Love Actually (Rom-Com)

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The purpose of an opening title sequence to a film is to establish the visual style of the film and to introduce the viewer to all or some of the following:

• Characters
  
• Location
  
• Narrative/Plot
  
• Genre
  
• Themes
  

The opening sequence of Love Actually does this. The film was released in 2003, it is a romantic comedy, it was written and directed by Richard Curtis, stars, amongst others, Hugh Grant and was produced by Working Title. The RomCom, Curtis, Grant, Working Title combination began in 1994 with Four Weddings and a Funeral, came together again in 1999 for Notting Hill and then more recently in 2003 with Love Actually. These films are an example of the way in which film genres follow an economics of predictability. They enable film producers to reuse script formulas, actors, sets, and costumes to create, again and again, many different modified versions of a popular movie. This is definitely the case with these three films.

The opening sequence of Love Actually introduces the universal theme of the film, love, and not just romantic love but love in all its many forms. The love a parent feels for a child, love between siblings, the love of a family, the love for a life partner, the love you feel for an old friend not seen for years. 

The other achievement of the opening sequence is to introduce one of the central characters played by Hugh Grant. Interestingly he is not seen in the sequence, only heard. There is no diegetic sound in the clip only the voiceover and the non-diegetic soundtrack. The music is an orchestral string arrangement with a piano accompaniment. It is very evocative of love and romance and sets the tone of the film.

The voiceover also successfully introduces the location of the film; no one can doubt it will be a very British film after hearing Grant’s Received Pronunciation, now so synonymous with a very particular type of film. The interior used for the opening sequence also gives clues as to the films narrative. Using a set that represents the arrivals hall of Heathrow airport indicates that the film could also be about the transient and chaotic nature of life and relationships in the 21st century. Airports connote the way in which people spend a lot of time rushing around, concerned with their own priorities and don’t stop to appreciate the people they have in their life. These are themes that are echoed in the narrative of the film.

The composition of the establishing shot makes it clear that this is also a point of view shot. The focus for the viewer, the reunited couple, is not always visible. It is at eye level and makes the viewer feel as if they were in amongst the crowd of people. The shot type mirrors the content of the voiceover; it puts the viewer in the position of Hugh Grant’s character. Other notable camerawork includes a series of tracking mid-shots following a myriad of characters meeting loved ones in the arrivals lounge, this repetition of camerawork positions all these characters on an equal footing. It also allows the viewer to follow them to the point of reunion and, through the use of close-ups share in the emotion.

A notable editing technique used in the opening sequence is the slow motion placed on some of the shots to emphasise actions such as a heartfelt embrace, the playful tossing of a child in the air, and the kiss of two lovers. This again communicates the central theme to the viewer. It is also indicative of the films genre and demonstrates to the viewer that Love Actually is likely to be more romance than comedy.

The opening sequence of Love Actually successfully uses techniques of camerawork, editing, sound and mise en scene to establish the visual style and introduce characters, narrative themes and sub-genre conventions.