diff --git a/mmif/utils/video_document_helper.py b/mmif/utils/video_document_helper.py
index c14689e5..ec3cebac 100644
--- a/mmif/utils/video_document_helper.py
+++ b/mmif/utils/video_document_helper.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 import mmif
 from mmif import Annotation, Document, Mmif
 from mmif.utils.timeunit_helper import convert
-from mmif.vocabulary import DocumentTypes
+from mmif.vocabulary import DocumentTypes, AnnotationTypes
 
 for cv_dep in ('cv2', 'ffmpeg', 'PIL'):
     try:
@@ -127,6 +127,42 @@ def extract_mid_frame(mmif: Mmif, time_frame: Annotation, as_PIL: bool = False):
     return extract_frames_as_images(vd, [get_mid_framenum(mmif, time_frame)], as_PIL=as_PIL)[0]
 
 
+def get_representative_framenum(mmif: Mmif, time_frame: Annotation):
+    """
+    Calculates the representative frame number from an annotation.
+
+    :param mmif: :py:class:`~mmif.serialize.mmif.Mmif` instance
+    :param time_frame: :py:class:`~mmif.serialize.annotation.Annotation` instance that holds a time interval annotation containing a `representatives` property (``"@type": ".../TimeFrame/..."``)
+    :return: representative frame number as an integer
+    """
+    if 'representatives' not in time_frame.properties:
+        raise ValueError(f'The time frame {time_frame.id} does not have a representative.')
+    timeunit = time_frame.get_property('timeUnit')
+    video_document = mmif[time_frame.get_property('document')]
+    fps = get_framerate(video_document)
+    representatives = time_frame.get_property('representatives')
+    top_representative_id = representatives[0]
+    try:
+        representative_timepoint_anno = mmif[time_frame._parent_view_id+time_frame.id_delimiter+top_representative_id]
+    except KeyError:
+        raise ValueError(f'Representative timepoint {top_representative_id} not found in any view.')
+    return convert(representative_timepoint_anno.get_property('timePoint'), timeunit, 'frame', fps)
+
+
+def extract_representative_frame(mmif: Mmif, time_frame: Annotation, as_PIL: bool = False):
+    """
+    Extracts the representative frame of an annotation as a numpy ndarray or PIL Image.
+
+    :param mmif: :py:class:`~mmif.serialize.mmif.Mmif` instance
+    :param time_frame: :py:class:`~mmif.serialize.annotation.Annotation` instance that holds a time interval annotation (``"@type": ".../TimeFrame/..."``)
+    :param as_PIL: return :py:class:`~PIL.Image.Image` instead of :py:class:`~numpy.ndarray`
+    :return: frame as a :py:class:`numpy.ndarray` or :py:class:`PIL.Image.Image`
+    """
+    video_document = mmif[time_frame.get_property('document')]
+    rep_frame_num = get_representative_framenum(mmif, time_frame)
+    return extract_frames_as_images(video_document, [rep_frame_num], as_PIL=as_PIL)[0]
+
+
 def sample_frames(start_frame: int, end_frame: int, sample_rate: float = 1) -> List[int]:
     """
     Helper function to sample frames from a time interval.
diff --git a/tests/test_utils.py b/tests/test_utils.py
index 332787e6..150bd71f 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -44,6 +44,23 @@ def test_extract_mid_frame(self):
         tf = self.a_view.new_annotation(AnnotationTypes.TimeFrame, start=0, end=3, timeUnit='seconds', document='d1')
         self.assertEqual(vdh.convert(1.5, 's', 'f', self.fps), vdh.get_mid_framenum(self.mmif_obj, tf))
 
+    def test_extract_representative_frame(self):
+        tp = self.a_view.new_annotation(AnnotationTypes.TimePoint, timePoint=1500, timeUnit='milliseconds', document='d1')
+        tf = self.a_view.new_annotation(AnnotationTypes.TimeFrame, start=1000, end=2000, timeUnit='milliseconds', document='d1')
+        tf.add_property('representatives', [tp.id])
+        rep_frame_num = vdh.get_representative_framenum(self.mmif_obj, tf)
+        expected_frame_num = vdh.millisecond_to_framenum(self.video_doc, tp.get_property('timePoint'))
+        self.assertEqual(expected_frame_num, rep_frame_num)
+        # check there is an error if no representatives
+        tf = self.a_view.new_annotation(AnnotationTypes.TimeFrame, start=1000, end=2000, timeUnit='milliseconds', document='d1')
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            vdh.get_representative_framenum(self.mmif_obj, tf)
+        # check there is an error if there is a representative referencing a timepoint that
+        # does not exist
+        tf.add_property('representatives', ['fake_tp_id'])
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            vdh.get_representative_framenum(self.mmif_obj, tf)
+
     def test_get_framerate(self):
         self.assertAlmostEqual(29.97, vdh.get_framerate(self.video_doc), places=0)