# Romance — Genre

> Films centered on a love relationship as primary plot.

## Defining elements

- Love relationship at center
- Obstacles to love
- Emotional arc of connection
- Audience invested in pairing
- Catharsis at resolution

## Sub-genres

| Sub-genre | Example |
|-----------|---------|
| Romantic comedy | When Harry Met Sally |
| Romantic drama | The Notebook, Past Lives |
| Period romance | Pride and Prejudice |
| Forbidden love | Brokeback Mountain |
| Tragic romance | Titanic, Romeo + Juliet |
| Love triangle | Bridget Jones |
| Long-distance | Past Lives |
| Second chance | About Time |
| Rom-com | Notting Hill |
| Workplace romance | The Proposal |

## Structural conventions

### Meet-cute
- How couple meets
- Often tension/conflict
- Memorable opening

### Obstacles
- External (circumstance, family, distance)
- Internal (fear, history, flaw)
- Build through middle

### Dark night
- Lowest point of relationship
- Often breakup or near-loss
- Audience anxious

### Grand gesture / Resolution
- Effort to win/return
- Sacrifice often
- Reunion or tragic loss

### Resolution
- Together (happy)
- Apart but transformed (bittersweet)
- Tragic loss (drama-romance)

## Voice / Style

### Dialogue
- Witty banter (rom-com)
- Emotional intimacy (drama)
- Specific to characters
- Subtext heavy

### Visual
- Faces / closeups
- Light flattering
- Locations romantic
- Color palette warm typically

### Music
- Songs as emotional anchors
- Score swells at peaks
- Specific song = the couple's song

## Romance mechanics

### Will-they-won't-they
- Tension from uncertainty
- Audience invested
- Obstacles maintain question

### Two characters worth caring about
- Both have flaws
- Both desirable
- Specific not generic

### Chemistry
- Through dialogue
- Through looks
- Through small touches
- "I see you"

### The third act misunderstanding
- Common in rom-com
- Communication breakdown
- Resolution requires reaching out

## Sample romantic scene

```
INT. CAFETERIA - NIGHT

NIGAR (32) sits across from ELDAR (35). It's their fifth date.
They're past the surface conversations.

NIGAR
Can I ask you something?

ELDAR
Anything.

NIGAR
Why do you order coffee you don't drink?

He looks at his cup. Half-full. He's been holding it for an hour.

ELDAR
What do you mean?

NIGAR
Every time we've met, you order coffee. You never finish it. You
play with the cup. You watch it go cold.

He's caught.

ELDAR
I... (laughs nervously)
I don't even like coffee.

NIGAR
Why do you keep ordering it?

ELDAR
(beat)
Because everyone else orders it. And I didn't want to be...
different.

She sets her own cup down. Looks at him.

NIGAR
That's the most you've ever told me about yourself.

He almost retreats. Doesn't.

ELDAR
What should I order?

NIGAR
What do you actually want?

He thinks. Realizes he doesn't know. Then —

ELDAR
Tea.

She smiles.

NIGAR
Tea. Okay.

They sit. He doesn't look at the coffee anymore.
```

This works through:
- Specific detail (coffee = his hiding)
- Vulnerability earned
- Subtext (about him not just coffee)
- Small intimate moment
- Connection deepening

## Common mistakes

- Generic chemistry (no specific magic)
- Manufactured obstacles
- Misunderstanding could be solved with one conversation
- Insta-love (no buildup)
- Ignoring red flags (toxic patterns)
- Saggy middle (too much "fun and games")
- Predictable beats

## Best romance films reference

- When Harry Met Sally (rom-com craft)
- Past Lives (longing, time)
- The Notebook (epic romance)
- Brokeback Mountain (forbidden)
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (memory)
- Carol (period, queer)
- 500 Days of Summer (deconstruction)
- About Time (time travel + love)
- Before Sunrise trilogy (real-time)

## When to write romance

- Audience-friendly mainstream
- Star vehicle
- Holiday release (Valentine's)
- Streaming success
- Character-driven story
- Book adaptation often

## Demographic note

- Romance audience often female-skewed (historically)
- Modern: diverse audiences
- Queer romance growing market
- International audiences strong

## Combination with other genres

- Romance + Comedy = Rom-com
- Romance + Drama = Romantic drama
- Romance + Action (rare, but works — Mr. & Mrs. Smith)
- Romance + Sci-fi (Eternal Sunshine, About Time)
- Romance + Period (Pride and Prejudice)
- Romance + Tragedy (Titanic)
