How does the film “Notting Hill” use conventions within the film to fit the rom-com genre?

 

  'Notting Hill' is a British rom-com featuring the stars 'Hugh Grant' and 'Julia Roberts'. The opening sequence entails a divorced man called 'Will' who owns his own travel bookshop in the heart of a London place called 'Notting Hill'. He shares his house with a welsh eccentric called 'Spike'. 'Will' later finds himself in his book shop with a famous Hollywood movie star 'Anna' and then later has another encounter in the street with a cup of orange juice, in a short amount of time they are back at 'Will’s' and share a kiss.

   The credits at the beginning of the film are placed on a black neutral background so the audience will focus on the credits. The titles of the actors are in white and pink, these pale colours represent a light hearted film maybe a comedy and the pink suggests the air of romance. The male names are all in blue and green these suggest the male stereotypical colours whereas the pinks are for the women suggest the female gender stereotype. Straight from the credits it cuts to a dissolve montage of a women’s life, it shows her on the red carpet and at movie sets suggesting the successfulness of the character. The cameras zoom in on her suggesting someone is taking the time to photograph her which represents her fame as people are capturing the stages of her life which suggest she is of importance. She can be seen as an attractive character which is portrayed by her glamorous lifestyle and significance of her life to others. It's then a continuity editing to an establishing shot of a man walking through a street with diegetic sound of hustle and bustle of a street. There is a voice over which overlaps with the character 'Will' talking and introducing himself and we learn that its located at Portobello in 'Notting Hill' a part of London. The tracking’s and pans that show the wide shots of the street where he lives. We see markets stalls, bakeries and pubs which are all the stereotypical things associated with Britain suggesting this is a realistic believable rom-com that can take place in Britain. We also learn 'Will' considers himself a “loser” which reinforces the typical plots of British rom-coms where the male is seen as a typical no one who has no luck with women. Whereas, in American rom-com films the main male character is seen as the perfect stereotypical man who all women look for, this is where British and American rom-coms differ.  The non-diegetic music through this film is peaceful, calm and soft; it’s very mellow and creates all the emotions we associate with romance and love.

 The wide shot of 'Will’s' house shows a big bold blue front door. This door can be seen as a symbol of 'Will’s' happy intelligent character as its colour blue suggests he is quite light hearted and warming man as it looks quite inviting. This could also instigate there is something unique and maybe different about 'Will' as most people do not have bright blue doors. 'Will' enters his house and the pans show that it’s not filled with expensive luxuries more the basics, this contrasts to the back luck he has had with love as his wife left him. We are then introduced to his roommate 'Spike' who is a very comical character. The editing of the two shots are used through the opening scenes as it’s a romantic comedy so it’s used to show the relationships and bonds each of the characters share.  The shot doesn’t so the two characters 'Will' and 'Spike' to be too close and as the dialogue develops we can see they do not share the same intelligence level. 'Will' is much more intelligent where as 'Spike' is more comical, the tee-shirts he wears reinforces this as the slogans are comical and to do with love. However, even though they are intellectual on different wave lengths they share the same intelligence of women and romance as they both have limited expertise with love. The subjective point of view shows 'Will’s' view on his friend 'Spike' this makes the audience feel more involved as they feel like they are actually there and part of the scene.

  When 'Will' goes to his book shop we as the audience meet his other friend who helps with work in the travel bookshop, he is also very comical and portrayed as quite dim-witted whereas 'Will' is quite quick witted with his remarks.  The friend doesn’t even realise that 'Anna' a famous celebrity walks in. 'Will' notices her straight away and looks again to make sure he isn’t mistaken. Over the shoulder shot shows that 'Anna' is in amongst the book and actually fits in with the surroundings which aren’t what we as the audience would expect or what 'Will' would expect as she is used to being at Hollywood parties not an unsuccessful travel shop in Notting Hill. The dialogue of 'Will' shows him to babble quite a lot toward 'Anna' this could be because he is nervous and awkward as he doesn’t know how to react. There is a focus pull used in the bookshop scene when 'Will' has to go and deal with a male who is trying to steal. He threatens to call the police but doesn’t enforce this action suggesting he is maybe quite kind hearted and a bit soft. Whereas, when the male asks for a signature and a date with 'Anna' she is slightly more rude indicating she is more dominate other the male where as 'Will' wasn’t. The focus pull is used to show he has duty to stop the man stealing his book as it’s his livelihood however she is still in the back of his mind and he wants to get back to his conversation with 'Anna'. (Book shop scene- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-hu8rjfzOc)

  
   Non diegetic sound of some more light hearted music the horizontal tracking shows 'Will' walking down the street the skies are clear and the sun is shining this could foreshadow a bright future ahead. He then bangs into and spills the prop orange juice all over him and 'Anna'. This prop acts as another meeting point.  It’s also almost slow motion when 'Will' is walking along the street as if he is oblivious to the rest of the world just day dreaming. Then when he spills it and is transferred back to reality as the music stops and the hustle and bustle from the street returns.  Once again 'Will” babbles to say how sorry he is and that she should come back to his house to get cleaned up.

At his house it shows a cut and wide shot shows him rushing around trying to clean up implying he doesn’t feel that his house is good enough for her. Another over the shoulder shot is shown when she walks up the stairs this shows the significance of 'Anna' to him as he stops what he is doing and is almost looking at her in ore while she walks up the stairs. He doesn’t even care to change his tee-shirt he just cares about getting her clean.  The two shot by the door when she comes back into the house shows the close proximity they share. 'Anna' instigates the first kiss which is quite a shock for the audience as though the scenes 'Will' has been seen as the walker party and almost taking on the stereotypical role of women where they babble whereas she is more dominate. However. she is now exposing her emotions to him within the safety of his own home. There are many medium close ups of 'Will’s' blue door the colour blue is very neutral suggesting he is quite a calm and easy going person. The shots when the two characters 'Will' and 'Anna' share a kiss and have a close conversation the door is very apparent right behind, it can be seen as a barrier from them and the outside as all the sounds from Portobello is being shut out.

  The mise-en-scene of the scenes show the costume of the characters to be quite casual as they are wearing informal clothing which is seen as everyday which implies that the film is about casual people suggesting that the love story can happen to and ordinary person. However 'Anna' in contrast does where quite casual clothing in the shop but does where a designer channel hat suggesting her glamour and wealth is shining through. 


  All the camera angles, mise-en-scene, sound and editing suggest that this film is the genre of a British rom-com as they portray all the conventions of a rom-com such as two main characters one female and male and also there characters fit the typical British rom-com as the male is seen as the weaker party due to his clumsy nature just like 'Will' and also “The prime minister” in  another British rom-com film “Love Actually” as they are both portrayed as a dippy babbled character   whereas, the women are more powerful and independent.