So, how was it for you? Like Andy in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, has the sunshine been let in? Do you think you’ve now got a better understanding of the genre you’re writing in, and how you might approach your screenplay – both in terms of writing and selling? We hope so. We wanted this book to be accessible and inspiring, and to help you – the screenwriter – kick-start your romantic comedy project, or go back to it with fresh eyes.
The thing about a screenplay is that it’s built up in layers and is concerned with many things, from ideas to themes to structure to visual storytelling to dialogue. As it progresses and develops, new layers are created as a response to new feedback. There are many books and resources about all of these elements, and so what we wanted to give you here was a specific way into understanding the romantic comedy, and also some insights that you might not get elsewhere. For example, we hope that through our tools, principles and examples we’ve given you new ways to think about the romcom genre and how it relates to various sub-genres, the world of a romantic comedy, tone and the role of comedy, and some help with development, pitching and selling documents.
Many cultures and societies across the world show a ‘need’ for romantic comedy – to help understand and laugh at ourselves, and the world we live in. The genre will change and evolve, as we, and many others, have suggested, with the proliferation of hybrids and sub-genres. There’ll always be a need for films to make us feel loved and wanted and a little less alone – we’re human, after all. The romantic comedy is the genre that conveys the notion that there’s hope out there for everyone to connect with someone or something.
As writers ourselves, we know the process of creativity is often complex, private and deeply personal. Even more so when writing about love! So be brave, wear your heart on your sleeve, and be willing to share your most private hopes and dreams and disillusions, even if just through your characters. Ideas are special, but vulnerable, just like new love. So nurture them, and protect them.
Enjoy your romcom journey.