Codes and Conventions of a Romantic Comedy - Love Actually

There are many different codes and conventions to a romantic comedy. They are:

• Funny
• Romance
• True Love
• Resolution - usually happens but not always
• Couple
• Barriers/ why they cant be together
• Third Party
• Middle/Upper class
• Different in class
• Soundtrack and music is normally common and cheesy.

For a romantic Comedy we studies the opening to Love Actually and Bridget Jone's Diary. I will start explaining Love Actually.

There is allot of mise-en-scene. There is allot of different sets such as an airport with families meeting and hugging, a music studio which adds comedy, a wedding, a posh office, a bedroom and the priminister's house. There are many different costumes which match the set such as at the wedding people wore wedding outfits. In the music studio the singer is wearing bright coloured clothes as he is trying to act young. The weather is Christmas weather as that is the time it is set in. Although it is snowing everything is still bright.

There are also many different camera shots, angles, movement and position and also editing. At the airport there were many close ups so show the reality of people. There were also many pans. There was a zoom out and a slow motion to make you concentrate whats going on. At the music studio there where close ups to see there reaction on there faces. There is medium shots and a pan. There is a zoom out to end the scene. In the house there is a two shot with the mother and daughter speaking and there is also a shot reverse shot. At 'number 10' there is a two shot between Hugh Grant and Martina. There is also a reaction shot when Hugh Grant looks back at Martina, this shows you what he may be thinking, that he may like her. There is also a high angle shot as to show that Hugh Grant's role is high in the film as he in priminister. At the wedding there is close ups and medium shots so show you what is going on. There is also a shift in focus as Keira Nightly walks threw the doors, this shows that she looks lovely and it her and her fiances big day. At the museum there is a track. There is also an establishing shot of the city (London) and the big Christmas tree. There is old common tracks playing in the background of the opening throughout. One of the songs is being sung in the studio which is 'Love is all around' by 'Wet Wet Wet'. The title had been edited with the way 'Love' is written in red which shows love and the word 'Actually' is written in white which shows Christmas.