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The 08/09 One Week Challenge discussion continued (currently 5398 views)
mcornetto
Posted: September 1st, 2009, 9:00pm
Guest User
So you and two other's agree, then what? Why change the way you are going to judge midstream when there is nothing people can do about it. All you do is make the people that entered based on their interpretation of Drama/Comedy anxious.
Just judge based on how you interpreted it. After this is all over we can discuss and agree upon what a Romantic Dramedy is. Or better yet, just decide which script you like the best based on the one you enjoyed the most.
And, actually, just so you know I think the Romance is the key here. I don't care if it's got comedy and drama, I'm looking to feel the romance.
[quote=JonnyBoy]What seems like a pretty good definition from http://tviv.org/Dramedy - all that seems certain is that nothing is certain! And that it's primarily a TV term, not one used for films.
Thanks so much Johnny for you work here. I've supplied part of your quote here because I want to focus in on one particular question.
What really is the mysterious concept we call 'drama' and take for granted in its everyday use, somewhat in the same way we often pay no mind to grammatical constructions?
My answer is simply, that it's got a lot of high conflict.
"A dramedy is a term used to describe programs with elements of comedy and drama...
The term as coined is more specific, in that it refers to those comedies—particularly those set in typically dramatic settings or themes (doctors in hospitals, lawyers, cops, etc.)—which, while clearly comedic in tone, nonetheless handle the dramatic situations—e.g.: death, divorce, illness, social concerns—as serious issues, or those dramas set in typically dramatic settings which nonetheless place their often over-the-top characters in outlandish or impossible situations one might more commonly associate with a sitcom.
This part here:
The term as coined is more specific, in that it refers to those comedies—particularly those set in typically dramatic settings or themes (doctors in hospitals, lawyers, cops, etc.)—which, while clearly comedic in tone, nonetheless handle the dramatic situations—e.g.: death, divorce, illness, social concerns—as serious issues,
First, I'm going to paraphrase:
The term, dramedy can include comedies that are set in typically dramatic situations, meaning they are existing within the context of a high conflict scenario since drama is conflict.
**In the above description, it says:
(doctors in hospitals, lawyers and cops)
(and I'll add, lawyers and cops in their surroundings because it's not always a hospital ... just being silly for a moment)
Now seriously speaking:
The above description, though a bit narrow, helps us to define the term, a bit anyways, since to me it appears that we're dealing with
1. A high conflict scenario - might be surroundings, situational or psychological
*Note: I don't think it needs to be what we might think, such as the hospital example
2. The tone is comedic
3. The conflict is handled, thematically. as serious even though the tone is light.
That's what I've learned from this discussion. Can someone correct me or elaborate?
I don't usually get too hung up on my reviews with whether or not the writer completely met the challenge. Obviously comedy is suggestive and I think drama is to a certain extent as well (what moves you emotionally may be something I can't connect with and find forced)... even romance can be different to different people.
I try to focus on basic screenwriting mistakes like ING verbs in descriptions, telling rather than showing, under-developed characters, un-realistic dialogue, etc. Most people don't do a whole lot with their OWC entries after the winner is revealed, so pointing out bad habits would be more helpful to a writer in the long run.
These are just my views and how I write my reviews. Obviously we're all welcome to review as each of us sees fit. If you don't like someone else's review then just ignore it and move on to the next one.
After reading the above thread. I just want to question whether rating is really necessary. Since we really cannot all agree on what suits the Challenge, maybe reviewing the scripts and commenting to the quality and imagination should suffice.
Rating is really useless, if we don't all agree on what a romantic dramedy really means.
I'm not looking for a comedy in particular when I review. The challenge said "romance"... I bet we all won't agree which script/scripts embraced that one (romance) as well - a funny fact, but we're here to state opinions...
I like your post, Sandra,
Thanks for a comedy/dramedy break down - comedy indeed can be defined by tone, setting, comedic element. Doesn't have to make you laugh outloud all the time to classify as a comedy.
Finally, this OWC has TWO must, and generally, people forgot about the true theme: the piece of music. If I understood well, the story should turn around that piece of music. Shouldn't it?
Only a few of submissions has it as the real theme, IMO.
Finally, this OWC has TWO must, and generally, people forgot about the true theme: the [b]piece of music. If I understood well, the story should turn around that piece of music. Shouldn't it?
Only a few of submissions has it as the real theme, IMO.
Aaah but that would be another debate. Can a specific piece of music qualify as a theme?
Music as a theme would suggest the initial or principal piece of music in a piece. They all qualify under that.
If the theme means the literary sense in that it should be the unifying topic or subject of the story, then not so much perhaps. I would personally wonder whether "music" could be considered a theme at all in this sense.
However it wasn't just music, it was a very specific piece of music. Some people may have used the "mood" of the piece to suggest the theme.
To me it was a very melancholy and nostalgic piece of music. An ode to lost love. So that's what I went with. The theme of that piece of music was lost love and how we don't appreciate what we have when we have it. That, therefore was the implied theme in the work.
In the past when I've had the time to review I have judged the scripts based on how well they fit the criteria, but I decided this time that it was a bit pointless because it's the story that matters ultimately.
From my own point of view, I also tend to favour stories that try something new and original. I have seen so many films and read so many stories that I get to a point where I can start to list the films that have had that scene in them before.
I also look at it from a Production point of view and consider whether the story is one that I would watch if it was an actual film.
Alfie (2005) Jude Law is Alfie, a man with a big heart and no conscience. With its release on DVD, the film asks an old question: can a womanizer learn to love?
Dance With Me Two dance lovers are recovering from heartbreak. Through music, dance, and love, they'll slowly mend their lives.
Elizabethtown A man at the end of his rope is returning home for his father's funeral when he meets a perky flight attendant who changes his life - for the better.
For Keeps "They have their plans. They have each other. And a little something they weren't expecting."
Must Love Dogs Newly divorced, a woman is back in the dating scene seeking the answer to the question we all ask - is it possible to find true love online?
Nina's Heavenly Delights "Nina´s Heavenly Delights" is a sweet little dish of a romance set in Glasgow´s Indian community amidst a cooking competition. Think curry, not "Chocolat" -- and eat before you see it. You´ve been warned.
Prime The incomparable Uma Thurman and legendary Meryl Streep team up in a romantic comedy about age and love.... and therapy.
Return to Me "Return to Me", starring David Duchovny and Minnie Driver, is one of those charming, rather old-fashioned romances you don´t see much of anymore.
The Prince and Me A commoner falls in love with royalty. Sound familiar? So´s this movie. Unless you´re a fan of Julia Stiles, you probably won´t remember this lightweight modern fairy tale.
The Upside of Anger The Upside of Anger is a story of finding love after crisis. Is there an upside to this romantic dramedy?
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The 08/09 One Week Challenge discussion continued
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... just being silly for a moment)
, music for a theme and a romance... 
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