Romance Genre

One Day

For my essay I have chosen the film One Day staring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess, written by David Nicholls and directed by Lone Scherfig. The scene I have chosen is when Emma tells Dexter that she wants a baby with him, “the man she loves”.

Mise-En-Scene

This scene is set in their bedroom, this is the perfect setting for the conversation they're about to have, its quiet and private and in their own space but its also perfect because Emma says she wants a baby and they can get straight into making that happen because they're in the bedroom. Both Emma and Dexter are in their pyjamas but Dexter is wearing an old white t-shirt and some basic pyjama bottoms suggesting that this only thing on his mind that night was going to bed. Whereas Emma is wearing a short satin nightie and still has her makeup on and her hair still done, this suggests what was on her mind and that she had prepared to suggest a baby to Dexter and it wasn't something that she just thought of as he came into the room. She wanted him to be the most attracted to her as he could be so that he would want the same. Not many props are used in this scene other than Dexters toothbrush which shows he is getting ready for bed. The lighting plays a big part in thus scene, you see Dexter closing the curtains and you see it is dark outside so you know they're going to bed not waking up. The only lighting is the bedroom lamps, this creates a sensual atmosphere for the scene and starts to suggest the mood. The conversation Emma and Dexter have is serious apart for one joke so it wouldn't be right to have extreme lighting. The dim lights make it a personal feel to the scene and it helps you focus on Emma and Dexter rather than anything else. The way they both look at each other shows a lot about how they think of each other, you can tell they love each other even when they're not talking. There isn't much movement in this scene its more about they're expressions. Emma talks to Dexter in a calm voice and throws in a joke to make the conversation less serious and show they're comfortable with each other. Rather than Dexter getting excited about Emma wanting a baby with him he just smiles at her softly which automatically shows he agrees without him having to say it. He does then suggest that they should “get started then” and starts to kiss her and thats where the scene end but I'm sure its obvious what happens without them needing to carry on.

Cinematography

This scene mainly involves close up shots of Emma and Dexter to focus on their conversation and have that as the main focus of the scene and nothing else going on the the room. The shots being close up also engages you more and you can see the expression on their faces better than you could if it was a wide shot. Once they have finished their conversation it changes to a medium shot showing the two getting intermit.

Sound

Dialogue is the main sound in the scene, you hear Dexters footsteps and his clothing the curtains but thats it for diagetic sound. Emma and Dexter have a conversation about having a baby together then you hear them kissing but there is music also put over the top of the which is the only non diagetic sound you hear. The music that is used is like an orchestra so it is soft and gentle music fit for the scene a score meaning it was written just for this film.

Editing

This scene contains a basic cut of Dexter walking in the room and closing the curtains then sitting down on the bed. When they start their conversation it then cross cuts between the two to establish its only them two having a conversation and the expressions towards each other. It then cuts to a wider shot of them kissing and slightly zooms in before cutting to the next scene which is them too brushing their teeth the morning after. This smash cut goes from a slow sensual scene of them about to make love to a noisy fast moving scene of them brushing their teeth which kind of makes you forget about what they were just doing.