Hey, I've got a question for you knowledgeable folk.

Suppose I'm writing a script in which a woman begins dating a man, getting on like a house on fire, typical Rom-Com stuff. Then BAM, it ends with her meeting his family and they're all aliens, so technically it becomes a Scif-Fi.

Should I put the genre as Romance/Sci-Fi. Or leave Sci-Fi out as that aspect doesn't appear until the end and I don't want to spoil it? This way they'll have no idea about the surprise ending.

It's kinda been bugging me of late.

Cheers.

Yeah I see what you mean. Personally, I feel that if the majority of the movie is a comedy, then it would be marketed as comedy.

For example the movie "The Prestige" wasn't really marketed as a science fiction story. And that made watching the movie even better.

I think your lead genre should be Rom-com and add sci-fi at the very end of the list if necessary. It all depends on what you want the reader to know going in the story.

Adding Sci-fi may attract more readers but as those readers get 40 pages into nothing but rom-com, then it may leave a bad taste. Some readers may be expecting the twist if they see sci-fi listed as a genre.

I had the same problem in my story as I didn't know whether to write it as a Fantasy or Sci-fi. I went with fantasy as the lead genre because most off the story revolved around that idea.

Quoted from Chase Yeah I see what you mean. Personally, I feel that if the majority of the movie is a comedy, then it would be marketed as comedy. For example the movie "The Prestige" wasn't really marketed as a science fiction story. And that made watching the movie even better.

That can cut both ways, though. Quite a few reviews didn't appreciate the sudden genre hop, and I'm still not sure that ending isn't a cheat...

Is this a feature, or a short, Glenn?

Quoted from JonnyBoy That can cut both ways, though. Quite a few reviews didn't appreciate the sudden genre hop, and I'm still not sure that ending isn't a cheat... Is this a feature, or a short, Glenn?

It's a short. There's hints throughout that there's a twist. I'm just afraid that if I label it a Sci-Fi, people will be guessing the twist from the get go.

Thanks for all your input. It's a tough one

Since the twist at the end is their aliens, I wouldn't call it sci-fi.  It isn't.  I'd call it a rom-com.

The issue is you have the potential of any reader pissing on your twist since it isn't sci-fi.  Personally, I'd find that humorous, but, that's me.

I hope you deal with how they are aliens, but, the girl looks human (unless they are superman type shaped aliens or can morph like Martian Manhunter...

But, Yeah, to me, I'd put it as rom-com.  What I'd do is say in the tagline (at the end) that it will surely blow his mind to meet her parents...

It is a tough one. Almost all films are really multi genre and we generally have a limited list to select from (i.e., you see Rom/Com - but no Rom/Horror, Rom/Sci-Fi, etc).

Anyway, for me:

- if the aliens continue the comedic thread of the romance then I would call it a Rom/Com. i.e., am I still laughing at the alien part of the story?

- If the romance is only the preamble to entering a dramatic alien world - then I would call it a sci-fi.

Comedy.

Think of other sci-fi type movies. For some reason only This Is the End and Coneheads come to mind. I'd say they are both labeled as comedies.