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.
