EDITING - ROM COM

The editing in romantic comedies shapes the tone, pacing and emotional impact on the audience which is crucial for seamlessly blending the humour, romance and character development. The editing style supports the narrative structure and enhances the engagement of the audience. 

Here are some key aspects of editing in rom-coms:

1. Cross-cutting 

This is when the film alternates between two or more scenes that are happening simultaneously. 

The effect of this is to make the audience believe that the action in the scenes are related and the separate storylines will eventually meet. It means that the audience can make predictions on usually the two main characters and their love tropes. Cross cutting also puts the audience in a more privileged position than the characters because the audience knows more than the characters do. This can build tension and suspense, for example when a misunderstanding between a couple is happening, the audience can assess the situation from afar and understand both sides. This makes the audience more invested as they just want the characters to understand the others perspective. 

Example: The opening scene of 'The Devil Wears Prada' cross cuts between Andrea Sachs and other powerful fashion editors to emphasise the contrast between her morning and theirs. This is so that the audience can make predictions of her character and understand that she is and outsider in this world of fashion. 

2. Montages 

This is when a series of short shots are edited together to represent the passing of time and to convey character development or growing relationships.

In romantic comedies a montage is used to effectively communicate a relationship progression or the emotional journey of a character. Montages are usually accompanied by a single piece of music or a voiceover, acting as a sound bridge to link all of the shots together. They are also used to bring the audience up to speed with what may have happened in the past or to show development over time. The pace of editing is usually fast. 

Example: In '500 Days of Summer' the montage of Tom's happy days with Summer brings the audience up to speed with their relationship, how it was in the past, to contrast with all the bad memories he is choosing to forget/ignore. 

3. Split screens 

This is when the screen simultaneously displays two or more perspectives within the same frame. 

The purpose of using split screens in romantic comedies is that it can highlight the connection or contrast between characters in different locations or in different points in their lives. This is often during phone calls or shared moments. Split screens are used to give the audience an insight to the characters' emotions while they experience part of their love story. They allow the audience to view both characters' perspectives of what may be the same conversation. 

Example: In '500 Days of Summer' there is a split screen to show Tom's expectations vs reality. This is to convey to the audience his internal conflict and emotional turmoil he faces when seeing Summer with her fiancée. The split screen in this emphasises the impact of finding this information out on Tom because it was so unexpected. 

4. Slow motion

When the speed of the footage is slowed down to emphasise a key moment.

In rom-coms slow motion footage is often used to reinforce the importance of something to the audience or to make an action seem more dramatic. They can heighten the romance, humour or absurdity of a scene. 

Example: In 'She's All That' Laney walking down the stairs is in slow motion to elevate the drama of her transformation.