within the teaser trailer as it informs the audience
members about the name of the film therefore allowing
them to look out for it when it is released. The picture in
the background is also a key element of the film as it is
where the main filming took place as well as where the
first love connection between the two characters was
made.

12. SOUND- SAFE HAVEN
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3y8fFPPgdA
Throughout the whole of this trailer a dramatic and romantic non-diegetic
score is played within the background with the dialogue of the characters
put over the top; I believe that because the story line is quite dramatic it
was more important to hear the dialogue of the characters over the
sound played however the sound adds further passion and romance of
the overall trailer. Again like other romance genres, the music stopped at
key moments of the film; for example when they first meet in the shop
and he asks her to go canoeing, I feel this is to highlight that key moment
and allow the audience to pay full attention to it as it is when the
produces have placed a meet cute within the film. ‘Open up, everything's
waiting for you’ is one of the only lines of the sound played in the
background that the audience can hear which is played when the girl is
assessing her situation and whether she wants to start letting the guy
become close with her. I believe the producer cleverly used this to
emphasise her thoughts and what everyone is telling her to do therefore
allowing the audience to feel part of the film and allowing them to feel the
desperation for her to open up to the guy.

13. DEAR JOHN
‘Boy notices girl’ is a very typical shot used within romantic
films. Not only does it display who the main characters are
going to be but it also displays how two people from different
lives and situations can become so close. The medium close
up of this shot also allows the audience to focus in on the
character whilst also doing an eye-line cut to show the long
shot of the girl standing talking with her friends without even
noticing him.
The fact that her bag fell off the pier in to the water
and he saved it is a strong convention of romance
genres as it allows the boy to first interact with the girl
he had noticed. The fact that this scene is set on the
beach is also a typical location due to it being thought
of as a romantic place to be with an individual.

14. This long shot of the boy and the girl walking
along the beach not only sets the scene but also
allows the audience to engage in the romantic
mood and atmosphere that is being put across.
The sun setting the background also emphasises
this.
A Medium close up of the girl looking at this guy
that she has just met portrays the romantic feel of
the film really well. This is because the audience is
able to see how ‘love stuck’ she is gazing in to her
eyes whilst also seeing the candle lights in the
background which again, reiterates the romantic
atmosphere within the film.
The fact that the producers have included another well
known romantic film within the opening scenes of the
trailers allows the audience to know that not only is it a
romance genre but also the fact that the author had written
another famous romantic film before. The positive effect of
this therefore allows the audience to be more eager to not
only carry on watching the trailer but also to see the film as
they are aware that the notebook is a well known and
brilliant film.

15. This is the first point in the trailer where the audience get
an insight to what the guy does with his time. The army
uniform is a well known and recognizable symbol for the
army therefore giving the audience a clue about the fact
that this ‘happy ever after’ relationship might not last
forever.
The location within this scene is a typical romantic place
to be as they are looking up at the clear sky towards the
moonlight. The fact that it is a medium long shot from
behind also allows the audience to see the setting from
the characters perspective therefore adding to the
romantic feel of the overall trailer.
A medium close up of the two characters kissing is
a strong and widely used shot within romantic films
as it highlights the love connection and
exaggerates the passion that the characters feel
within that moment. The fact that the producers
have also chosen to perform the shot whilst raining
again, implies and reiterates the fact that it is a
romance genre due to ‘kissing in the rain’ being
associated with love and passion.

16. The tragedy has stuck again within another romance
genre, therefore conveying the strong convention of
tragedies occurring with romantic films. In this case it’s
the fact the guy has to go back to the army, the mid shot
allows the audience to see the shock and disappointment
on her face as well as the location emphasising this due
to it being a ‘casual’ place to find out.
This long shot reiterates the point that this guys duties
are serious as it shows the landscape and the feel that
these men are about to go and fight within the army. It
also highlights the sadness that the girl is going to feel
when she has to say goodbye.
The fact that the girl is clinging on to the guys arm
clearly shows the audience that she does not want to
let go and that she loves him to much. Also the fact you
can see him in his army gear also emphasizes that she
is not going to see him for quite some time and
therefore the love connection between them is going to
have to be strong in order for their relationship to
survive.

17. Where they first met, where they say goodbye. This mid
shot of the couple is again set in the romantic beach location
where they first met, however this time it’s to say goodbye;
the beach creates the audience to feel sympathy and
sadness for the two characters as they are having to over
come this obstacle that is stopping them from being together
for the time being.
The location of this mid shot allows the audience to see how even
though he is doing something so great for his country he is still
missing her so much and is clearly thinking about it whilst out on
duty. The is a typical convention of love as quite often when
relationships struggle it effects individuals day to day tasks.
The letters written to one another is an iconic symbol used
throughout the film as it is the only way this couple can
interact with one another. Therefore every time one another
gets a letter it allows the audience to become endearing
towards the characters as they know that it is going to make
both the girl and both extremely happy. Within these two
shots you are also able to see that both the characters use
their only free time to write/read these letters as well as
being able to see how opposite the location settings are to
one another which puts further emphasis on the fact they are
in two completely different places far away from each
another.

18. Within these scenes the romantic genre is strongly portrayed;
this is due to the medium long shots of the girl jumping on him
which highlights how much she has missed him. The fact that
they passionately kiss also puts emphasis on the fact that
these two character's have a strong connection and therefore
do not want the fact they don’t see each other often to ruin it.
The setting on this scene is also in the airport which is a
typical convention used throughout romance genres, the busy
background with the random passengers looking at these two
characters allows the audience to really focus on the main
point of the scene. Another example of a film that did this is
Love Actually.
The strain on the relationship begins to grow, the top
picture really shows this due to the over the shoulder
shot of the girl allowing the audience to see the guy
from her perspective therefore being able to see the
frustration on his facial expressions. The bottom close
up of her face engages the audience as it makes them
feel sympathy for her because as an audience member
you are able to clearly see the tears building up within
her eyes. The fact that she is also gazing out the
window implies that she cannot stop thinking about
him; a strong convention of romance genres.

19. This two shot of the guy and his dad is a common convention of
romances due to the fact that although him and his girlfriend are
feeling the strain, relationships that were rocky in the first place are
now becoming stronger. This allows the audience to see his dad in
hospital where he is clearly very ill and although they did not always
get along; everything is put to the side which as an audience member
would make me to feel empathy towards the two characters.
A flashback, again used within another romance genre therefore
being a common convention. Within this scene the audience are
exposed to the true emotions that the guy is feeling as he drives
home. The close up allows the audience to see how upset he is
but also the fact that he is in a car driving is a typical location as
driving is often related to clearing your head and thinking about
your life problems. The bottom shot of the two kissing and being
intimate also adds further emphasis to the fact that he is so
frustrated about the strain and rocky relationship that has
progressed between him and the girl as he cant stop thinking
about the good memories they had already created.
The title of the film has appeared in every teaser trailer
that I had watched therefore being a convention that I will
make sure I use within my teaser trailer. It also allows the
audience to be exposed to the name which therefore can
allow them to remember and recognize it when it is
released as a film.

20. SOUND- DEAR JOHN
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLkTKkNXDp4
The sound within this teaser trailer is light, airy and fast paced.
I believe that the producers have chosen this type of sound to
reiterate how fast the relationship progresses and how quickly
things change throughout the trailer. It also plays throughout
the whole trailer whilst getting louder and quieter in specific
areas; for example when the relationship begins to strain the
music goes quieter to allow the audience to engage fully with
the story line.
The sound also turns silent on the kiss outside, I believe this
is used to emphasis the passion and allow the audience to
really focus on and feel part of that one romantic moment. The
voice over of the characters gets louder and quicker as the
trailer progresses as I believe this highlights the desperation
and stress that the characters feel from being so far apart.