Plot: The structure of romantic comedies generally tend to succumb to a classic stereotype in which a man and woman will meet, then an event will take place where they are forced apart, before finally they are reunited towards the end of the movie.
Characters: The couple who are meant to be together will obviously be the two main characters in any rom-com, but there are also minor characters in the form of family and friends. The relationship between the characters and the audience is important, as the audience should want to support the relationship between the main couple.
As the romantic element to the film will be supplied by the couple, the family and friends of the couple will typically be supplying the humour. Both the man and woman in the relationship will generally have a "best friend" who they turn to for advice regarding their relationship (normally seen after the couple split up). The best friend is often somewhat quirky to provide the story with comic relief.
Setting: The classic setting for a romantic comedy will be a big city such as New York or London, because the audience will have an image of what it's like in these places, however rom-coms can also be set in countries such as Italy or France.
Date: Alot of romantic comedies are set near Christmas, or possibly the birthday of one of the characters. This allows the family and friends to come together at a social event, where the two main protagonists may meet.
Contrast: There is often a huge contrast between the two characters. This could be a difference in class, or possibly two, totally opposite lifestyles. This contrast of characters could even be the reason for the splitting up of the couple. The more ridiculous the contrast of characters is, the greater the belief in the audience that the two will never get together, which is a key element for a successful rom-com.
Sound: The soundtrack to alot of rom-coms will be pop/chart music, so that the audience can relate to them easier and have a better understanding. The songs should capture the elements of the scene, they could also even be used as a plot device, or to explain/sum up the situation. However, the songs used do not necesserally have to be pop, they could be from a wide array of genres such as in Scott Pilgrim vs the World, where the music is primarily indie.
Intro: There are a variety of different ways to start a rom-com. For example, Love Actually starts with a voiceover/monologue by Hugh Grant talking about how love is all around us. In the movie Juno however, the intro consists of a transition between real life and a cartoon, where Juno is walking around her neighbourhood with Barry Louis Polisar's "All I Want Is You" playing over the scene. However, a common theme is that one of the main protagonist's will be introduced during the introductoary scene.
Credits: Generally, most romantic-comedies end in a typical fashion with a song from the soundtrack playing over the list of producer/actor's names. The song playing over could again, sum up the end scene or the relationship between the couple.
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