500 Days of Summer Expectations vs Reality — Directing the Same Scene in Two Ways

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A shot-by-shot breakdown of the 500 Days of Summer Expectations vs Reality scene.

500 Days of Summer Analysis ►►
View “500 Days of Summer” Reality Storyboards ►►
View “500 Days of Summer” Expectations Storyboards ►►

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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro — 500 Days of Summer: Expectations vs Reality
00:53 - Story Recap
02:33 - Scene Analysis
09:05 - View Expectations & Reality Storyboards

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Expectation vs reality — before this trend caught fire on YouTube, it was the emotional peak of the film 500 Days of Summer. The premise is simple and universal. We ALL have expectations for our careers, romantic relationships, etc. But what the 500 Days of Summer Expectations vs Reality scene reminds us of is that reality is almost always different.

In this video essay, we’re going to examine this scene from a film directing perspective. The Expectations vs Reality scene gives us a rare opportunity to see how to shoot two different scenes at the same time. In particular, how tiny details like background extras, set dressing, lens choice, and camera framing can all add up to shift the mood and meaning of a scene.

As Tom arrives at Summer’s apartment for the party, he expects a warm embrace and a quick kiss but in reality, he gets a cordial and platonic hug. Immediately from these two actions, the difference between expectation vs reality is clear but what decisions did director Marc Webb make to accent and amplify the body language and performances? A soft focus close-up on Summer as she beams when Tom arrives (expectation) versus a neutral medium two-shot as they hug with little romance (reality).

Tom also expects only a few party guests, which would allow Summer’s attention to be undivided on him. In reality, the apartment is full of people and Tom’s hopes of a quiet, romantic evening fall flat. If we saw either scene in isolation, we might not register the amount of extras in the background. But by showing these moments side-by-side, it’s easy to see how an otherwise purely logistical consideration like how many extras to place in the scene suddenly becomes part of the overall storytelling.

Tom expects an intimate dinner setting with wine, candles, and an enthralling and personal conversation with Summer. In reality, Tom and Summer share an awkward and impersonal interaction with strangers and none of those romantic accoutrements. Here we can see again how a simple choice to either place the lovers together in the center of the frame versus splitting them up on opposite sides is a direct way to communicate connection or disconnection.

Marc Webb’s 500 Days of Summer hinges on this idea of Expectation vs Reality. Tom struggles with reality because he is so entrenched in expectations. And so to construct the 500 Days of Summer Expectations vs Reality scene at Tom’s ultimate heartbreak moment is a stroke of genius. And for filmmakers, we get the perfect lesson in how the little details really shape the mood and meaning of a scene.

#FilmTheory #VideoEssay #Filmmaking

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♬ SONGS USED:

"Main Title" - 500 Days of Summer OST
"Us" - Regina Spektor
"There is a Light That Never Goes Out" - The Smiths
"At Last" - Kevin Michael
"Hero" - Regina Spektor
"Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" - 500 Days of Summer OST
"Sugar Town" - Zooey Deschanel
"You Make My Dreams (Come True)" - Hall & Oates

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Music by Soundstripe ►
Music by MusicBed ►

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