W ORKING T ITLE Revision – Topic Sentence Paragraph Starters

P LAN A RESPONSE TO BOTH EXAMPLE EXAM QUESTIONS Question taken from WJEC FM2 Exam 7. ‘How far does genre contribute to the distinct identity of your chosen production company? [40] 8. ‘How far do the films you have studies for this topic share similar messages and values?[40]

W RITING A RESPONSE After you have completed your plans. Choose one of the questions to write a response. Use your plan, your viewing notes and the marks scheme to help you. Remember to support you points with direct reference to key sequences. Include a quote from Tim Beven or Eric Fellner and refer to the Film Reviews

E SSAY P LAN Intro: lots of different genres on slate but I’m going to focus on Romcoms and WT specific British construction of a Romcom with it’s distinctive characteristics Success of the Romcom – why does it appeal to audiences? American actresses- his leading ladies and central love interest in the narrative Other stock or stereotypical characters and the similarities between them. Quirky ones that create comedy. Use of Big TV names. Richard Curtis writer closely associated with Romantic comedy genre. Conc: Economic reasons for success of genre. Genre and Star theory – is it the genre or the stars now (or both that contribute to WT identity?)

Working Title has changed a great deal since its creation in …It now has a varied slate, working with a huge number of different actors, directors and writers to produce some very diverse films.. However, as asserted in the title, Working Title is probably best known for and associated with one genre the British Romcom and this contributes to the overall identity of the company.

Perhaps the best known of Working Title’s films is ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’… (Explore how this film had the stereotypical generic Romcom codes and conventions) (You should also briefly explore how it defines itself as a very British Romcom)

Perhaps the biggest impact to the overall identity of Working Title is the repeated use of Richard Curtis to write Romantic Comedies for the production company. For my chosen films he follows a very simple, similar narrative pattern… (could briefly explore stock characters and locations) You could also explore the universal attitudes and values or ideology that underpin these films

This idea of using different actors yet similar roles is also seen in the casting of Will and Charles’ friends in the two films. For example, … (Use of stock or stereotypical characters)

There are economic reasons for Working Title using the same or similar actors, writers and directors… Some critics also believe film should be analysed using ‘Genre and/or Star theory’, for example… And finally, try to include at least one quote from Tim Beven or Eric Fellner…

W ORKING TITLE – F ORMULAIC GENRE Bevan: ‘I think it’s critical. One of the things we shy away from in British film is the genre thing and that’s what makes the movie world go round. We created a romantic comedy genre in Britain. When you make a film that a big audience enjoys – that’s a very gratifying feeling…’ Fellner: It’s an interesting question because it’s the natural place of the British [film] community to start apologising or being commercial, and I think the thing Tim and I are quite proud of is that we’re not apologetic

‘The Working Title philosophy has always been to make films for an audience - by that I mean play in a multiplex. We totally believe in this because we know it is the only hope we have of sustaining the UK film industry.’ (Lucy Guard & Natasha Wharton)

Fellner: We've got a new Richard Curtis movie called "About Time" which stars Rachel McAdams and a fantastic young actor called Domhnall Gleeson, who is Brendan Gleeson's son. He was actually in "True Grit" and he was in "Anna Karenina" as well and he's just gorgeous to watch on screen. It's a beautiful Richard Curtis romantic comedy about the simplest of things in life which is two people who fall in love and have a family and that is it.