Opening Analysis - Four Weddings and a Funeral

Four Weddings and a Funeral
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Channel Four Films
Working Title Production
Mike Newell
         -
Actors names now appear
Hugh Grant
Andie Macdowell            First 30 seconds used for these titles.

Title on screen - Title shot lasts 5 seconds.
Shot 1 - You see a man in bed asleep. His alarm goes off (most likely non-diegetic sound) and he starts to wake. The room is partially visible in background and what can be seen looks fairly messy. The fact that the character is in bed for the first time we see him suggests that he is lazy as we know nothing else of the character. There are titles of an actor at the bottom of the screen. The actors name isn't the actor who plays the character in shot. There is Music playing in the background of this shot that started during the title shots.
The shot was a Long Mid-shot. Shot Length 6 seconds.
Shot 2 - Shot the cuts to close up on the alarm clock and the characters arm reaches over to turn of alarm. The camera then pans across by following the characters arm and we now see the character going back to sleep. This ends up as a Close-up on his face. The fact that he goes back to sleep strengthens the suggestion of laziness/slob. Music continues. Shot lasts 7 seconds.
Shot 3 - Shot then  cuts to another man in bed. His alarm goes off and he abruptly stops it and gets up. Another title appears at the bottom and again it is not the actor who plays the character on screen. Once the man has got up, he gets a blazer out of a box and lays it on his bed. This suggests that there is some occasion occurring (most likely a wedding, suggested by the title). He then walks into the bathroom and stands in the mirror getting ready. This contrasts with the previous character as he stayed in bed and this character immediately got up. This again, adds to the suggestion that the first character is the lazy one. Shot lasts 18 seconds. Long Mid-shot. Pans to follow man walking to bathroom.
Shot 4 - Cuts to a woman walking into a room with a large mirror. She then stands in front of the mirror comparing dresses. This re-enforces the suggestion of an event as multiple people have been shown getting ready. Actor name appears at bottom of screen, and again not the actor who plays character on screen. shot lasts 8 seconds. Long Mid-shot.
Shot 5 - Shot cuts/immediate zoom to Close-up/semi over the shoulder shot. Closer to mirror, you can see the womans face in the reflection of the mirror rather than her actual face. Titles appear at bottom of shot. Not actor on screen. The fact that its closer to the mirror allows us to see the womans face clearer and therefore her facial expressions which creates a feel of intimacy as we are able to understand how she is feeling via her facial expressions. This intimacy sticks to the conventions of Rom-Coms. Shot lasts 7 seconds. Close Mid-shot.
Shot 6 - Cuts to a close up of a full English in a frying pan. This establishes the time. Even though the people were seen getting up, the breakfast being cooked just enforces the time of day. Not Credit, titles. Shot lasts 4 seconds.
Shot 7- Cuts to mid shot looking into mirror. Reflection shows another character previously unseen getting ready. The camera then zooms towards mirror and then begins to pan around to show actual people rather than reflections. During the pan, you see another character entering the room. As the pan starts to come to an end the character is walking past the camera to establish he has entered the room. The second man is bringing in the breakfast from the previous shot. When the camera pans round completely to show the two men standing together you can see that the second man has shaving foam on his face. The first man the proceeds to wipe it off. This suggests that there is a close and personal relationship due to the friendliness of the action. As there is a noticeable age difference it suggests that it is most likely father and son. The close bond also adds to the convention of personal relationships and intimacy of Rom-Coms. There are two titles in this shot, one of them is the actor who plays the character on shot. As this is the actors first major film it is understandable for his name to appear with his character whereas the other actors are more well known and therefore can appear somewhere else. Shot last 15 seconds. Shot goes from Long Mid-shot to Mid-shot.
Shot 8 - Shot cuts to a close up of the first character still in bed. This shows that whilst everyone else is getting ready he is still sleeping, therefore repeating the suggestion of laziness/disorganised. Shot lasts 5 seconds. Close-up.
Shot 9 - Starts with woman who was previously seen looking in mirror walking down the stair in chosen dress. She then walks past camera and it pans to follow her. She enters dining room and the second man is seen having breakfast. She stands in front of table so that she is visible to the camera and a woman (seen for first time) hands her a drink. It isn't clear whether she is a maid or not but it throws out the suggestion of possible wealth. She hands drink back after drinking and proceeds to leave the room. the man at the table quickly gets up and follows her out the room. There is also dialogue for the first time in this shot where the woman/maid? hands the first woman the drink (Maid?- Good Morning... Woman - Thank you). Two titles/credits appear on the shot and neither of the actors are in the shot. The shot starts with a Long-Mid shot and then pans to follow woman. Shot lasts 18 seconds. Long Mid-Shot.
Music is playing throughout the whole opening.