Film Opening Representations

Love Actually.

The main focus of this scene as the opening is to show the true meaning of love. It shows all different types of people that are in love, not just romantically but friendship and family too. It shows how much happiness love can bring and everyone is smiling and hugging, not one person in the opening scene looks miserable. It over emphasis how much love plays a part in happiness. This opening sequence does and doesn't apply to dyers theory as all the people are real people, although the director has made them act in a certain way to make the audience believe what they are talking about. This opening sequence definitely has some elements of Barthes theory as every thing does seem to be over exaggerated. The romance between the couple and the fact that everyone is happy over emphasis the idea of perfect. Although the director has used 'normal' looking people not famous actors so it looks like it is real footage of real life, this makes the audience believe into what they are saying. Just by watching the opening scene you get the genre of the film is probably romance or a romantic comedy, not a thriller or horror etc. You get the impression that it is a happy film that shows off what love is.