If I Was King - Genre Conventions

Characters

The characters in a comedy drama will always be relatable and will be dealing with emotional themes. Comedy dramas often have diverse characters from different backgrounds so that an audience has the opportunity to relate to at least one of the characters. The main character in an comedy drama is often an “Average Joe” who is dealing with day to day problems which many members of the audience are also dealing with. The characters are often in conflict with themselves and face tough choices which question their morals. The character with the comedy is happy throughout the series therefore keeping the comedy constant throughout.

Costume

Costumes in comedy dramas are quite modern as they are usually set in the present day however each character will have their own individual style and this will reflect the kind of character that they are.

Locations

Locations for comedy dramas vary but they are always simple and identifiable either a café, a pub, a living room or a work place. The characters homes are also often used to help the audience understand what kind of person the character is whether they be rich or poor, modern or traditional.

Themes

British comedy dramas deal with a lot of issues that the audience watching are also dealing with such as financial, work and status issues. They also deal with relationships in a conventional and relatable way whether they be love interests, friendships or family. There is also a common theme of the main character being trapped either in their situation or in their environment. Humor is used throughout the piece but with an equal balance of comedy and drama so that the program seems realistic and similar to everyday life.

Structure

Often in comedy dramas there are storylines which run throughout a single episode but also story lines which span across the entire series. For example in “If I Was King” the ongoing story lines would be Jamie and Stefs fight for the job and also the relationship building between Sophie and Jamie. The structure is very linear with an obvious beginning, middle and end with a problem being established at the beginning of the episode or series and it then being resolved by the end of the episode or series.

Music

Music is used in comedy drama’s to help an audience understand how they should be feeling at certain times. Usually it is modern music used so that the audience can also relate to the music and feel closer to the program as they share the same tastes in music. A catchy theme tune is used so that the audience becomes familiar with a show and when they hear the music they have an idea about what they are going to see.

Lighting

Lighting in a comedy drama is often light and bright as they are light hearted and comical and so this is reflected in the lighting.

Camera Work and Editing

More often than not comedy dramas are filmed on a multi camera set up in order to catch all of the action as with comedy you may only get the right reaction ones. Close ups are used so that the audience can really see how the character is feeling and point of view shots are used to put the audience in a specific characters shoes and therefor feel empathy for the character and their situation. Camera movements are often used to make the program more fluid, modern and interesting to watch.