Nine frame analysis of 'About Time'
07:26'About Time'
The opening to 'About Time' starts with simple four frames of opening credits on a black screen with white writing. First frame says 'Universal Pictures Presents'. Second frame says 'in Association with Relativity Media'. Third frame says 'A Working Title Production'. Fourth frame says 'About Time'. Throughout these credits, it is silent. I want to take inspiration from this and use simple opening credits for my film opening. The voice over then begins after 'About Time' fades from the screen and it is entirely black. Then, these are the first nine frames:
This fourth shot is also a wide shot. It not only introduces his father but also the scenery as we can see the sea. The audience can immediately guess that this family live on the British Coast.
The fifth shot is also a wide shot which shows the family lounge or study. From this, the audience may learn that this is a typical family home. We have a room like this in our house, with shelves and shelves of books. It seems homely and comforting. Furthermore, it introduces the close, jovial relationship between father and son.The following four shots all show Tim and his father playing Table Tennis. These are shot/reverse shots which change sides when a different person hits the ball. This shows that they are playing a match. These shots change quickly. It does not break the 180 degree rule as they are both looking in different directions.
This sixth shot is over Tim's shoulder and shows him hitting the ball towards his father, then his father returning it.
The sixth shot changes quickly into the seventh shot, which is match on action as it follows the ball and changes sides to behind the father so we can see Tim hit the ball back. 
Then, the eighth shot returns to over Tim's shoulder and his father tries to hit the ball back and fails, so it hits the net.
Finally, the ninth frame. This frame is another over the shoulder shot showing Tim celebrating his victory.
In this first two minutes of the film, Tim, the protagonist, is narrating footage of him and his family by a voice over. 
This first wide shot is of Tim, the main character. He is talking about himself in the shot, therefore the shot shows him, obviously. The jokey way he describes himself means that this Romantic Comedy has highlighted the convention of comedy from the get-go. Because we can see him while he describes himself, the audience can get a sense of his characterisation straight away. It possibly shows that he makes fun of himself and doesn't take himself too seriously, which is an important quality for the protagonist of a comedy to have.
In this second wide shot, he is beginning to describe the rest of his rather odd, but lovable, family. This is his mother, who he describes as 'not quite like other mums' which shows how the family of the protagonist are quite comedic. However, this shot shows a seemingly normal women, so the audience may be able to relate their own mother to her.
In this third frame, he is still describing his mother, who seems like a normal British mother. This wide shot shows her walking across a field.
This first wide shot is of Tim, the main character. He is talking about himself in the shot, therefore the shot shows him, obviously. The jokey way he describes himself means that this Romantic Comedy has highlighted the convention of comedy from the get-go. Because we can see him while he describes himself, the audience can get a sense of his characterisation straight away. It possibly shows that he makes fun of himself and doesn't take himself too seriously, which is an important quality for the protagonist of a comedy to have.
In this second wide shot, he is beginning to describe the rest of his rather odd, but lovable, family. This is his mother, who he describes as 'not quite like other mums' which shows how the family of the protagonist are quite comedic. However, this shot shows a seemingly normal women, so the audience may be able to relate their own mother to her.
In this third frame, he is still describing his mother, who seems like a normal British mother. This wide shot shows her walking across a field. 
The fifth shot is also a wide shot which shows the family lounge or study. From this, the audience may learn that this is a typical family home. We have a room like this in our house, with shelves and shelves of books. It seems homely and comforting. Furthermore, it introduces the close, jovial relationship between father and son.The following four shots all show Tim and his father playing Table Tennis. These are shot/reverse shots which change sides when a different person hits the ball. This shows that they are playing a match. These shots change quickly. It does not break the 180 degree rule as they are both looking in different directions.
This sixth shot is over Tim's shoulder and shows him hitting the ball towards his father, then his father returning it.
Then, the eighth shot returns to over Tim's shoulder and his father tries to hit the ball back and fails, so it hits the net. 
Finally, the ninth frame. This frame is another over the shoulder shot showing Tim celebrating his victory.
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