The opening sequence of Love Actually introduces the audience to people greeting loved ones at Heathrow Airport. Hugh Grant's narration describes how seeing displays of love and affection there lifts his mood. Medium shots show people from different backgrounds hugging and expressing love without hatred. The sequence establishes the film's romance genre through images of loving interactions and focuses on the message of love rather than introducing actors. It uses a soft font in white and red to complement the romantic theme and emphasize the importance of love.

1. LOVE ACTUALLY OPENING
SEQUENCE ANALYSIS
By Charlotte Dyer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUoxXpqof8A

2. At the opening of the film ‘Love Actually’ the audience is introduced to people who
seem to be at Heathrow Airport greeting their family members who have returned
from wherever they have been to. Over the top of the footage there is a voice over
from Hugh Grant commenting on how, whenever he feels gloomy with how the world
is he always thinks about the people arriving at the terminal at Heathrow Airport and
the pure love felt as friends and families welcome their arriving loved ones. This helps
the audience to easily determine the romance genre of the film due to the use of the
key conventions of a romance film where people are being loving towards one
another and showing affection to the others by hugging and kissing the people who
they love. However throughout the opening there is no clear demonstration of
comedy side of this romantic comedy.

3. NARRATION
The romance genre in this hybrid genre is presented by the narrator (Hugh Grant)
who is one of the main characters in the film. All of his narrative revolved around the
topic of love and an explanation of how love is everywhere around us as well as
mentioning about the 9/11 and how people didn’t show hatred or revenge but
instead love from those who were phone calls from the people on board . Also, all of
the shots presented in this opening sequence signifies love, as these shots are of
people from different walks of life showing love to each other at Heathrow airport.
The footage helps to back up what he is also saying.

4. CREDITS
The only three factors of the creation team that are presented in this opening
sequence are:
• The distribution company
• The production company
• The association company
The reason that only these three credits of the creation team were presented and for
as to why no actors/actresses were introduced was so that the audience aren’t
distracted from the main message of the opening sequence. Also, these are the most
vital components of the creation team, meaning these must be presented to the
audience.

5. SHOTS
The main shot used throughout this opening sequence is the medium shot. The
medium shot is used frequently throughout to show the people at Heathrow airport
hugging each other and also the emotions on how the people are feeling. This is
significant because it shows people from many different walks of life showing love
and affection towards each other all in the same place with no signs of any negative
emotions or hatred towards one another. Showing again the idea that this film is a
romance film.

6. TYPOGRAPHY
The typography used within the opening sequence is a sans font which is a soft font
and enables to complement the genre of the film. The colour of the font is white
which has connotations of peace, innocence as well as new beginnings and wiping the
slate clean signifying that it opens the way for the creation of anything the mind can
conceive. The use of white blends it into the bright background at Heathrow Airport
suggesting that the audience should focus more on what the narrator is saying but
still being able to see the companies involved.

7. • Near the end of the opening the words ‘love actually is all around’ is shown with the
word is in the bold and outstanding red helping to emphasise the importance of
what the narrator is saying to the audience.
• This then fades away the words except from ‘Love Actually’ and the ‘Love’ turns to
red which is the title of the film allowing the audience to understand that the
opening has finished.