Evaluation

How useful were my sources of research?

• Tolhurst, K. (2017). Target Audience of a Romantic Comedy. [online] Slideshare. Available at: https://www.slideshare.net/KieraTolhurst1/target-audience-of-a-romantic-comedy [Accessed 30 Jan. 2020]. 
  

In order to research the target audience for romantic comedy, I used SlideShare to obtain information on what the target audience for romantic comedy was and the reasons why that particular audience enjoy the romantic comedy genre. I found this source useful because presentations on SlideShare are written by the audience so therefore people write about a subject they are passionate about. This source helped me to back up my theory that the audience for romcoms is largely women.

• Kowenstrot, C. (2012). Romantic comedy. [online] Slideshare. Available at: https://www.slideshare.net/CaitlinKowenstrot/romantic-comedy-11299772 [Accessed 12 Feb. 2020]. 
• Tolhurst, K. (2017). History of Romantic Comedy. [online] Slideshare. Available at: https://www.slideshare.net/KieraTolhurst1/history-of-romantic-comedy-81719937?qid=7ae0585d-ea11-4dfd-9f56-4564e486c569&v=&b=&from_search=8 [Accessed 24 Feb. 2020]. 
• McDonald, T. (2007). Romantic Comedy: Boy Meets Girl Meets Genre. 1st ed. New York: Columbia University Press, p.9. 

In order to research what a romantic comedy is and the typical features of the genre, I used SlideShare and books. I found these sources useful because it gave me information about the typical storyline structure of a romcom and gave me examples of concepts that featured in romcoms.

• Mark Kermode's Secrets of Cinema - The Romcom, (2018). [TV programme] BBC Four: BBC. (https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6zkf6d) 

This source details into the exact plot structure for the romantic comedy genre. This source was useful because the information was published in a TV programme by a film critic called Mark Kermode. This source backed up my point on how the plotline for romcoms remains largely the same.

• The Numbers. (2013). About Time (2013) - Financial Information. [online] Available at: https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/About-Time#tab=summary [Accessed 10 Feb. 2020]. 
• Box Office Mojo by IMDbPro. (2017). The Big Sick - Box Office Mojo. [online] Available at: https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1828750849/ [Accessed 10 Feb. 2020]. 
•  Lee, B. (2015). Not love actually: why Britons ended their affair with the romcom. The Guardian. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/02/not-love-actually-british-romcoms-bridget-jones-relationship-go-so-wrong [Accessed 10 Feb. 2020]. 

These sources detail into how well recent romcoms such as The Big Sick and About Time did at the box office, compared to previous romcoms such as Notting Hill and Love Actually. These sources were useful because it helped me back up my point on how the audience demand for the romantic comedy genre in film has declined in recent years. Additionally, it allowed me to compare how the audience for romantic comedy had decreased in the space of two decades.

• Borelli, L. (2016). Psychological Effects Of Romantic Comedies: Watching Hugh Grant Love Movies May Lead To Self-Improvement, Says Study. [online] Medical Daily. Available at: https://www.medicaldaily.com/psychological-effects-romantic-comedies-watching-hugh-grant-love-movies-may-406323 [Accessed 11 Feb. 2020]. 
• Surrey, M. (2016). How Romantic Comedies Affect Relationships with False Expectations of Love. [online] Mic. Available at: https://www.mic.com/articles/134028/how-romantic-comedies-affect-relationships-with-false-expectations-for-love [Accessed 10 Feb. 2020]. 

These sources detail into how watching romantic comedy can have both a positive and a negative impact on their audience. These sources were useful because they allowed me to compare how romcoms can have a positive effect on people because they make them more sensitive to humanity, but also, how they can give people false perceptions of love.

• Augustyn, A. (2017). Auteur theory. [online] Encyclopaedia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/art/auteur-theory [Accessed 28 Feb. 2020]. 

This source details into what the auteur of a film is and their role in the making of a motion picture. As I didn't know what an auteur was before writing this essay, this source was useful because it educated me on what the auteur theory was. Therefore, I was able to create an argument that certain writers of romantic comedy could arguably be considered an auteur.

• Mortimer, C. (2010). Romantic Comedy. 1st ed. Oxon: Routledge, p.1.

This source details into how romantic comedy has remained resilient through dips in its popularity over the years. This source was useful because it enabled me to create an enticing introduction to my essay which foresees what I plan to discuss in my essay.

• Baron, H. (2016). There's a scientific reason women like rom-coms more than men. [online] The Tab. Available at: https://thetab.com/uk/2016/08/19/theres-scientific-reason-women-like-rom-coms-men-15460 [Accessed 2 Mar. 2020].

This source details into why women are scientifically more likely to enjoy watching romantic comedy. This source was useful because it gave me an understanding of why the target audience for romantic comedy is mainly women.

• Gervais, R., 2011. Ricky Gervais: The Difference Between American And British Humour. [online] Time. Available at: <https://time.com/3720218/difference-between-american-british-humour/> [Accessed 9 March 2020]. 

This source details into the differences between the reaction of a British audience to an American audience towards humour. This source was useful because it helped me to back up my point that the British people find different things funny compared to what the American people find funny.

• Plannedparenthood.org. 2020. Gender Identity & Roles | Feminine Traits & Stereotypes. [online] Available at: <https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/gender-identity/sex-gender-identity/what-are-gender-roles-and-stereotypes> [Accessed 9 March 2020].  

This source details into the stereotypes that are set for women. This source was useful because it helped me to back up my point that women are more likely to enjoy watching romcoms because they are stereotypically more emotional than men

In addition to looking at books and websites, I also researched into several films and TV programmes that revolved around relationships such as Love Actually, Notting Hill and Gavin & Stacey. These sources were useful because they gave me an idea of the structure of the plot line for romantic comedy, in both film and television.