Character Types (genre research)

HIII Cambridge!!!!

In my last post, I researched a bit about how I want the structure of my short film to be. Today, I wanted to research the types of characters that usually appear in comedies. I focused on teen comedies to get inspiration for the type of characters I want to have in my short film.

In The DUFF, the main character finds out she is labeled the DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) of her friend group. She feels insecure but decides to try to change how people see her. The film incorporates a relatable character who feels misunderstood. Having a relatable character is important for the type of film I am doing, especially since the target audience is teenagers and young adults. It has the classic roles that most teenage comedies have, like the love interest, the messy best friends, and the
social hierarchy. A lot of the humor comes from the main character attempting to fix her image, which honestly just makes things worse.

Another good example is 10 Things I Hate About You. This film uses humor and exaggeration to make normal high school situations feel bigger than they actually are. The strict dating rule creates unnecessary drama, which leads to awkward setups and funny misunderstandings. Patrick is charming but unpredictable, which creates tension and keeps the relationship interesting.

Both films show that teen comedies rely on character contrast.

From these films, I can see how exaggerating simple problems can make them funnier. For my short film, I could take a normal situation and make it feel way more dramatic than it needs to be.