Camera Shots, Composition, framing and angles

 

Composition = where objects are placed and arranged in a shot

Framing = What you choose to include in you shot and what you choose to leave out. What you leave out may be important, a thriller may leave out certain things to create tension.

Long Shot (LS) = Subject takes up full frame (from top to bottom) this shot is used to show a character in their surroundings

Mid shot (MS) = useful to show a subject is speaking without too much emotion. It is more realistic, if you were talking to someone in real life you wouldn’t be looking at the bottom of them, so that part is cut off. Allows room for hand gestures and some movement

Medium Close up (MCU) = shows face more clearly without getting uncomfortably close.

Close up (CU) = useful for showing detail, draws the audience in and shows their emotional state.

Extreme Close Up (ECU) = shows extreme detail, you would need a reason to get this close (In very dramatic scenes)

Cut Away (CA) = a close up of a different part of the subject. (The subjects hands, or anything else)

Two Shot = Two subjects in a shot, Good to show a relationshop between the two.

Over the shoulder shot = The shot is filmed from behind someone’s shoulder looking at another subject, common to cut to between a conversation

Noddy Shot = common in interviews, it has a subject reacting to the something else.

Point of view shot = camera shot from the subjects perspective

Low angle shot = camera is looking up at the subject, gives the subject a sense of size power and authority

High Angle Shot = shot is taken from above the subject, Gives the subject a sense of helplessness and lack of power

Pan = Camera follows the subject

Tracking Shot = camera follows the subject on a dolly (mini train track) gives a sense of speed and moving with the action

Tilt = Camera pans up and down, gives the subject a sense of height and size

Canted/Ducth angle shot = camera position is not straight towards the subject, can give a sense of chaos

Zoom in / out = Camera zooms in or out, can highlight significant objects to the audience

Steadicam/Handheld = Camera moves around with the action, can make the audience feel part of the action

Crane Shot = Camera take a high angle style shot and gives a sense of size and scale

Ariel Shot = camera is in an plane or helicopter and uses a ELS, gives a sense of size and scale

 

Editing

Continuity Editing = maintains the spatial relationships in a film, calls the audience’s attention to specific objects / characters / events in the film. It allows the film to shift through time and gives the film rythem

Transitions = the ways in which two shots are joined together the most common is a straight cut, where one shot goes straight to the next

Dissolve = a gradual transition from one shot to another and can help continuity showing time passing

Fade to Black and White = can cause time passing or if done quickly, used to show flashbacks.

Digetic Sound = heard or recorded sound on the location of the film

Non-digetic sound = SFX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conventions of a thriller

 

DRIVE (2011) + THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (2012)

 

Mise-en-scene (the set)

®   This includes aspects such as the location of the shot and how clearly the location is shown to the audience. The location can also tell us the genre of the film and the period of time that the film is set. Props are one of the ways in which effective mise-en-scene can use to achieve this. Props can relate to the story, the time period, the genre and can be used to explain the plot.

They can also give us extra information of the film. Such as the characters and the plot.

®   Drive uses modern cars in the very first scene of the film this instantly tells us that the film in set in a modern time period.

®   The place beyond the pines uses cigarettes in the first half of the film effectively. The characters are very often smoking cigarettes telling us that they are from a lower class background.

 

Mise-en-scene (costume)

®   Costume in mise-en-scene can give the audience a lot of information on the film. It can tell us about the charcters, their gender, their role in the film, their status in the film and amongst other characters in the film and also the time period in which the film is set.

®   Drive uses two pieces of clothing for our main character, a leather jacket and a pair of gloves which he wears whilst driving. These two pieces of clothing tell us that he is the main character in the film as some shots highlight them.

®   The place beyond the pines uses tattoos and basic clothing on one of the main characters (Luke). This tells us his social status and the style of tattoos tell us that the film is set in a modern day era.

Cinematography

®   Cinematography consists of two parts. Composition and Framing. Composition consists of where objects are placed in the shot (characters and props) and framing is what is chosen to be included in the shot. Cinematography can be used very well and in the right places to create atmosphere, tension and create emotion amongst the audience.

®   Drive uses cinematography to create tension and suspense while The Place Beyond The Pines uses it to create the same as well as to create drama in some scenes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Editing

®   Editing is putting clips together in order for the film to make sense to the viewer. Editing can effectively create moods and atmosphere in a film if used well. There are many editing techniques used in films, such as; transitions (the way two shots are joined together) dissolve, fade to black/white, fade in/out, cross-cutting, wipe, Jump cut and visual effects to the shots. Editing techniques can be used in the following ways in thrillers. Qucik cuts (creates tension), dissolve (links key event)

®   Drive uses some slow editing in scenes to create mood and atmosphere. It has been widely recognised as a very ‘arty’ film. Using slow editing and non-diegetic sound. The place beyond the pines uses similar techniques however it also uses fast paced editing techniques for the action scenes. It also uses non-diegetic sound effectively.

 

DRIVE

 

 

 

 

 

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES

 

Non-diegetic sound

®   Non-diegetic sound is used after filming. In other words it is used in editing and is not sound that is recorded on the set. Such as sound affects and music. It can be used to add authenticity to an action scene for example. Or to create an atmosphere and connect with the audience.

®   Drive uses a lot on non-diegetic sound to express emotions of characters, to express the emotions in a scene and to create an atmosphere of danger in some places. The place beyond the pines uses non-diegetic sound similarly. To create atmosphere and emotions.

 

Diegetic sound

®   Diegetic sound is the opposite to non-diegetic sound. It is sound that is recorded whilst filming. Such as speech. It is not edited or put in after filming like non-diegetic sound.

 

Narratives

typical thriller storyline?- revenge, justice, crime

 

sub genres

techno

supernatural

action

sci-fi

religious

film noir disaster

political

mystery

medical

romance

spy

conspiracy

 

 

How is social class represented in ‘shallow grave’

 

Social class is represented in a number of ways in this scene of shallow grave. One of the more clear examples of this is when Alex shouts ‘I want my money back’ after hearing that the money raised will go to the sick children’s unit and Alex consequently doesn’t like children.  Alex shouts it loud enough for the man giving the speech to wave sarcastically knowing it was a joke but not approving of it in the slightest. Showing that he is in a different social class to Alex as he does not respond positively. In that same shot (which is a long shot) five people sitting down turn their heads and at least three of them have a facial expression that looks as though they are angry at Alex. This is combined with the fact that Juliet and Gordon do not seem too affected by Alex’s actions, and it implies that it is the sort of thing that they are used to with Alex, perhaps it would be seen as more of a joke if they were with other middle class people. The shot that shows Alex shouting also includes Gordon and Juliet on the left using composition and framing (medium shot). This is to show how unfazed they both are by Alex. Again showing that their social class would perhaps see that sort of gesture as funny or of the norm.

 

Another similar section of this scene soon follows. After Alex shouts for the first time he then shouts again. This time at the waitress as he holds up an empty champagne bottle and shouts ‘excuse me’. This shot is the same as the one where he shouts for the first time, a medium shot with Gordon and Juliet on the left and Alex on the right with people (upper class) sitting behind them, the framing and composition used here is to show their reactions to Alex as he acts this way. Not only this but we can also see the waitress which Alex is shouting at in the background. Again, after Alex shouts this Gordon and Juliet do not seem to react in the same way as the other guests behind them. Perhaps it is because they know that they do not belong there themselves. They are middle class themselves and have only been introduced to this party because of the money.

 

The following section of the scene shows everyone dancing. Gordon is sat on his own on their table whilst Juliet and Alex are dancing together. One thing to notice is how Alex and Juliet are dancing together only, and not with other people, this shows again that they do not fit in with everyone else at the party. The same goes for Gordon. One brief shot (long shot) shows him drinking alone and looking around, this is particularly significant as it shows that he doesn’t feel as though he belongs in that environment. This is also coupled by a few encounters with some other guests at the party. In one instance for example, a man asks Juliet to dance to which Gordon shouts at him furiously for interrupting them. This is significant as the man did not do anything to provoke them as such, however Gordon reacts in such a way that would make you think otherwise. This shows how the three do not get along with upper-class people or even know how to get along with them at all, as they are from different social backgrounds.

 

 

Another thing to notice in this scene is the mise-en-scene and that all three of them, (Juliet especially) are all underdressed compared to everyone else at the party. Referring back to one section of the scene, which Alex shouts in. We can see that the other men and women are far better dressed than our three characters. If we take Juliet for example, Her dress is much more plain compared to other women in the scene. She is also not wearing as much jewelry as anyone else either. Gordon’s glasses are also prominent as they seem to be much more basic and less expensive than some of the other guests glasses.  This represents their wealth in comparison with others at the party, and therefore represents their social class.

 

Dialect is also another thing we can look at. Juliet, Gordon and Alex all have less well spoken dialect compared to everyone else we hear talk at the party. Again, going back to the section where Alex shouts. He says ‘ Oi I want my money back ‘ now this is definitely not something that would be said by an upper-class gentleman at a ball. Alex truly reveals his social background when we does this and also the social division as the people around him react to his un-formal middle-class outburst.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Word count: 1,156

Felix Rouch

How Does Hitchcock Use Cinematography To Create Tension In The Parlour scene ?

 

Hitchcock uses a Number of shot types, lighting effects, framing and Composition to create tension in the parlour scene. Throughout the scene we can see the tension rising even from the very start. The first few shots of the scene, as Marion walks into the parlour with Norman, show off two stuffed birds, one is a large owl with its wings open and another is a Raven. This gives off a creepy sensation to the audience and especially as one of the birds is a Raven (which is a bird related to death) and the other is a large predator. There is only one light on in the room which creates the shadows in the room. Both Birds in each shot both have a large shadow behind them, again, giving off a feeling of death and making the audience feel unnerved. It also should be noted that as Marion and Norman sit down, it is the only time in the scene that Hitchcock uses Medium Shots (MS) to show off part of the room as they sit down, for the rest of the scene Hitchcock uses Medium Close Ups (MCU) and Close Ups (CU) to raise the tension In the scene and between the two characters.

 

As Marion and Norman get into conversation, the topic moves on to his mother and Marion mentions putting her in a ‘mad house’ as she puts it. This is when the tension really rises. Hitchcock uses Close Ups on both characters after this line. This is to share the emotional state of both characters with the audience and allows them to clearly see their feelings throughout the rest of the shots. One shot in particular to note is the first close up of Norman, When Marion mentions that perhaps his mother would be better off in an institution. The shot of Norman has him on the right half of the shot and the stuffed raven (casting a shadow) on the other. The expression on Norman’s face combined with the Raven, really gives off an creepy death feeling and raises the tension massively.

 

 

After the mention of a mad house, Hitchcock goes on to uses close ups very frequently. This is very effective in creating tension, but it is the framing and the lighting which gives tension to the scene here. The close ups allow the audience to share the feelings of Marion and Norman and it shows off their emotional state much better to the audience. This is particularly evident as Norman leans in for the first close up. The shock on Marion’s face is represented by another close up of her. It is important to note that Hitchcock leaves out any birds or anything else in the room to allow the audience to focus completely on Marion’s emotions and expressions. However when the shots go back to Norman there is always a stuffed bird present. Even though Hitchcock has chosen the framing of Marion’s shots to leave out the birds in this section, the lighting is effective, as one side of her face is light up by the light next to her and the other side has casted a shadow, this is to emphasise the fact that it is a dark room, which gives a creepy feel to the scene if it is in low light. Norman’s shots are also similar, Combined with the birds in the room the casting of a shadow from the light in the room on one side of his face really tells the audience that it is a dark room. Every shot has a shadow casted, This creates tension by creating a mental image in the audiences head. A dark room filled with stuffed dead ravens and owls is a scary setting. It is also a very good lead up to murder which follows in the film.

 

 

One significant shot would be when Norman tells Marion about his father dying and having to look after his mother. The camera switches to a side view of Norman to show off a large stuffed owl in the background with its wings spread in the position of it attacking something.

The birds are arguably the main sources of creating tension in this scene. Without them, The scene would not have the same feeling of oddity. This combined with using the birds in the effective places, is the main source of tension in this scene. They are very prominent and as the scene ends and Marion leaves. It is only then you realise that you didn’t actually see most of the room. Evidence of this is when Marion walks into the parlour after Norman invites her in. There is a close up shot of her and then a couple second shots of some of the birds in the room, signifying that Norman perhaps isn’t quite normal. It also creates tension from the very start for the audience. Why are there birds there in the first place? Why are they birds like owls and ravens? These birds aren’t even nice looking and I would say the Owl represents killing and the Raven represents death to the audience. Of course the birds become hard to ignore when the clos ups of Marion and Norman start. As Norman becomes very angry at the fact that Marion suggested that she may be better off in an institution the birds become very prominent and an effective way of raising the tension. 

Another important shot would be when Marion decides to leave. As she stands up Hitchcock uses very effective framing and composition to show a stuffed raven in the background. The Raven is a bird that signifies death and this is not coincidental as this is minutes before her death.

Some of the costuming and the style of the room is perhaps the more subtle way of creating tension used by Hitchcock. Of course the stuffed birds are clearly prominent. But it also combined with the old fashioned paintings on the walls, the objects surrounding each character and the clothing as well. For example the old fashioned paintings combined with the birds represent a stereo-typical ‘scary haunted house’ in a thriller/horror film. Marion sits at ease in her chair, her posture and the fact she is lit up by the light next to her, surrounded by milk and toast creates a sympathetic feeling towards her. This could be Hitchcock attempting to portray Marion as the victim here (Even though she stole 40,000 dollars). Norman similarly is surrounded by stuffed birds and has more of a shadow cast over him and less light on him, he is also wearing dark clothes signifying that there is something not completely right with him.  The shadow from the light also creates a line to the middle of his face possibly showing that he has  a dual personality as a friendly host/murdering psycho.

Word count:  898

Felix Rouch

How does Wilder convey the characters and their relationships in the penultimate scene of Double Indemnity?

 

 

Some effective techniques Wider uses is lighting and certain props and mise-en-scene. A shadow of some sort is present throughout the whole scene, either on Walter, Phyllis or a part of the room. Shadows from the shutters could suggest that they are both in a trap of their own making and the as Walter walks in his whole figure is a shadow for a brief moment, Possibly suggesting that he is a killer in this particular scene. The way the lighting is used on Phyllis is also something to be noted, compared to Walter and how dark the rest of the room is, she is relatively lit up by the light. Combine this with her posture, and the audience can see that she is a classic femme fatale. She knows the lust of powerful men can get her what she wants and she feels as though she is still in control of Walter in this scene (as she had him kill her husband).

 

Wilder also uses lighting on Walter to convey his character. When he firsts sits down on the armrest, half of his face is covered by a shadow, this could suggest he has a dual personality. As he comes across as an honest working, polite sort of nice man, but he is also a killer and has been used by Phyllis to get what she wanted. This is represented by the shadow across his face. Phyllis’s cigarette again shows her arrogance in this situation, She still believes she can control Walter, just as she has done throughout the film. Her cigarette shows how relaxed she is in the situation despite her knowing that Walter has realised he is simply a small part of her plan to take her husbands money.

 

Wilder also uses effective shot types, framing and composition in this scene to portray these two characters. The first shot is of Walter walking in to the living room, for this shot Wilder uses a long shot to show off the dark side of both characters. Firstly we can see Walter on the left walking into the room and Phyllis on the right slouched in an arm chair smoking a cigarette, Walters figure is covered by a shadow for a majority of this shot and at one point his entire figure is a shadow. This tells the audience that throughout the film, he has been the real killer the whole time and he is about to kill again, Phyllis on the other hand is double crossing and manipulative. This is shown by her posture (as Walter realises that she doesn’t really love him) she still believes she can bend him into getting what she wants. The light on her can also been seen in this shot as it also trying to portray the fact she is a beautiful innocent women with classic good looks. I think this is one of the most prominent shots in the whole film as it shows the darkest sides of both characters in one shot. It is the framing of this shot which is what makes it so prominent.  

 

Another significant shot would be towards the end of the scene where Phyllis shoots Walter as he turns around. This again comes as no surprise that this part of the scene best shows off both character’s personalities and their relationship with each other. The shot of Walter being shot is a Noddy shot. After he is shot we see the surprise on his face when he realises that Phyllis has done what he had planned to do as soon as he walked in. The fact that Phyllis shot him shows that she saw their relationship as nothing (in her eyes) and he was just a pawn in her game, as well as this I believe the fact she shot him shows that she believed she was never the oppressed victim.  Even the way she moves and speaks shows she is a femme fatale and she knows it. She used her charm to get a rich husband and hide her guilt, and she then used the same tactics to lure in Walter to dispose of her husband and attempt to earn a fortune.

 

After Walter is shot and he walks over to Phyllis Wilder uses an over the shoulder shot as the two get close to each other. This is very significant as the over the shoulder shot focuses on Phyllis and Walters back is facing the camera. This is used to show Phyllis’s despair as she realises she is completely stumped. Now Walter has the gun and he knows she used him to get her husbands money and doesn’t really have any feelings towards Walter and she realises this. Even though she attempts to seduce Walter again by telling him she loves him, we can still see the resentment between them as they both want the other one dead. I think the camera is not showing Walters emotions because he is set on killing Phyllis. He knows he is the real murderer and he killed because he thought he would get something that he wanted and he realises this.  The over the shoulder shot is also used to show the emotion of Phyllis as she is killed and almost causes the audience to sympathise with her.