Dani's Research Task

Misery

Camerawork

There are many key elements in the opening of Misery that allow us to know and prepare for a shocking thriller movie. Straight away, our focus is directed onto some objects that have major importance at a later time in the film. This is a very clever technique, which gives us clues of their later importance and adds to the chilling, sinister feelings that are created from this genre.

• There are a lot of close ups and extreme close ups that foreground particular objects in the opening of the film. This indicates an importance of them but also gives us an idea of the main characters personality and occupation. Seeing as there is little dialogue, key objects and very limited movement from the camera helps us to quickly figure out the basics of the main character.
• When the car drives past the camera for the first time there is a pan which moves into an establishing shot. The pan makes it seem like this car is quite powerful as it zooms past the camera; it also keeps our attention following the main character and shows he is starting a journey. The establishing shot allows us to see the setting in relation to the character; in this case it is quite dangerous looking and makes him seem weak and vulnerable, which sets us up for what’s to come.
• There’s a point of view, tracking shot that allows us to see the cars journey from his point of view. It enforces the speed that he’s driving on this dangerous road and builds the tension that the audience start to feel.
• The extreme long shot that makes the car seem even weaker and sees the it off on it’s own round the snowy corners heightens our tension, suspense and the characters vulnerability as we know the speed is going to get the better of him in these torrential weather conditions.

Mise en scene  

·         The immediate close ups and extreme close ups on the glass, Champaign, cigarette, match and typewriter give us implications that they are going to al be used again somewhere in this film which is really quite creepy. The fact they’re all single objects, for one, could also show us he’s isolated.

·         There are many other things in the opening of the movie that give off an isolated feel as well. The house stands on it’s own in the middle of a very snowy setting and snow by itself can give off connotations of entrapment. Isolation is a very key feeling that creates all the other emotions we experience when watching thrillers.

·         Sharp, tall mountain faces are quite often found in thrillers as they enhance the danger within them. The weather is very dark and snowy, which gives off a very cold mood and atmosphere and creates tension and fear for the character within us.

·         After his accident, the person that saves him is wrapped up completely in clothes designed particularly for snow to keep the realism in the film, creates enigma as we start to wonder who it could possibly be and whether they are good or evil.

·         When we first meet Annie, she is dressed very clean and tidy like a nurse or carer would be. This gives us very high hopes for the main character as we see how he’s been very fortunate. Annie is also dressed like this so we least expect her to ever commit any crime, which emphasises the shock when the twist takes place and we realise she is capable of extreme crime.    

·         The single bed that the main character is placed in again highlights isolation to us. Tension is once again raised as we realise he is on his own in this very powerless state with a women that we know nothing about. 

Editing   

• Right at the beginning there are straight, solid cuts that lock the audiences focus hard onto them. This gives the message that they must have some significance and importance in the film. The cuts are also important at the beginning so we can place ourselves into the story and correct mood of the film quickly and clearly.
• When the camera is at a side view shot of the main character driving along in the car, there is added jolty action on the camera. This is to add to the effect that he’s driving along a bumpy road, which adds to the dangerous sense in this scene.
• The cuts at the moment where he has his accident pick up pace and are a lot more fast and ferocious. Immediately, this effect puts us on an instant edge and heightens the tension as the disruption in the narrative takes place.
• A graphic match takes place from the snowy storm that turns into a complete white sheet across the camera, to the white wall in Annie’s house. This is a very effective way of linking two scenes or shots together and the slow fade adds to the creepy feel that these types of edits raise in thrillers. It also introduces an Enigma code and causes us to feel how the main character is feeling, in his dreamy and confused state.

Sound  

• There is complete silence in the background at the very start of this movie, with just the diegetic sound of the type-writer clicking which is purposely made prominent. This emphasizes to us that he is probably a very successful writer, as he looks very professional and finishes what he is working on at the start of the scene.
• There is restricted narration in this film and we pick the basics of the film up by the prominent actions we see. We definitely feel the same feelings and emotions as this character and are at the same level as him throughout the movie.
• The music that comes in at the car journey seems non-diegetic at first and is parallel sound; it puts us in a positive mood and seems like this character is progressing to some point in his life. However when the accident takes place it immediately turns into contrapuntal music as it definitely does not fit with the visual action that we are seeing on screen. It also suddenly seems diegetic as the music cuts out when the car smashes to the ground, as if it was playing on the car radio. This effect is used, to cause us to feel an immediate downfall with the character and as the disruption stage takes place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cgqu2W3Ore4&feature=player_embedded

Seven

Camerawork

• There are a lot of close ups and extreme close ups in the opening credits of the film that draw the audiences attention, in major detail to the very sinister images on screen. They are also there as an introduction; to show what the movie entails. A lot of the objects in the images showed significance to detective scenes and cases of crime and murder, which is significant to the opposition of the main characters.
• There is a lot of restricted narration; covering our view of what some of the objects really are, which is very unsettling and creates enigma before the movie has even begun.
• Right at the beginning a canted framed, high angle shot takes place over some very unhealthy looking hands. This gives an immediate indication to the tension and eeriness that will be created from the film.

Mise en Scene

·         There is desaturated and sepia colouring in the opening credits which is unusual to our normality and causes disturbance. Along with this a limited view is caused by a spotlight effect that moves about some of the images. This adds detective significance and gives the effect that we’re intruding upon undesignated areas.

·         Again all the objects and images are relevant to the significance of the detectives and are enigma codes as we’re already wondering what mystery they have to solve. The images have a very decrepit look about them and with the lighting and camera work; it’s very chilling for the audience watching.

·         Flashes of red appear here and there, representing blood, murder and danger. These three things all appear in this movie and are very graphic images; adding to the tense and sinister feelings of thriller.

Editing

·         The credits and title that appear frequently are written in a very sharp font and jolt as they appear; this is as if they are shuddering or shivering, which is a normal human action that occurs in fear, nervousness or very chilling situations.

·         The cuts are extremely quick and very unclear at some points. This heightens our tension and confusion to get us in the mood for a thriller, before we have even seen the first scene of the film.

·         There are lots of flickers from the credits and from random lines, creating the effect of old technology and dodgy signals. Fuzzy TVs or radios are always used in thriller or horror movies to give off an isolated or very ghostly feel. It could also represent sparks of electricity which highlights possible danger in the film.

Sound 

• The sound effects in the opening credits are very typically associated to the thriller genre. In this case they could be there to set the mood of the film before it begins and build the audiences tension. Or they could be an indication to certain actions that will take place within the movie.
• The music is very eerie and quite scary; high screeching elements quite frequently occur in it which are quite similar to the sound of a high scream, indicating fear and danger within the film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEZK7mJoPLY&feature=player_embedded

Inception

Camerawork

•  There are opening close up shots of the powerful, vigorous waves of the sea. They completely fill the screen causing us to feel very weak and vulnerable. We share these same feelings with the main character, who looks as though he has been washed up and is limp compared to these waves. Immediately enigma is created as we wonder how did he get in this situation and who are the children that seem to be of importance?
•  There are slight jolty pans and wobbles that don’t look messy but really add to the beach effects that we’re used to; rocking boats, splashing waves and summer activities. 
•    When the scene changes to inside the room there is a long shot to highlight to us there has been a change in setting. However we are still very unclear of the story and our character.

·         The scene completely changes again into a 3 shot; the 3 shot that stays mainly at normal eye level is a simple but effective shot that takes place in some kind of important dialogue. It keeps referring back to each character so we can see any important expressions, reactions or emotions that may be significant.  

Mise en Scene

·         The weak and vulnerable main character, who looks wounded for an unclear reason and extremely weakened, is juxtaposed with the care-free, happy and colourful actions of the young children. This definitely increases the enigma and empathy we feel right at the start of the film.

·         The guards and interior setting of the room give implications that this particular man must be of some importance.

·         The spinning top is most definitely an enigma code for some time in the movie as we wonder why such a small and simple object holds so much importance for the main character.

·         When the scene changes to clearly a different time, the lighting and interior look very similar. However the main character has a completely different status and is in a much better state. This is very confusing but could possibly be done to keep the realism of the film and to make it clear that lots happens to this character throughout the film, for him to reach the sudden weak status.

Editing

·         Quite often in thrillers,  straight, fast cuts are used to really put us on edge, build up our tension and allow us to suspect very chilling events. However in this opening, the cuts are slower; this is so we really capture what’s going on, recognise the emotion that is present in this scene and remember it for later on in the film.

·         Manipulation of time takes place in the opening of Inception; the scenes are put into a non-chronological order. These scenes act as little messages of a puzzle and as the film goes along we can piece it all together.

·         There is a graphic match between where the main character is weakened and the 3 shot scene. The interiors of the two rooms are visually similar, there is a long, posh table and both men (the one it flicks from and the one it flicks onto) are focused with a close up shot and are both eating.

·         The opening scene is actually from much later in the film, from the state the character seems to be in it could possibly be the disruption stage of the movie. However it is moved to the first thing we see onscreen, causing the disruption scene to take place first. This is a particular element that is often found in thrillers. 

Sound   

·         Diegetic sound opens the film as thrashing wave noises (with the waves themselves) appear; they have very negative and fearful implications as compared to us the sea holds huge power.

·         Non-diegetic sound follows this as some quite emotional music comes in with the children playing. We feel empathy for the character, as it implies something sad has happened to him in his life.

·         The music moves to a sudden point, where it turns eerie; from this we can assume that this back of the man that appears on screen is possibly evil. There is an enigma code from the music that suggests trouble has occurred but also from the spinning top which the music accompanies; we want to find out why it seems to have so much importance.

·         The deep vibrating noises that suddenly emerge lead us into the sudden explosion in a different scene. This sound bridge increases our curiosity and interest, as the situations of each scene are quite different but they all still flow. We want to keep watching and make sense of the action.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VXkUzf1et4

The Birds

Camerawork

• The camera doesn’t move at all in the opening credits of the movie but this is done to create an unsettling and anxious effect. The still camera causes the birds to seem more powerful and threatening, it’s like they’re swarming in on you which has a lot of significance to the film.

Mise en Scene 

• The birds are just black birds, which is purposely done to create fear. Blackbirds have a connotation of evil and are associated with a bad omen. The fact that there are loads of them increases this sense of evil and give an indication that tense moments are going to take place in this film.

Editing

• There isn’t really any particular editing effects needed on the credits but the credits themselves appear all in the middle of the scene very casually without any movement. This makes it look like they are being surrounded by the vicious birds and attacked. It is a constant attack which indicates that someone is attacked by a bird somehow in the film; maybe a constant attack or maybe at random points in the movie.

Sound

• Instead of music (which is normally heard to credits) we hear just the diegetic sound of the birds screeching. A bird tweeting is normally known as a pretty little sound, for example in Disney films. However these birds are really screeching which gives of the sinister mood that must be given off in this film. The dynamics of the bird screeching is used to effect as well; it builds up to quite a piercing loudness when the title of the film appears and then gets quieter again. It’s highlighting to us there is nasty events in this film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp5cgFf_GkA&feature=player_embedded

 

Face off

Camerawork

·         There are lots of close up and extreme close ups to capture the emotion of this beautiful father and son relationship. The closeness of the merry-go-round allows us to remember the fun and excitement these rides give to children.

·         There are also extreme close ups that form a restricted view of the man with the gun, which is purposely done to create the sense of crime and we immediately know something is about to break this happy moment.

·         We see the point of view shot through the gun, when the man is aiming for the father; it’s a shallow depth of field shot as it directs all attention onto this father and son and causes them to attain a sudden vulnerability. Our tension rises to an ultimate high, as we are able to see how easy it is for this man to kill them.

·         When they are shot, the camera doesn’t follow them to the ground but stay as a close up on the carrousel horse to show the blood stain, which emphasises it went straight through the boy and they were definitely hit.

Mise en Scene

·         The colouring has a slight sepia touch to it, which juxtaposes with the happy fairground setting; it foreshadows the crime and murder that is yet to happen.

·         The setting of the fairground however still really emphasise the child-like, happy emotions and we really capture this within the scene. Also the balloons are purposely made to stand out from the rest of the scene because of their connotation of children, happiness and fun. They are a symbol that represents the relationship between this father and child; when they float away at the end it represents the boy’s life, he has drifted away from his father.

·         The villain is silhouetted to add to our enigma of who he is and why he commits this crime. It keeps him hidden from us, as we find out more later on in the movie.

·         We only see the end of the gun and a close up of the bullet; this is the where the main danger point of this weapon lies and it adds to the anxiety and tension when we’re in front of it on screen; we feel great empathy for the father and son.

Editing

·         The slowing of time throughout this very moving scene is done so we really capture the emotion from the characters. It also builds a sense of calmness right at the start before the villain is introduced which allows us to feel the happiness to a greater depth; it makes the climax and the instant dread of the scene feel a lot more sudden.

·         There are dissolves throughout the carrousel scene that over-lap the happy, emotional images. Several sudden quick cuts take place when the villain appears, directing all our attention quickly and sharply to the gun and then this figure.

·         Quick, straight cuts transform the horses; from happy, childhood symbols into eerie ghostly figures that represent the young boy’s tragic death.

Sound  

·         The parallel sound is a beautiful piece of music; it complements the beautiful start to this scene.

·         There are many diegetic sounds relevant to the thriller genre; the whooshing sounds from the carrousel moving past, is a very unsettling sound to us and usually represent in movies danger approaching. When he villain comes into the scene the music cuts out and the gun is uncovered with an emphasised sound effect; this highlights there is danger in the scene and rapidly draws our attention to this realisation.

·         The sound of the gunshot emphasises the climax of the scene and at this moment the music cuts out completely to silence. Someone has died and to highlight this so has all sounds.

·         At this moment there is a horse neigh (alongside the blood stain on its head) as well, which makes it sound as though the horse has been shot too. It emphasises the murder, danger and loss of life within the scene. It inflicts an immediate change in emotion, mood and atmosphere towards the rest of the film.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNOvfuybPao&feature=related