Cinematography is the art of photography and visual storytelling in films and television shows. It is made up of all visual elements that you see on screen. These include lighting, framing, shot composition, camera movement, camera angles, colour focus and exposure. In romantic comedies, cinematography is a crucial tool to enhance the tone, humour and emotional connection between the story and the audience. Rom-coms usually do enhance story and characters with the visual side, the cinematography does play a significant role in creating a visually engaging and emotionally immersive experience.
Cinematography contributes to the romantic comedy genre in these ways:
1. Warm and inviting visual style
Colour palette: They often use warm, bright and pastel colours to make the audience feel happy, hopeful and romance in the air. For example, yellows, pinks and blues within settings to make the location seem inviting. This however may contrast with when there is a feeling spike or a breakup, where the colours of the setting and weather may be dark or bleak, to represent harsh realities and realisations. For example, dark, grey skies and rain.
Example: The sorority house in 'Legally Blonde' is bright and colourful to show hope and optimism for Elle's law school journey.
2. Camera distances
Close ups: intimate close ups are used in rom-coms to make the audience feel attached to the protagonists and make their romantic chemistry known to the audience. This can be subtle facial expressions such as a smile or a nervous glare to emphasise the romantic tension.
Example: Close up of Anna Scott in 'Notting Hill' where you can see her heartfelt expression when she says "I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy..."
In this clip you can clearly see where she stands in the relationship and the expressions on her face in the close up reveals to the audience she is being genuine with her feelings.
3. Shot composition
Two shots: framing both of the main characters in the same shot creates a sense of partnership and close relationship to highlight their tension and chemistry. Tight framing can also symbolise their growing closeness.
Example: Cher and Josh in 'Clueless' sitting on the stairs at the end of the film shows their growing bond and close partnership.
4. Camera angles
Canted framing/dutch angle: often used in moments of awkwardness, realisation or disorientation. In romantic comedies there are usually awkward moments, for example a meet cute where the protagonists have a collision, or there are moments of realisation within their relationship.
Example: in '500 Days of Summer' Tom has a realisation that Summer is engaged to another man. The canted framing shows his emotional disorientation and heartbreak as he witnesses Summer's interactions with her friends and her fiancée.
5. Camera Movement
Tracking shots: tracking shots in romantic comedies are often used in scenes where characters are chasing down the "love of their life" after a huge argument or misunderstanding. They use tracking shots so that the audience can feel the moment and anticipation with the character.
Example: In 'Love Actually' where Sam runs through Heathrow Airport to confess his feelings to Joanna. The tracking shots follow his movements to create a sense of urgency and intensity as he navigates through many people, security and crowds.
In summary, cinematography in romantic comedies not only enhances emotional connections, but it also maximises humour and creates a visually appealing world. This is so the audience feel part of the story, and want to continue watching. The genre relies on subtle, visual cues and clever composition to elevate moments of romance and comedy in order for them to feel authentic and magical.
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