I. SCENE OVERVIEW

Lost in Translation is the second movie of Sofia Coppola
. She made this movie in 27 workdays, and all the scenes were taken in Japanese. Maybe she was burn to make great movie in the less cost. The same as the first one: The Virgin Suicide. Lost in Translation is also very successful in Art Cinema.

This is a story about two lonely American people who met in Japan. One is the out-dated movie star- Bob Harris, who was casted by Bill Murray. Bob had an advertising show in Japan, and had lost heart to his married life, but he also wanted to do something, he tried to change something, but it did not work. During this time he worked in Japan, because of language gap, he could not communicate with Japanese colleagues effective. Loneliness was written on his face. Another one is Charlotte, who was casted by Scarlett Johansson, a young beautiful married lady; she had nothing to do in US. Her husband is a photographer and worked in Japan. But her husband was invest himself totally in his work, and did not care about Charlotte. Two loneliness persons met in another country, and had a great time between them.

The scene in which I will analyse is that Bob and Charlotte kissed goodbye in the Tokyo street. It is the final scene between two main roles, and in these series of shots typing a montage and set to a rhythmic music.

II SHOT ANALYSIS


Shot 1: 15 seconds






Shot Size: These series shoots are extremely chose up, long shot and chose up, respectively.

Sound: The sounds in this shot are some whisper words between two main roles, and the background noise from the Tokyo street. After Bob found Charlotte, his hold her and whisper to her: “Listen! I have to be leaving now but I won’t let that come between us. OK?” and Charlotte said:”OK!” After these words, they said goodbye to each other.

Contrast Dominants: The highlight of contrast in this shot is two main roles did not move and hold each other, but the people in the street were moving. They are foreigners in Japan; they did not have their lives in that country. This long shot illustrated these two lonely persons again.

Camera Movement: The camera move slowly in this shot, and I think why the director to do this to make audiences pay more attention on these two main roles. In this shot, Bob and Charlotte had the closest scene in the whole movie, and then they left from each other.

Camera Angle: The angle of the camera is still at an even eye level. It shows, after this kiss they had no regretful to each other. Without this kiss, it could not end this story.

Depth of Field: The depth of field in this shot was changed a lot; sometime we could see a lot with the camera zoom out. To compare with that long shot, we could see a lot of background and some surrounding people passed from them, but the close up shot we could see nothing except two main roles, and some background was add blur effects. As the camera zoom in, we follow the focus on them again.

Lighting: The lighting in this shot is very low, it is only natural lighting.

Colour Usage: I do not think the colour is very essential in this shot. Bob was going to leave in this scene, too many colour could not demonstrated this effect, and dull colour could achieve it.

Editing Style: In this whole shot, the camera is still in a level view with rapidly cut when they kiss each other. It expressed the point of view between two main roles.

Time: From Bob found Charlotte to a short whisper, then they kissed and said goodbye, it lasts 30 seconds around. The Emotion of Bob had a lot of change, from uncertainty to confirm, then said goodbye. The time arranges is to the point.

Subtext: All the information we gather from this scene we could understand that Bob and Charlotte who both realised that this affection should to be finished, although they did not want to do this.



Shot 2: 20 seconds





Shot Size: Close up to long distance shot.

Sound: The background music “Like Honey” Bob said nothing.

Character Movement: There is no Character movement in this scene; Bob sit in the car and on the way to the airport.

Camera Angle: From the level to the low level. The low level view displays the view of point of Bob.

Depth of Field: This is a deep focus shot. We can see everything from this shot. It is another view of Tokyo. It illustrated that Bob used to feel uncomfortable in this city, and all of this is gone in this moment.

Lighting: See Shot 1

Colour Usage: There are a lot of colours are used in this shot, demonstrated by the view of Tokyo.

Editing Style: The camera move and cut are very slowly. I think it expresses the emotion of Bob, and now he feel complete, he had done his advertising and said what want to say to Charlotte.

Time and Subtext: See Shot 1