The Meet-Cute Project
Here’s what all that work has
been leading to. . .
Defining a Meet Cute
Wikipedia Definition:A meet-cute is a situation in
which a future romantic couple meets for the first
time in a way that is considered adorable,
entertaining, or amusing.This type of situation is a
staple of romantic comedies, commonly involving
contrived, unusual, or comic circumstances. The
technique creates an artificial situation contrived by
the filmmakers in order to bring together characters
in an entertaining manner. Frequently the meetcute leads to a humorous clash of personalities or
beliefs, embarrassing situations, or comical
misunderstandings that further drive the plot.
The Urban Dictionary
Definition: Meet-Cute
Scenario in which two individuals are
brought together in some unlikely, zany,
destined-to-fall-in-love-and-be-togetherforever sort of way (the more unusual,
the better).
Further Info
Meet Cute is a way to quickly introduce two
characters and set up their burgeoning relationship. A
meet-cute is almost always rife with awkwardness,
embarrassment, and sometimes outright hostility. It's
often used in films, particularly the Romantic
Comedy, due to time constraints; while on television
a relationship can develop more naturally over many
episodes, a movie has to get their couple set up right
away to fit within 2 hours.
What & How
This meeting can happen by way of any of an
innumerable array of circumstances, so long
as there's something cutesy* about it.
Possibly they have an instant dislike for one
another. Maybe they crash into each other in
a hallway and papers fly about. Maybe one of
them has been shopping for groceries and
trips over the other walking down the street.
Perhaps mistaken identity or other wacky
misunderstanding is involved.
Link Note
About the “cutesy” thing: Personally, I
generally despise all things cutesy. They
come across as artificial. Feel free to make
this meeting more realistic, gritty or just dial
down the cutesy factor. Cutesy can veer into
cliché territory. The reason people dislike
clichés is that they feel unoriginal and
insincere. Tread lightly in the cutesy zone.
Meet Cute Project Instructions
Using the two characters
you created last week, write
a meet-cute scene for them.
Further Considerations
This is the first time they will “formally” meet
though they may sort of know each other or
know of each other prior to this scene.
These characters are eventually going to
become involved (be it romantic or otherwise)
in each other’s stories.
This doesn’t yet have to be evident or
obvious in your scene. Just know that you
know it and I know it and you are setting the
stage for that later action.
Meet Cute Project Instructions
You may use fiction prose narrative
form or play/screenplay script form. If
you use script form please add some
stage direction to indicate the stage
business/action that takes place during
the scene.
Requirements
4-6 pages (more for script, less
for narrative).
This is a diagnostic of sorts,
make sure you give me your
better work or I’ll waste time
reteaching something you
already know.
Due Date
This project will be due
Another Mad Experiment
Because you’ll want/need lots of
commentary and my handwriting is
getting worse by the day, you’ll be
turning this in via a google doc.
Use the info on the half sheet (thought it
was safer for you to have something
you could hold in your hand for this.)
Pieces to Turn In
All pieces of the project will be due with
the final draft. This includes:
– MC character # 1
– MC character # 2
– 5 Key Questions/Answers for each
character
– Final draft of entire Meet-Cute scene