Camera work
• Shaky camera and long shots of a fight creates disorientation for the spectator and almost puts them in this fight.
• I’m sure it’s actual footage from the time that the film is set, which makes a good establishing shot as we immediately tell the time the film is set.
• Shots of police, the fights and people crammed into buses with broken glass gets the spectator asking questions
• Slow tracking of, who I assume is the protagonist of the film, walking in what appears to be a garage adds more mystery as spectators get a restricted view of him
• The shot I chose this clip for. A very good use of shallow depth of field when the protagonist is at the store, as the camera is focused on the boy sitting at the counter but the character is actually talking about the woman behind the counter. Adds a bit of confusion as spectators may not realise until the word “lady is mentioned”. Or at least I didn’t realise.
• Finally, the most noticeable camera technique used is the way the protagonist face is never shown. It’s always hidden in darkness despite being in quite a bright townMise en scene
• 1:12 In some sort of dark garage to start with which seems odd and raises questions
• 1:53 -1:57 we get a brief look at the character from behind and see a pair of shades and his watch which are both fairly decent. This makes the garage scene even stranger.
Editing
• Lots of cuts with the vintage films adding a bit of confusion
• A couple of long tracking shots in the middle
• Gets fast paced again when he’s ordering for the boy, showing that he means business and no one questions him and it happens quickly
• Gets fast paced again when he’s ordering for the boy, showing that he means business and no one questions him and it happens quickly
Sound
• Parallel soundtrack to fit the time is set in
• With the vintage videos it starts off with sound, then the sound it cut off when the narration starts and comes back at one moment for the chanting of protesters.
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No Country for Old Men
Camera work
• Starts with some long shots of a barren landscape at sunrise, which is good for setting the scene of isolation
• Slow pan as a man is arrested building suspense.
• Again, hiding the face of the character adding the sense of mystery
Mise en scene
• The long shots of the barren land start of with low key lighting which gives the intro a dark atmosphere. However it is then lost as the sun chases the darkness away
• More mystery and confusion added as the police man places a oxygen tank onto the passenger seat. Making the spectator ask questions
Editing
• Cuts are few and far between making the viewer anxious and adding a bit of suspense
• Cuts are parallel to the narration at the start
Sound
• No soundtrack adding to this feel of isolation
• Narrator almost sounds like he’s talking to you as if he knows you, creating a bond with him.
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The Prestige
Camera work
• Starts off with a slow tracking shot in some woods which then reveals a whole bunch of top hats on the floor, instantly creating mystery and confusion
• You then have a shot of some birds in their pens and Michael Caine picking one which I thought created a claustrophobic feel. Especially with the shot at 1:09 which give the size of these cages
• Next is a shot of the magician as he starts his performance which is quite creepy given all the darkness used
• At 1:56 we have the close up of the old man just staring at the character that has gone down below the stage. This creates tension as spectators don’t know what this man might do or is doing
Mise en scene
• Outfits immediately establish when the film is set and what sort of class spectators are doing as there isn’t much of an establishing shot
• Dark lighting and the flashing lightning of the magic act create confusion and mystery
Editing
• The parallel editing between Michael Caine showing the simple magic act and the Magician doing his full scale act is very good as a link between the two scenes
• The increased pace of cuts when the magician drowns adds to the disorientation
Sound
• The narration describing the acts as they happen helps spectators understand what is happening
• The soundtrack just cutting out when the magician falls through the trap door is very good for making spectators step back and think “Oh my god, what’s happened?”
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Reservoir dogs
• High angel above the table as an establishing shot as we can see everyone and establish the time and kind of people this film is based around
• Slow motion tracking shot again to build up a bit of tension as this is our first shot to see all characters in size and because of the speed of shot
• Slow motion close up on characters face so spectators can make opinions about them and starts raising questions about the characters
• Suits add the gangster feel and makes spectators already scared of them.
• Big black shades on some characters add to the mystery
Editing
• Long cuts so spectators have plenty of time to look at the characters
• Parallel editing to the soundtrack
Sound
• Contrapuntal soundtrack as it doesn’t match the kind of characters but does match the era of the film
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Disappearance of Alice Creed
Camera work
• Establishing shots work very well (i.e. the tracking in the car park and dump)
• The wobbly wheel on the shopping trolley adds a slight creepiness
• The depth of field shifting for each item the characters pick up
• Slow tracking/pan shots of the flat makes spectators anxious
• The characters working in perfect tangent, again adds to the creepiness
Mise en scene
• The remote locations create an isolated feel, in turn creating suspense and tension.
• The normality of it all. The characters acting as if this is an everyday thing, the normal locations and weapons they choose defiantly creates a fear for the characters
Editing
• Quite a lot of cuts building even more tension as it appears to happen so quickly
• The changing of pace from many cuts when stealing the car, to few cuts when examine the flat for the first time slightly disorientates.
Sound
• Diegetic sounds amplified to help spectators understand (i.e. the airplane at the start so spectators know it’s at an airport)
• Tense soundtrack building tension.
You have watched a lot of openings Rory. Don't omit discussions about camerawork, partic use of CU for emphasis, lighting for silhouettes, discussion of editing re PACE,
ReplyDeleteTry not to generalise but refer to specific instances and how they are constructed and work,
Thus - Departed - lighting when first introduced to character - silhouette.
In the shop, he continues to be silhoueted - how do it and why?
Generally, you al need to discuss the prelim ansd what you have learnt. Also discuss how you have demonstrated the 3 techniques.
ReplyDeleteScreengrabs in your research!!!!!
ReplyDelete