For this analysis, I am focussing on camera and mise en scene. This is because romance films often use idyllic locations and lots of different shot types to represent the relationship between two people. As most of my ideas revolve around two characters, this will be interesting to examine.
Institutional Information
Dear John is a 2010 romance film starring Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried. It was based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks and was directed by Lasse Hallström. The production companies involved were Relativity Media and Temple Hill Productions. It was distributed by Screen Gems and Paramount Pictures. The screenplay was done by Jamie Linden. Filming locations included South Carolina.The budget was $25 million, and it made $115 million dollars, making a profit of $90 million dollars.
Synopsis
The film follows John, a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army Special Forces. In 2001, whilst on leave, he meets Savannah Curtis. Romance soon blossoms, but in light of the 9/11 attacks, John is forced to go in the middle of the conflict. Savannah suggests that the two start writing letters, so they can keep track of what is happening when they are not together. Dear John questions whether romance can survive distance.
Camera
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| Long shot |
This long shot is effective because we can see Savannah chatting to her friends. However, we can also see John looking over at Savannah, so in a way it is a POV shot. As it is a romance film, if the audience know a short synopsis, it can be inferred that John falls in love with Savannah.
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| Close up shot |
This close up shot allows us to see the emotions of Savannah. It also puts the audience in the position of the character.
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| (Long) two shot |
This long two shot is conventional of romance films, as it shows the two subjects together, having fun and bonding. The meeting of the two characters is very stereotypical. John embodies the stereotypical protagonist/hero. Savannah very quickly becomes charmed by this. They also are gazing each other, John makes Savannah laugh by hitting the pillar with his surfboard. This suggests that John was distracted by Savannah and substantiates the idea that he loves her.
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| Extreme Close Up |
The above extreme close up is interesting. The moon is a symbol of beauty, deities and fertility. As Savannah (Amanda Seyfried) is a woman and plays an instrumental role in this movie, it is significant. It also makes the audience realise how comparable we as humans are to the planets and may evoke certain audience pleasures like reassurance.
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Two shot
(Mid) |
This mid shot is effective because it conveys an intimate moment between the couple. The audience may be able to empathize with this, or feel privileged to be "let in" to their love story. The mid shot gives us a more focussed shot whilst allowing us to see the emotion on the characters' faces. This puts the audience in the position of the characters. The proxemics of the actors suggest that the characters are very close. This makes the separation of the characters even more heart wrenching for the audience.
Mise en Scene
The locations used in this movie can be greatly contrasted. However, the principal setting is a coastal city (Charleston, South Carolina) and so many scenes are on or near the beach. This is a stereotypical location for romance films because it is usually very relaxing and serene. There is also an idea that watching the sunset, hearing the waves and seeing the stars is the way to feel at peace. An example of this miss en scene is shown in the long shot below:
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| At the beach |
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| Medium close up |
The above medium close up helps to demonstrate the location. Savannah is reading John's letter by the light of the projector which conveys that she is a student. Therefore the divide between the lovers is made clearer; they are taking different paths.
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| Close up |
This close up of John's uniform shows that he is preparing to go back to the Army. This may make the audience sad because they know he is leaving Savannah. It also adds to the characterization of John as the stereotypical masculine hero. On the contrary, we know from other moments in the trailer that he does have a softer side, such as when he is indecisive and is crying. The audience may sympathize with him. This is effective because they can be reassured that stereotypes are being broken. The stereotypical romance film audience is a female demographic. The softer side may make them feel glad that Savannah has found someone who really cares about her.
The lighting used is natural to suggest that this is the type of thing that could happen to anyone, and to create verisimilitude. This is easier to do with romance movies because they are not often set in futuristic worlds and don't encounter unrealistic situations. The proxemics of the actors is significant, they are in love so inevitably very close. This makes the separation more prominent, as shown in the mid two shot.
Overall Contribution/Effect
The overall contribution of the mise en scene and camera is obviously large, but its effect is positive.
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