Opening Two Minutes Of Rom-Com Analysis - Notting Hill

Notting Hill -
Universal Studios
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Working Title Films

The first 35 seconds of the film are used to put the credits of the companies who are part of this film on. They are placed on a black background with a simple font.

Shot 1- Fades to close up of Woman (Julia Roberts) face, pans out slightly to reveal who face and top of shoulders. The immediate close up makes the film very intimate from the very beginning. This follows the conventions of rom-Coms as they are a close, personal intimate genre. Shot lasts 6 seconds (35-41)
Shot 2- Fades to same woman turning to look at audience with camera flashes on her face. This suggests to the audience that the woman is famous/highly admired even before we actually know who the character is. During these two shots there has been background noise such as cheering and clapping, this to, adds to the suggestion of fame. This shot last 3 seconds (41-44) Close Mid-shot.
Shot 3 - As the shot is fading, the first name credit appears on screen (Roger Michell Film). The shot pan/fades across screen from right to left, slowly revealing the womans face. It only reveals half her face. This could suggest that maybe she has something to hide as all is not revealed. It could also suggest that she is not all what she seems. Shot lasts 3 seconds (44-47) Close up.
Shot 4 - With Credit still at bottom of shot, the character who has been focused on is in the middle of the shot with people placed on either side of her. This makes her seem important as she is in the centre as if she is the centre of attention. This shot only lasts a second and starts to pan/fade to the left (47-48) Mid-shot.
Shot 5 - As previous shot was pan-fading to next shot, titles leave screen. The next shot is a Mid-shot of the woman looking around having photos of her taken. The shot then closes in on her and becomes a close up on her face. This suggests that she likes the attention she gets as she allows you to get close to her. This shot of her face then  becomes a magazine front cover via an edit. This then re-enforces the suggestion of fame as now it it has been clarified. This shot lasts 6 seconds (48-54). Mid-shot to Close up.
Shot 6 - It then goes back the woman walking having her photo take. It is a close up on her face. She is wearing sunglasses which could relate to the suggestion that she isn't all that she seems as part of her face is covered. This shot lasts 4 seconds (54-58). Close up.
Shot 7 - Cuts to another mid shot of her having photos taken. Shot lasts 3 seconds (58-1.01). Mid-shot.
Shot 8 - Shot then fades to woman wearing headphones with a non-distinctive background. This could suggest that maybe she has something to do with the music industry as the background could well be a studio. She takes the headphones off and starts to get her hair done by someone of shot. Fades into next shot. Shot lasts 3 seconds (1.01-1.03). Mid-shot.
Shot 9 - Close up of woman after having her hair and make up on. During this shot, the actresses name comes onto the screen (Julia Roberts) in a flamboyant font, with different colour lettering for the first letter of her first and last name. The shot doesn't move and neither does the woman. This gives us time to see her in real detail and creates a very intimate moment for the audience. Shot lasts 4 seconds (1.03-1.07). Close-up.
Shot 10 - Fades to another close up on her face with camera flashes shown on her face. The camera pans in slowly and then her face becomes another magazine front cover. This adds to the representation of fame as it shows that the character is on multiple front covers. Shot then begins to fade. Shot lasts 7 seconds (1.07-1.14). Close-up.
Shot 11- Fades back to a close up on her face. Shot lasts 1 second (1.14-1.15) Close-up.
Shot 12 - Fades to mid shot of  woman walking down something similar to the red carpet with a crowd behind her. Shot lasts 3 seconds (1.15-1.18) Mid-shot.
Shot 13 - Fades to woman walking, close-up as we can only see her head and she stops to meet someone. At the end of this shot the title of the film appears as the shot begins to fade. Shot lasts 6 seconds (1.18-1.24). Close-up.
For the rest of the opening two minutes the shots rapidly change from Mid-shots and Close-ups of the woman. The shots have a very short length with lengths of 3s,5s, 4s, 4s, 6s, 5s, 4s and 5s.
During these shots you see the woman on a film set, her approached by fans and a shot of a directors chair. This introduction focuses completely on the woman and its main objective is to introduce her to the audience. This sticks to Rom-Com conventions as knowing the characters are essential so that the audience are able to relate, sympathise and feel attached to the characters which is essential in Rom-Coms due to the intimate nature of the genre.
The quick cuts, fades and pans also suggest that the character lives a fast lifestyle and that the fact that she is shown to be on the front of magazine covers suggests that she is also in the public eye a lot of the time. This is another reason there is a lot of use of Close-ups as its allowing the audience to feel part of that public.
The fast paced nature is another Rom-Com convention that is also used with the quick cuts. The use of the past pace helps the opening to flow smoother and keep the audiences attention.