Stranger Than Fiction: Bus Scene

When Ana first comes onto the bus, and Harold sees her, the camera uses a long shot. This is to show the distance between the two and to show that they have nothing in common and will not be close for the time being. Then when Ana falls because of the bump the camera changes to a medium shot, showing that they are becoming closer together. When Ana and Harold have a dialogue going back and forward between them the camera switches off to who is talking and stays at a medium shot. The camera distance from the person, being a long, medium or close shot, shows the status of Harold and Ana's relationship at that point in time. The camera mimics what we might not see in regards to what is going on in the characters lives. Ana is sitting in a still seat on the bus while Harold is sitting on a seat that moves. I think that this is because Ana is very sure of herself, and Harold is not. She will not change her mind so she is still, but he is unsure what he thinks so he is moving. When Harold tries to make small talk at the end of the scene, the camera goes back to a long shot, showing Harold losing Ana again and her not being engaged in the conversation. The purpose of this scene is to start to see the formation of a relationship between Ana and Harold and see how he is going to change in the near future.