Film & TV Language: Cinematography blog tasks
Find the opening sequence to a film or TV drama of your choice.
1) Write an analysis of the cinematography in the opening sequence. Highlight your use of media language and try to cover camera shots, angles and movement using the terminology we have learned in lessons.
How does the camerawork give the audience clues about the setting, narrative and character?
(Timings below are wrong due to original video being taken down)
The movie starts of with a medium long shot of a girl (which the audience later learn to be the main character named Casey) sitting at a table in a restaurant and staring in to the distance with an unreadable expression on her face. She seems to be there to celebrate someone's birthday but she is very distant from the rest of the group that is laughing and chatting behind her. The background in this scene seems to be slightly blurred, emphasising how Casey does not belong there with them. The shot remains the same for about 20 seconds, all the while Casey sits almost completely still while everything around her is moving.
The scene then changes after a time jump. The celebration has just ended and the audience learn who the birthday girl is (Claire). A medium close-up shows she is having a conversation with her father and best friend (Marcia) while Casey is on the phone. The director uses a cross-cut between the medium close-up and the long shot of Casey on the phone. An over-the-shoulder-shot is used while Casey is being filmed talking on the phone. This, again, illustrates how Casey seems to be an outcast in this society.
After Claire's father offers to drop Casey home because no one is able to pick her up, the scene changes and the audience are faced with a long shot of the characters walking through the parking lot. A steadicam is used to follow the characters as they walk towards the car. The shot keeps getting closer and closer, as the girls enter the car and only the father is left putting Claire's gifts in the trunk, until there is a medium shot of him seeming to talk to someone and he asks 'Can I help you?'. This reveals that there was someone following them and it wasn't just the audience. There is an abrupt cut at this exact point (1:57) which leaves the audience confused and anxious to see what has happened and wonder who he saw.
The shot changes to the interior of the car where Claire and Marcia are sitting at the back talking to each other while Casey is sat at the front waiting patiently. This once again emphasises how distant Casey is from her peers. Casey seems to be unsettled for an unknown reason as she looks in to the side mirror of the car at 2:11. The audience are then faced with a close up of the side mirror and the audience can see that nothing is happening. A pan is then used several times to change the shot from the side window to the front windshield. We then hear someone enter the car and the shocked expression on Casey's face. At 2:26 there is an big close up of the side mirror. The audience can see that the left over food from the celebration is on the ground. This is the turning point of the scene as the audience realise that something is clearly wrong.
The shot then changes to a medium close up of Casey as she slowly turns her head to face the person who has just entered the car. At 2:40 the audience are faced with a medium close up of an unknown man now sitting in the driver's seat of the car. Casey has noticed but hasn't said anything yet. At 2:56 Claire realises that the driver is not her father and tells him that she 'thinks he has the wrong car' while the camera pans to the let to show the two girls in the backseat. The camera the quickly pans back to the intruder as he all at once locks the door, puts on a nose mask and sprays the two girls with something that knocks them out. This alerts the audience straight away that this man is dangerous and that these girls are the victims in this movie who he is trying to kidnap.
Casey is left shocked and a cross-cut is used several times between her and the villain. This highlights the tension in the scene as Casey tries to figure out what to do. A match on action cut is used at 3:24 as Casey slowly reaches for the car handle. There is a big close up as her hand lingers on the handle, leaving the audience very anxious. As soon as she opens the door at 3:36, the alarm sounds of and the shot cuts abruptly to the kidnapper. He is staring directly at her as he realises she has just tried to escape. This creates fear within the audience as they want Casey to escape after having identified with her as being an outcast and quite lonely.
At 3:50 there is a close up of Casey with tears in her eyes as she realises she is about to suffer the same fate as Claire and Marisa. This is the last shot of her before the kidnapper attacks her with the same spray and the shot cuts to black abruptly.
2) Find and analyse four film or TV stills. Embed the images in your blog and analyse the camera shot/angle and what they communicate to the audience.
This is a medium close up and high angle of a man who seems to be in danger. He has a terrified expression on his face, as well as broken glasses and cuts, which suggests that he is being attacked. The high angle emphasises how weak and vulnerable he is in is state.
SPLIT (2016)
1) Write an analysis of the cinematography in the opening sequence. Highlight your use of media language and try to cover camera shots, angles and movement using the terminology we have learned in lessons.
How does the camerawork give the audience clues about the setting, narrative and character?
(Timings below are wrong due to original video being taken down)
The movie starts of with a medium long shot of a girl (which the audience later learn to be the main character named Casey) sitting at a table in a restaurant and staring in to the distance with an unreadable expression on her face. She seems to be there to celebrate someone's birthday but she is very distant from the rest of the group that is laughing and chatting behind her. The background in this scene seems to be slightly blurred, emphasising how Casey does not belong there with them. The shot remains the same for about 20 seconds, all the while Casey sits almost completely still while everything around her is moving.
The scene then changes after a time jump. The celebration has just ended and the audience learn who the birthday girl is (Claire). A medium close-up shows she is having a conversation with her father and best friend (Marcia) while Casey is on the phone. The director uses a cross-cut between the medium close-up and the long shot of Casey on the phone. An over-the-shoulder-shot is used while Casey is being filmed talking on the phone. This, again, illustrates how Casey seems to be an outcast in this society.
After Claire's father offers to drop Casey home because no one is able to pick her up, the scene changes and the audience are faced with a long shot of the characters walking through the parking lot. A steadicam is used to follow the characters as they walk towards the car. The shot keeps getting closer and closer, as the girls enter the car and only the father is left putting Claire's gifts in the trunk, until there is a medium shot of him seeming to talk to someone and he asks 'Can I help you?'. This reveals that there was someone following them and it wasn't just the audience. There is an abrupt cut at this exact point (1:57) which leaves the audience confused and anxious to see what has happened and wonder who he saw.
The shot changes to the interior of the car where Claire and Marcia are sitting at the back talking to each other while Casey is sat at the front waiting patiently. This once again emphasises how distant Casey is from her peers. Casey seems to be unsettled for an unknown reason as she looks in to the side mirror of the car at 2:11. The audience are then faced with a close up of the side mirror and the audience can see that nothing is happening. A pan is then used several times to change the shot from the side window to the front windshield. We then hear someone enter the car and the shocked expression on Casey's face. At 2:26 there is an big close up of the side mirror. The audience can see that the left over food from the celebration is on the ground. This is the turning point of the scene as the audience realise that something is clearly wrong.
The shot then changes to a medium close up of Casey as she slowly turns her head to face the person who has just entered the car. At 2:40 the audience are faced with a medium close up of an unknown man now sitting in the driver's seat of the car. Casey has noticed but hasn't said anything yet. At 2:56 Claire realises that the driver is not her father and tells him that she 'thinks he has the wrong car' while the camera pans to the let to show the two girls in the backseat. The camera the quickly pans back to the intruder as he all at once locks the door, puts on a nose mask and sprays the two girls with something that knocks them out. This alerts the audience straight away that this man is dangerous and that these girls are the victims in this movie who he is trying to kidnap.
Casey is left shocked and a cross-cut is used several times between her and the villain. This highlights the tension in the scene as Casey tries to figure out what to do. A match on action cut is used at 3:24 as Casey slowly reaches for the car handle. There is a big close up as her hand lingers on the handle, leaving the audience very anxious. As soon as she opens the door at 3:36, the alarm sounds of and the shot cuts abruptly to the kidnapper. He is staring directly at her as he realises she has just tried to escape. This creates fear within the audience as they want Casey to escape after having identified with her as being an outcast and quite lonely.
At 3:50 there is a close up of Casey with tears in her eyes as she realises she is about to suffer the same fate as Claire and Marisa. This is the last shot of her before the kidnapper attacks her with the same spray and the shot cuts to black abruptly.
2) Find and analyse four film or TV stills. Embed the images in your blog and analyse the camera shot/angle and what they communicate to the audience.
This is a medium close up and high angle of a man who seems to be in danger. He has a terrified expression on his face, as well as broken glasses and cuts, which suggests that he is being attacked. The high angle emphasises how weak and vulnerable he is in is state.
This is an establishing shot of Star City from the TV show 'Arrow'. It is used many times within an episode to emphasise where all the action in the show is taking place. It is also used to set the scene when one particular building is the focus.
This is an over-the-shoulder-shot from the 2017 horror movie 'It'. Pennywise the clown is strangling one of the main characters. A low angle has been used to emphasise the power Pennywise currently has in this shot and to highlight his sinister nature.
The most famous scene from 'Titanic' is depicted above. This is a medium shot of the two lovers from the railings of the ship. The fact that the beautiful sky is visible behind them highlights to the audience the romance between these two characters.
Comments
Post a Comment