When considering the type of cinematography I wish to use in my film, I know that one of the main focal points of my film is emotion, specifically Reeds reactions to the events transpiring as he drives.
I will take inspiration from the film Locke (2014. Steven Knight) and its Director of Photography, Haris Zambarloukos.
I love the cinematography in the film as it brilliantly demonstrates the chaos that’s happening in his life without directly saying it. I think this can help me portray the emotions that my character is experiencing without always relying on dialogue.
Reed: White trainers, blue jeans, blue jumper – a large(ish) box, watch, wallet, deodorant, 1 pair of jeans, several pairs of jumpers, car keys, car.
Sarah: The audience never see her in full detail at any point in the film. She is present at the beginning but is only a blur in the background with the focus on Reed. She will however still require a wardrobe, such as: Dressing gown (Pink preferred), Slippers.
Miles: (At no point in the film do we see her on screen, therefore props or wardrobe is not required for this character)
Kayla: (At no point in the film do we see her on screen, therefore props or wardrobe is not required for this character)
I attempted some different practice shots that I might find useful for my film. They are unedited so there is no image stabilization which means that they are a little shaky, especially the pedestal shot which I had to complete handheld. A Steadicam or gimbal would have proved useful for some of these shots.
I plan on using the Canon 250D as it will be suitable for my film and is readily available for use as I have owned it for the past year and therefore have experience in using it. The camera can shoot in 4k RAW, meaning that there will be opportunity for greater detail and brighter images which will help as i will be shooting in low light conditions.
I will use the Zoom H1n as a potable sound recording device that will allow for a wired connection for headphone use. It offers 24 bit audio which means that it gives clear sounding audio recordings which will work well when focusing on the dialogue as opposed to the car engine.
As for lenses, I know that primarily my film will use largely close-up and medium shots so a lens with a smaller focal length will be required such as an 18mm lens. I doubt I will need to use a lens with a focal length as small as 10mm but i might need a larger focal length when focusing on things at a distance such as when Reed walks up the path and the approaching car. I own a 18-55mm lens which will work with my Canon 250D camera, enabling me to use these shots effectively.
Due to filming in dark conditions, lighting will not primarily come from natural lighting, instead I intend to use practical lighting such as street lamps etc. I’m considering going for a blue aesthetic to the films appearance so I might consider using bounce lighting to achieve this.
Due to Covid-19, I will be unable to do a location scout in person because of lockdown measures put in place by the English Government, therefore i will being using Google Maps for locations that would work well for my film.
Ext. House:
House, Thorney, England, Peterborough, St Mary’s Close
The locations I require will be of the house at the beginning of the film, the street in which Reed walks down and climbs into his car and the motorway, where 2nd and 3rd act take place and the films ends. I have chosen Thorney in Peterborough because it is a quite village that allows for easy filming and the house I intend to use is owned by a friend. My idea is to have the car placed parked on the adjacent side of the road several feet down so that when he leaves there is a long walk to the house from his car.
Ext. Street:
Street, Thorney, England, Peterborough, B1167
A quite street that will be seen from the interior of the car as he drives but will also serve as a stand in for the motorway when filming in a busy and built up area isn’t possible to accomplish.
Ext. Motorway:
Motorway, England, Peterborough, A47
The setting will be at night and I have experience with the area so I am aware that the roads are quite at dark which will make filming far easier. The motorway would be the most difficult of conditions to film in. To combat this, static shots would be used when the road is in view so that realism is maintained while other shots such as when Reed glances to his box of possessions would take place on a quieter road. Most importantly, this location will be crucial to the climax of the film, when the main character collides with an oncoming vehicle. The filming will take place on the motorway while the action of the steering wheel will be done at a street location for safety reasons.
(Stock photo) from ‘Fleet News
The main location for the film will be in the car on the roads. This is a stock photo as I intend to use my fathers car but due to Covid-19, I am currently unable to obtain a photograph of the actual car but this stock photo serves its purpose. Largely the interior will be used but there will be some exterior shots but not many as I want to keep the tension high and to do this, I will film mainly in the interior to create a claustrophobic atmosphere.
Reed – 30-35, Male, Dark(ish) black hair in a classic combed back style, Well groomed.
Sarah – 30-35, Female, Brunette, Long hair (Only seen in the distance and out of focus so specific details are not too important when considering casting)
Miles – 14, Male (Not seen on screen so specific appearance not required)
Kayla – 30, Female (Not seen on screen so specific appearance not required)
I know that I want to use music in my short film but I think my film is going to take a more dialogue focused route. Music will therefore be used largely at times of heightened emotion and tension so as to manipulate the audience.
On considering whether all the music will be non-diegetic or use some dietetic music, I think that there is an opportunity to use dietetic music on the cars radio without taking the audience out of the atmosphere of the scene. I wont use it when the husband first arrives as I want the focus to be on the dietetic sounds of the car approaching and his footsteps as he walks towards the house, creating a sense of unease.
I’m almost certain that I want some sort of suspenseful music in the final scene of my film, just before he swerves into the car, stopping momentarily on a fade to black and continuing faintly as the credits roll, making the moment impactful for the audience.
Using music effectively to shape meaning and produce emotion
Non-diegetic music is most commonly used to establish the mood of a scene
Music can affect the way that an audience observes and judges a character, developing their character
Used to portray emotion: a neutral face can be interpreted by an audience as being calculating and with an intent of malice but with a different song choice, an audience might view them as being compassionate in that same moment
Leitmotifs – certain characters can have a specific sound associated with them whenever they are on screen or referenced
Music choice can create a specific atmosphere in a scene, with one specific sound having the ability to establish the tone of either the rest of the film or scene
You can use a song that is the exact opposite of the mood in the scene to create a feeling of chaos or alternatively a calmer feeling
Effecting Editing
Music can be used between a scene change or during a montage as it binds shots together so that they can be understood as a whole and the flow of scene change can be easier
Illustrate movement when music syncs up with the motion on screen
Sometimes a scene doesn’t need music. It can just be as impactful without as it can add tension to a pivotal scene in the film:
Resources used: (‘No Film School), (‘StudioBinder’), (‘Premium Beat’), (‘Aputure’), (Kriscoart’ on YouTube)
When lighting scenes in a film, certain things can be used when considering character and story:
‘The eye is drawn to the brightest part of the frame so make sure your lighting communicates that such as when looking at an important object, person etc. If you need the audience to see something, lighting can influence where they are looking.’
‘Lighting can be used to foreshadow a characters motives in the film.
Lighting can be used to differentiate between two types of character; good and evil.
Match the quality of light used with the emotional impact of that scene. Soft lighting for scenes where characters are joyful or emotionally fulfilled. Hard lighting communicates difficult or dark times.
Use Colour to push emotions.
Consider depth. Light what the character can see.’
Considering Colour
Colours impact the way in which people view certain things or people and establish the mood of a scene. Three factors when determining colour:
‘Hue – The colour itself
Saturation – The intensity of the colour (Can create a contrast)
Brightness – How light or dark the colour is’ (Bright images often seem lively and exciting while darker images seem dramatic)
Association of Colour:
RED – Passion, Danger, Anger, Vengeance, Violence etc.
ORANGE – Warning, Warmth, Growth etc.
YELLOW – Value, Power, Enlightenment, Success etc.
GREEN – Growth, Sickness, Decay, Luck, Jealousy, Envy etc.
BLUE – Tranquility, Loyalty, Sadness, Cleanliness, Distance etc.
PURPLE – Wealth, Wisdom, Arrogance
BROWN – Earth, Home, Comfort etc.
BLACK – The Unknown, Power, Mystery, Fear, Remorse etc.
WHITE – Clarity, Reflection, Youth, Innocence, Purity etc.
From ‘Colourchat’ by Stephen Westland
Colour schemes:
Complementary – Two colours on the colour wheel opposite from each other. Creates contrast and a visually striking image.
Dominant Colour – One colour more prevalent in the shot which help to draw attention to certain things, with a secondary colour contrasting this colour.
Analogous – 3 or sometimes 4 colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel (Pleasing to the eye and often very relaxing)
Monochromatic – 1 colour from the colour wheel used
Triadic – On the colour wheel, 3 colours, separated by 3 colours in between them in the circle.
‘The 3 point lighting setup is the most basic and common type of lighting technique, utilising a key light, fill light, and back light that sets the subject apart from the background of the frame.‘
From ‘No Film School’
‘Most of the time you will want to flank the camera with the key light and fill light at an angle of roughly 60 degrees‘
From ‘StudioBinder’
Film Editing Techniques
From ‘No Film School’
Examples of different types of film lighting techniques:
Natural Lighting
‘Natural lighting is about using the light that’s already available at the time of filming and the location that is in use.’
From ‘The Revenant’
Key Lighting
‘The key light is the primary source of light when shooting a scene and will usually light either the actor or another subject. It is the brightest and most important light in the frame.’
From ‘Prisoners’
High Key Lighting
‘Reduces the lighting ratio in order to change the mood and tone of a specific scene. Created by heightening the key light and an increased use of fill lights which results in virtually no shadows being present at the light on all subjects being balanced.’
From ‘Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows Part 2’
Low Key Lighting
‘Removing entirely or slightly the amount of fill light in a shot so that its shadowy which creates dramatic and menacing looking scenes.’
From ‘There Will Be Blood’
Fill Lighting
‘The purpose of a fill light is to remove the shadows created by the key light. Its a lot less brighter than the key light.’
From ‘Blade Runner 2049’
Back Lighting
‘The backlight will hit the subject/s of the frame from behind them to give a more three-dimensional appearance, separating the subject of the shot from a dark background.’
From ‘Shutter Island’
Practical Lighting
‘Using existing light sources in frame such as lamps, candles etc. Mainly used when there is a lot of movement in a scene and the shot choices are wider and show off a greater amount of the set. Often used in cohesion with other lighting techniques such as soft lighting so that the light is more balanced.’
From ‘Moonlight’
Hard Lighting
‘Created with a ‘direct beam from a light source’ creating shadows and silhouettes. Can highlight anything that is in the frame.’
From ‘Blade Runner’
Soft Lighting
‘Whether a scene has hard or soft light is determined by the size of the light source. Its used to remove shadows from a scene and gives the impression that light is coming from sources in the characters world.’
From ‘Her’
Bounce Lighting
‘Light that has been reflected such as with reflectors, foam boards, or the surface of a wall or ceiling in a room. Reflectors can create a hard light depending on the distance from the light source while foam boards have a soft light.’
From ‘Terminator Salvation’
Side Lighting
‘The light that enters the frame from the side. Often used for creating a dramatic mood. They are good for showing texture and “for better dynamic lighting, it is best to use it without a fill or have the fill ratio very low such as 1:8”.’
From ‘Casino Royale’
Motivated Lighting
‘The imitation of natural light when the scene is otherwise in a location where there is none available. Some might increase the effect of the practical lights already present.’
From ‘The Exorcist’
Ambient Lighting
‘Ambient light is the light that is always present unless the scene is completely dark. Ambient light will change according to the time of day when shooting.’
From ‘Road to Perdition’
My Film:
I am considering taking inspiration from the short film ‘Stutterer’. I like the use of natural lighting when shooting in dark areas which is sometimes assisted by the use of a fill light. This will be useful for my film as I am shooting exclusively at night so i will require natural lighting such as street lights and a fill light when a clear natural lighting source cannot be found or placed into the scene, specifically when the husband walks from the ext. of the house to the int. of the car.
In ‘Connect’, I might plan to use the bokeh film lighting style when looking at the headlights of cars, especially in the ending where the husband looks off into the distance at the approaching cars as it provides a disorientating effect.
‘A storyboard is a sequence of diagrams that break down the shots used in the production of a film with the purpose of illustrating a story and planning the final product of the film in a shot by shot format.‘
Storyboard Example from ‘StudioBinder’
‘Storyboards can contain as much or as little information as required by the filmmaker but there are certain conventions to storyboarding that will generate a better planning process and ensure that the information is there when it comes to production so the process is as seamless as possible. Such examples include’:
The character name – Who is in the scene?
Camera Angles – (High, Low, Dutch, Eye-Level)
Location
General description about what is happening – (Are there nay specific actions taking place by the character?)
Transitions – (CUT TO, DISSOLVE TO)
Sound – (V.O. , O.S. , Are there any specific music choices occurring in the shot? Diegetic or Non-diegetic?)
Timing – How long will the shot be?
Camera Movement – (Static, Tracking, Pans)
Camera Shot Distance – (Close Up, Wide Shot, Medium Shot)
Showing camera movement
‘The following storyboard examples detail how to demonstrate specific camera movement. Arrows are an alternative to using several diagrams to show this movement’:
From ‘StudioBinder’From ‘StudioBinder’From ‘StudioBinder’From ‘StudioBinder’
Resources used: (‘Writers Store’) and (‘StudioBinder’)
From ‘Writers Store’ by ‘Mario O. Moreno and Kay Tuxford’From ‘StudioBinder’ by ‘SC LANNOM’
Other Key Notes:
Character
‘When introducing a character into a scene, the name needs to be in capitals in the action description, and the age of the character along with they type of person they are, traits and personality.‘
From ‘StudioBinder’ by ‘SC LANNOM’
Scene Heading
‘Typically choose either EXT. or INT. with a description of the setting in which the scene is taking place and what time of day the scene is occurring
If the scene goes from the outside to the inside or vice versa then you write EXT/INT or INT/EXT
You can use heading next to the scene heading so as to give more details such as specific locations‘
From ‘StudioBinder’ by ‘SC LANNOM’
Subheading
‘Used to show a change in location without breaking the scene such as ‘Hallway’, ‘Garage’ or ‘Later’ so its assumed that the time of day is the same‘
From ‘StudioBinder’ by ‘SC LANNOM’
Transitions
‘Not used very frequently but help to make clear the development of the plot and the story
Transitions need to be capitalised‘
From ‘StudioBinder’ by ‘SC LANNOM’
Action
‘Action lines should be written in the third person in present tense
Remove unimportant pronouns etc. so that the script has a better flow and therefore easier to read
Words that imitate sounds or important objects are often written in capital letters to draw attention to the importance of them‘
‘Be vague. Rather than go into detail about a characters internal thoughts, give a specific emotion such as ‘Jess is angry’
From ‘StudioBinder’ by ‘SC LANNOM’
Dialogue
‘Dialogue is centered and the name of the character is capitalised
Characters name should remain consistent throughout in the ID‘
From ‘StudioBinder’ by ‘SC LANNOM’
Extensions
(O.S.) – Something said off screen
(V.O.)- voice over
(pre-lap) – ‘Dialogue from the next scene begins to play before the current scene has finished‘
(CONT’D) – ‘Dialogue continues with the same character speaking when there’s been a break for something such as an action line etc.‘
From ‘StudioBinder’ by ‘SC LANNOM’
Parenthetical
‘Used to show actions that help to direct actors ‘(Taking out his…)’
‘Not needed to be used all the time, so use when necessary and leave when this information can be otherwise inferred by the actor
They can also show how the line should be performed such as ‘(hesitates)’
They are placed under the characters name‘
From ‘StudioBinder’ by ‘SC LANNOM’
Camera Shots
‘Suggest shots without selecting the actual shots to use unless there is a specific look you have in mind (only when critical to the scenes outcome)
In this example, POV makes clear that we are to see it from his perspective which has importance to the story
Do restrictively so and only vaguely such as POV rather than giving full in detail breakdowns of the shots used‘
From ‘StudioBinder’ by ‘SC LANNOM’
Lyrics
‘Don’t write down all lyrics as it would take up too much space
Either: (a) Disperse the lyrics across the page with shot and action directions to choreograph the scene; or (b) describe the feel of the song and the sequence together, as seen below from the film, ‘La La Land’ by Damien Chazelle‘
Sourced from ‘StudioBinder’. From the film ‘La La Land’ by Damien Chazelle
Titles
‘The text that appear over the screen
Begin with a subheading that describes the background of the title card such as ‘OVER BLACK’
Use by starting an action line with ‘Title’ in all capitals, followed by the relevant information that you want to show to the audience such as the time of day, location etc.‘
Script examples and developing on these notes:
Get Out – (Written and Directed by Jordan Peele)
From ‘StudioBinder’ by ‘SC LANNOM’
‘Introduces the character. Capitilisation of their name. Their age. The traits and personalities that they posses.‘
Dunkirk – (Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan)
‘Dunkirk’ Screenplay
‘Use of extensions. Several things are happening simultaneously while Tommy is providing voice over for all. Action lines used throughout. Multiple scene headings as the action alternates from train, to beach, to plane.‘
Shaun of the Dead (Written by Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright and Directed by Edgar Wright )
‘Shaun of the Dead’ Screenplay
Scene heading. Action line. Dialogue.
‘Shaun of the Dead’ Screenplay
Action lines. Extension of off screen dialogue.
‘Shaun of the Dead’ Screenplay
Lyrics. Initial line of the song starts as they all are bemused and while the song continues, the focus shifts to the dialogue and action lines, describing the feel of the sequence.
In order to complete this project, I will need to prepare for my production by researching into certain key aspects such as set design, costumes, actors, equipment choices and props.
For my film, I won’t be requiring the use of extreme amounts of make-up as the actors chosen will be around the age of the characters they are representing. Make-up will be needed in small amounts to prevent lens glare caused by the lighting and will work towards giving them distinct characteristics such as appearing in a positive way or negative.
The locations used will be of an exterior of a house, part of a street, the interior of a car and a main road. My current idea is that the exterior of the house will be light by 2 lamps placed symmetrically either side of the main door which will be on the left of the house while there will be a room to the right with a large window. All ideas are subject to change depending on what’s available at the time of production. The cars interior will be ‘nothing special’, there will be a bluetooth screen to call the people and to shot/reverse shot with, seating will be black so as to focus on him rather than his surroundings until specifically told to.
There are 4 characters: the wife; the husband; the son; the woman he cheated with. The wife will be roughly the same age as her husband although the only character seen in detail will be him so it’s more important that someone who appears around the age of roughly 35-40 will play them both, but that the main focus should be on that their voice sound suitable for that age over appearance, likewise for his 14 year old son and 30 year old woman he cheated with.
The costumes will not be difficult. The husband will be wearing some sort of smart shirt and smart trousers as if hes been out somewhere fancy, and the few clothes he’s given will be jumpers and sweaters, with rather dilly and boring trousers and shoes implying that he’s got dressed up smart for a reason. The only shot of the wife will be of a silhouette at the window and a hazed figure standing at the door whole he walks away, so a smart casual dress will be appropriate for her as if to day ‘hey, this is what you’ve given up’.
Props required will be a basket of some sort, see through, to carry his possessions, car keys,
Equipment I initially believe will be required include:
After completing the delivery of my pitch, the idea put forward was well received and the feedback I gained will go towards producing a film at the highest level of quality. Before I had only considered the narrative aspect of the story and now feel that I would like to focus on a specific theme or emotion that will work to drive the story and the plot forward. The emotion I am intending to focus on is going to be a combination of loss/regret in which Reed starts at a very low place when his wife is kicking him out but continues to get worse and worse as he slowly comes to terms with the mistake he made which will lead to be at the very worst and lowest point he has experienced before which will cause him to take a rash decision and move into the way of the oncoming car. I have considered not starting immediately with Reed and his wife arguing, instead starting with Reed walking into the house and still having an exterior shot of the house and see the argument start rather than pick up midway through so the audience can see his progression from a state of wellbeing to one of desperation and understand the drastic impact of his actions but I feel as if starting the film with an intensity and high tension right from the off and will set the tone for the film moving forward, where this tension continues to be pulled and pulled, never fully releasing until the films climax in order to have a greater effect on the audience. This is something I will consider when completing my screenplay.
The film includes both of the following: ‘a narrative which establishes and develops a single character’ and ‘a narrative which portrays a conflict between two central characters’.
There are 4 characters: Sarah, the wife; Miles, the son; Kayla, the woman Reed has an affair with; and Reed, the husband and main character in the film and the only one we see in detail.
2 locations: Reed and Sarahs house; and in the car on the road (A quiet road to begin with then joins a busy main road).
Time: Pitch Black (Night), Early hours of the morning
“Argument between wife and husband can be heard inside their house and he’s forced out, exchanging insults as he leaves – He goes out on to the street into his car and lashes out in anger before driving onto the road at high speed – He calls his wife using the bluetooth in his car, she answers and she demands that he never contact them again, stating that he can’t see his son and hangs up – he attempts to call again but is declined immediately causing another fit of rage – some time later he goes to call the woman he cheated with but is interrupted by a call from his son who calls out of curiosity and resentment rather than love – he admits to his son that he made a mistake and this gives him the confidence to turn around and try to win his wife and son back but is stopped by his sons reluctant attitude and mentions that it wouldn’t be a good time as someone else is in his house at the moment – the phone hangs up as we hear his mothers voice telling him to hang up and a male voice – he doesn’t say who the man is – he feels he’s lost his son and wifebut doesn’t want to admit it – he calls Kayla who answers after a brief time – Reed turns to her for help and asks to stay over but she clearly doesn’t want to and tells him all they had was a fling and she never felt any connection with him – she hangs up – Reed is left with nothing – there’s a moment of silence as the world around him becomes distorted – he’s already indicating to turn left but glances at the approaching traffic to his right – another moment of silence – a close up of the wheel as he shifts it to the right and cuts to black just before the apparent impact of a car.”
Focus on emotions throughout – Highlighted in bold
It’s pitch black; 12:34 am. Sarah and Reed are inside their home; now just hers. The couple argue about an affair, one he has had with another woman for the past few months. Reed is kicked out with a box of his few possessions and forced to get in his car to leave his family, exchanging a barrage of insults as he strides off. He throws his box on the seat and sits silently for a few seconds before lashing out in anger, striking the wheel of the car and driving away and joining the main road, regaining composure.
Driving at high speed, Reed calls his wife, preparing himself for another round of verbal abuse. She picks up and they argue about her decision to stop him from seeing his son. Sarah demands that he never contact them again and immediately hangs up on him. He calls again but after letting it ring out it’s clear no ones picking up, causing a fit of rage from Reed .There’s a brief pause as he makes the decision on who to call, choosing to contact Kayla, the woman he had an affair with only to be interrupted by his son calling him. He immediately changes his attitude, shifting to something that would suggest to his son that nothing is wrong. Miles, a boy of 14, seems conflicted between worry and resentment, forming a fascination with his fathers departure as just another event rather than a life changing decision and therefore seems almost uninterested and slightly disgusted in his father, alienated by his actions. Reed does his best to deflect his sons curious questions and admits to making a mistake, giving him the belief that he can turn around and put everything right but stops when Miles mentions that an unnamed man is present at the house again. There’s a faint background noise of footsteps and his mothers voice which causes his son to hang up the phone before he says who the man is, leaving Reed shouting desperately at a now already blank screen in desperation and despair. He’s lost his son and his wife to someone else, he just doesn’t want to admit it.
Reed phones Kayla. After multiple buzzes from the phone as she seems to take an eternity to answer, the voice of Kayla can be heard echoing through the cars speakers. Reed is now desperate, Kayla is the last person he can turn to for both physical help in the hopes of staying over and mentally as he continues to lose those around him. It becomes clear however that his pleas are in vain as he learns that she never felt that connection with him as he did for her and that it was just a fling, nothing more. She hangs up. There’s a moment of calm as the world closes around him, to his left the turning he’s indicating for and to the right, a herd of oncoming cars. A moment of silence, nothing is happening, he looks to the side of him at the box of possessions, nothing. As he glances at an approaching car, he leisurely begins to shift the steering wheel to his right and cutting to black just before the impact of a large car and the sound of a loud crash of metal on metal.
I envisage a film with one central character, revolving around conflict and the development of this character that will result in a negative course of action at the films climax.
Brainstorming different ideas for the film such as characters, occasions etc.
Chronological draft
Chronological draft cont.
Goes to phone the woman he had an affair with but interrupted by son calling him.
Son starts talking, he’s not supposed to be calling him, they both talk, he wants to turn round, finishes with son mentioning that someone is over which causes panic for the husband, can hear his wife telling him to hang up and then call cuts short.
Silence. It’s dark. Lights from outside reflect in to the car as the colours from headlamps surround him.
Calls woman he had an affair with. Rings for a long time. He asks if he can stay over at hers because of what happened. She clearly doesn’t want to, she never loved him (just a fling). She hangs up after they talk.
He begins to panic/self-destructive, less tears more anger and rage, looks to the barely filled box of possessions to his side that he was given when he was kicked out (he has nothing)
There is a moment of calm (everything muffled)
Spots an oncoming car to his right
Close-up of his steering wheel as he leisurely shifts the wheel to turn right and cut to black before the impact.
Its Gromit’s birthday, and Wallace has spent every last copper on his companion at the expense of his bank balance so decides to let out a room. Along comes a penguin, who instantly clashes with Gromit and takes a liking to his present, a pair of robotic trousers. Unknown to them, the penguin is a criminal out to exploit their hospitality as he attempts to steal a diamond by tearing Wallace away from his friends. After a long chase and an successful diamond operation, the penguin is captured a placed in the only place worse than jail for a penguin, a zoo.
Genre
The film genre fits into the comedy category.
Editing
Editing is simple but effective. Shot reverse shot is most commonly used during conversations between characters whilst the pace of the editing increases in scenes such as the train chase at the end of the film to create a thrilling feeling for the audience as they attempt to catch the criminal penguin.
Mise-en-scene
The house has a basic design with colourful furniture and wallpaper but what sets it apart from the other locations in the film is the collection of abstract gadgets such as the wake-up call machine where Wallace presses a button which engages the machine that gets him dressed instantaneously and serves him breakfast.
Mise-en-scene is often used for a comedic effect but still has a genuine purpose in the scene as the characters’ ingenuity allows them to succeed in capturing the criminal. The lamp on Gromit’s head, the rolling pin and gun and the cardboard box are all used to aid in his capture, using the lamp to shield from the bullets and the rolling pin to appear intimidating only to have a gun pulled on him.
Performance
The performance is quiet and controlled at times but then becomes overexaggerated in certain circumstances such as when Wallace bounces in the trousers down the street above houses for a comedic effect.
The only dialogue in the film comes from Wallace with Gromit having no dialogue so his personality is reflected through his facial expressions at what is being said or what is happening to convey emotion and create sympathy.
Meaning and Response
The film has a unique look due to its plasticine appearance which means that the filmmaker can be more creative with their style and express ideas that would be difficult to show in the real world. This also allows for a set design that can be manipulated with ease so that the characters can move about more freely without pushing the absurdity of the film to the point where nothing is believable.
Two professional safecrackers, Liam and Michael work together on a job to break into an office and steal the contents of a safe but having to do so in pitch black as any light will start the alarm. After remembering the plan, the two safecrackers await the go ahead to begin their work in a local pub where they begin to bond, drinking and smoking as they learn more about each other pasts. When they work the job, Michael reveals that his father was a thief also but he didn’t want to follow in his footsteps but is encouraged by Liam to find his father. Suddenly, after refusing to answer Liam’s questions, Michael lights a match, setting off the alarms and shining a torch in his face, leaving Liam in the office as he walks away.
Cinematography
There is a black and white aesthetic that the film uses as a way of establishing that the characters have a connection with something in their past. the lack of colour also allows for textures and details in the film to be more prominent such as the smoke from the cigarette as they both play snooker which adds greater personality to their characters.
Sound
In the final scene in which Michael betrays Liam, the only sound present is the diegetic dialogue as they discuss Michaels past as he hints towards his father leaving his mother and him before going silent. This creates suspense for the audience as it implies that Michael knows something that we don’t so that when he lights a cigarette, the implication is made clear that Liam is Michaels father.
After walking out on Liam, with the sound of an alarm and Liam’s pleas for help becoming more distant, non diegetic music begins to play in the background to signify that Michael has just achieved his overall ambition of the film and therefore brings the film to a close.
Editing
The editing differs depending on the actions of the characters during a certain scene. For example, when the two men begin to build the cover that will block out light from getting into the office, the editing is sharp and quick to show the pressure they are under and how difficult it is to do under the conditions. Whereas during the pub scene, the two characters begin to bond so when they both play snooker, one long shot is used to track Michael as he sings along to the music from a duke box and then switches to Liam doing the same thing. showing that their current mindset is one of clam.
Mise-en-scene
The layout of the boxes is the only sense of the difficulties they will face in the pitch black in the office before Michael betrays Liam, at which point the audience only sees brief glimpses of Liam tumbling over object despairingly. This also adds to a feeling of suspense and tension as despite knowing their aim and what they will have to do to achieve it, the audience knows very little about each character and how they will work together to overcome such a barrier.
There are no cars or other people present throughout the film other than Isaac who only appears briefly to instruct them on how to go about accomplishing the hesit. The reason for this is because the focus is not on the people around them but rather the relationship between Liam and Michael that will eventually result in the climax of the film.
Meaning and Response
The twist at the end of the film was great as it was completely unexpected until Michael begins to talk about his father leaving him and his mother, leaving the audience to suspect that Liam is his father and then the eventual payoff as he lights a cigarette, causing the alarm to go off and presumably resulting in Liam being arrested.
The film was very well paced with the pub scene set over a two hour period and yet reducing it to five minutes of important interactions between the two characters that help shape the overall impression we get of them rather than being just two safecrackers.
By a river in the woods, a man carrying a fishing bag sets up his fishing equipment as he leisurely waits for a fish to take the bait. After hours of waiting, catching barely any fish, his rod begins to liven up as something big grapples at the end of it. Tackling it to the river bank, he finds that rather than a fish, he has accidentally caught a woman. In shock, he trips up on his rod and becomes entangled with her before suddenly the woman grabs him, causing him to faint. After waking up, the woman is now wearing the mans clothes whilst he wears the white funeral dress that she previously wore and begins to call him “Daddy”. A flashback occurs in which the audience sees a ritual which shows the picture of the same man at what appears to be a funeral for him and the same girl who is engaging with several ritual activities.
Editing
Quick and sharp paced editing as the rod begins to move as the fisherman frantically attempts to haul his catch in and then when the woman is speaking with him and the rods begin to come alive as she talks, the cutting to a nd from her and the rods create a sense of fear and dread for the man as he is in an unfamiliar situation.
Sound
The diegetic music performance at the beginning seems very unrelated to the plot of the film but if you look past the fact that it appears just like a music video there could be a deeper meaning. Not only are they dressed all in black but the actual singing could foreshadow the reveal that the fisherman is dead as singing is typically heard during funerals which we see later on.
Mise-en-scene
The setting of the film by a river gives the film a dark and grim aesthetic whilst the music at the beginning of the film that seemed almost irrelevant to the story could link to the mans own apparent death. The main idea around this film seems to be death as the girl is first presumed to be dead and then its revealed that somehow the man is dead as we watch his funeral. The costumes that the band where are black and gloomy that seems to suggest that the man could in fact already be dead.
Contexts of Film
The film was shot entirely on an Apple iPhone 4 with some editing in post production that would help to give the film more vibrant aesthetics. It was handheld across the film which meant that the visuals appeared more realistic and personal to the man who was experiencing these events. The iPhone also gives the film a grainy aesthetic that suggests to the viewer that this will be a horror film without any prior knowledge.
The film represents a culture in South Korea and indeed other places in the world that the living have the ability to speak to the dead through ritual.
Meaning and Response
There seems to be a binary opposition of life and death throughout the film. The man represents death whilst the woman who the audience first presumes to be dead is representative of life as she attempts to talk and comfort the dead fisherman. There is also a binary opposite of colour as the film begins in colour before switching to a black and white aesthetic whilst the fisherman fishes and is then contrasted by the vibrant colours at the end when a ceremony is taking place.
The enigma of the film is how did the man die. Are we to assume that the man died whilst fishing which is why the woman and the audience see him in that form or is there another reason that might have caused his death?
The film depicts multiple assassinations in Ireland without any information as to who the killers are or why they are being killed.
Cinematography
The cinematography is straightforward and yet very effective. The long takes of the killer walking towards the victim and then walking away after shooting them creates a realistic setting and gives the impression that these actions are typical and not out of the ordinary.
Sound
There is no diegetic or non diegetic music used throughout the course of the film, instead focusing on the diegetic sounds of footsteps approaching and then leaving along the pavement and roads and the sudden sound of gunshots as the victim is murdered. This also creates a realistic impression of the murders as the filmmaker is making clear that there is neither anything special about the people being murdered or the murderer as they are senseless killings.
Editing
The editing follows the same repetitive pattern over and over again for each murder which further adds to the sense that these people are no different and the killings are violent and unjustified. The simple pattern: man walking into a building or towards their victim, the murderer searching for their victim, finding the victim and shooting them, cutting to the gun as the shots are fired and then finally to the body of the victim before repeating the process all over again.
Contexts of Film
Depicts a time known as ‘The Troubles’ at the end of the 20th century in Ireland where nationalists and unionists fought over whether the province of Northern Ireland should remain in the United Kingdom or join the Republican of Ireland. The conflict eventually ended in 1998 after an agreement between the government of both the United Kingdom and Ireland agreed to a power sharing arrangement that brought peace, but not before roughly 3,600 people died and over 30000 people were injured over the course of 30 years.
Meaning and Response
The main suggestion that the film makes is that the spread of needless violence across Ireland during that time and indeed in general is brutal and unjustified, giving no clear motives for why they are occurring just that they are and that to so is an unlawful and despicable act in a lawless and deprived time.
The film is set in a post-ww3 world in which he reminisces about his childhood when he first saw a man die, a woman which he still wonders if was real and the destruction caused by the war. Trapped underground, scientists attempt to send people back in time for resources to survive. Most go mad. But one man succeeds in going back, finding a woman who spends time with, drifting in and out of her life. He then travels into the future and receives a device powerful enough to put all of humanity back in motion and requests to travel back to his childhood memory of the woman standing at the end of the jetty at the airport before the war but is awaited by a man present in the underground camp who kills him, realising that the murder that plagued his memories as a child was actually his own.
Genre
This film is a drama/romance.
Cinematography
The film is comprised of a collection of still images that represent each part of the story as a moving image would, however, by using still images instead, the filmmaker has the creative freedom to focus more on specific details that contribute to the story and be more artistic.
Sound
Due to it being exclusively still images, narration is used to give context to the events that have occurred and propels the story forward.
Meaning and response
I thought that this film was really unique, especially for its time, where a concept such as travelling through time would have been an outrageous thought.
Due to the limitations of using still images, the filmmaker had to make sure that every still showed a specific emotion or event that the audience could engage with and they do so very well.
Representation
During the 1960’s tension was high in the world. The USA and Soviet Union had been against each other ever since WW2 and the Cold War had really began to heat up, especially in 1962, when in the year of the films release, Cuba was becoming a hotspot for conflict and the Cuban missile crisis bought all out war ever closer to becoming a reality. Paris is the central location of this film and France was a central location for WW1 and 2, so the thought of another war, with country destroying weaponry would have been a terrifying prospect for all, even for those who remained neutral throughout this period of time and so the film plays well on the fear of the masses.
Focus on three girls in their teenage years at school in Australia during the 1960’s. One girl, Pam, has to be an intermediary between her parents in their dysfunctional relationship and is obsessed by The Beatles, along with her friend Stella, who later gains popularity and stops talking to Pam. The third girl, Gloria, becomes pregnant after being introduced to sex by her brother.
Genre
The film is a drama.
Cinematography
The film is shot in black and white while using a 4:3 aspect ratio so as to give the appearance of a 1960’s feel.
Mise-en-scene
The film opens with the girls observing a book that contains information about the male sexual organs and how they function during sex inscribed with the words “This might shock young girls”, establishing the mood of the film and setting a precedent for the rest of the film.
The girls often mention how cold it is and the film ends with a rendition of “I feel the cold” which adds to the dark and slightly depressing imagery of self-discovery and growing up that Campion aims to create here.
Meaning and Response
The film was a very interesting interpretation of the teenage years in a girls life and their discovery of what comes in further life, such as teenage pregnancy, sexual relationships, and conflict that will shape the people they become.
Representation
There seems to be a main focus on the issue of sex, from both physical perspectives. Campion explores what it is to be a woman and the sexual desire experienced at such an age. The sexual desire, exploitation, and dysfunctionality of growing up as a woman is represented in an extreme way by Campion which exemplifies the experiences that girls will have.
A woman starts of by picking up a flower she finds on a floor and entering her home, finding a bread knife, telephone, record player and key are all left lying about. After falling asleep in an armchair, we see a hooded figures with a single flower in his hand and another version of the woman entering the house to find that the objects have moved position and the woman is still sleeping. This happens several times before finally one version of herself pocket up the knife and goes to kill her sleeping self, causing her to wake up and realize that a man is standing over her which we are to assume is her husband. It appears that she is now awake buy throws a knife at her husband shattering him like glass. We then see the film from the husbands perspective as he enters the house to find that his wife is lying in her armchair dead.
Genre
I would say that the film best fits into the mystery category but
Cinematography
The camera angles are definitely the most expressive aspect of this film. For example, when her second version of herself appears to fall out a window and then over a set of stairs as she attempts to climb her way out of the room, defying gravity as she floats from one room to the next to find the ‘real’ version of herself. The camera rotates clockwise and then anti clockwise, switching back and forth from the two movements to create a sense of disorientation for the audience and suggests that this is not reality.
Sound
The original production of the film didn’t use sound but instead was later added in the 1950’s although there wasn’t much, and yet this adds to the creepy and almost terrifying nature of the film. Sounds are very precise; the glass shattering; the sound of the beach; the birds at the beginning as she walks. They are designed to create an unnerving feeling that initially everything is alright but as she enters the house, the telephone left aside with the sound coming from it of someone hanging up creates a feeling of uncertainty.
Editing
Its difficult to tell but it appears that the film often uses hidden cuts to transition the setting of the scene from room to room. When on her first entrance into her house, she places the tone arm of the record player away from the disc, with the camera beginning to slowly pan left and cut is used when moving past the wall that moves into a new shot of an armchair.
There is one scene in which the cutting is jarring to the point where this scene doesn’t look real (the intended effect). As she’s standing on the stairs, several cuts depict her moving from each step with showing any movement, creating an eerie and baffling sequence that as the audience we are forced to question what is real.
Mise-en-scene
The mise-en-scene is simplistic and yet everything we see has a purpose. The several versions of key to open her house, the bread knife that will result in her death, the flower that causes her to enter her house after she chases a mysterious figure, the telephone that is always left off its stand and the record player which continuously plays silently.
One of my favourite parts is when she throws the bread knife at her husband, causing his face to shatter like glass and for a picture of the sea to emerge in its place, with the shards separated from his body dropping into the wet sand and washed away by the sea. I think this is suggestive of the freedom she desires. The endless sea on the horizon implies that she doesn’t want to be trapped in the house which she has found herself, attempting to escape it in her dreams only for it to consume her.
Meaning and Response
As I mentioned in my mise-en-scene section, the film isn’t entirely clear on what you are supposed to take away from it, instead leaving it to the interpretation of the viewer. My opinion is that this is the woman’s desire for freedom that she keeps on repeating to attain but when she is unable to achieve it she dies.
After a chance encounter on their way to retrieve food from the groceries, a pig hears a chicken being run over by a car and killed, leaving her in a state of panic, causing her to frantically run home and revealing the connections each person has with those around them.
Cinematography
One of the most notable aspects of the film is the fact that the animation used reflects a negative atmosphere due to its dull tones which contrast the animative style that audiences are typically used to, showing that the film will most likely be about a dark and sensitive topic that will have a negative short term impact on one of the main characters.
The use of animation allows for a greater range of expressive movements as the image can be manipulated to focus on key details. When running home after witnessing the death of the rooster, close-ups of the feet of the pig shows the distress that she’s currently feeling as she frantically attempts to return home where she feels safe, only returning to a wide shot when at last she finally does feel safe after slamming the door, signifying that she no longer feels trapped or confined by her emotions after what she has experienced.
Sound
There is a use of diegetic and non diegetic music in the film. The diegetic is the most noticeable as it expresses the emotions that the pig feels as she dances around the room to the song whilst peeling potatoes. The songs lyrics “When the day breaks” shows her positive attitude at this point in time as she feels ready to approach the day but disappears after she no longer feels safe when she sees the rooster hit by a car.
Mise-en-scene
The decision to use animals rather than humans as the characters expresses the impact that death can have on a person. Animals in fiction are typically associated with being fun characters possibly aimed at younger audiences so by relating these characters to the idea of death, the film suggests that these occurrences aren’t restricted to a select few people and can have an impact on anyone no matter a persons background.
Meaning and Response
They are all different animals but are all connected by one overwhelming fear that at any moment something bad could occur and cause harm or even death to them and they all struggle to cope with that thought, shown in this film through the perspective of the pig.The film seems to imply that by seeing something negative happen to others despite being strangers, your own life is put into perspective and will stay with you so that it causes you to make a change that will greatly impact the way you live.
In this film, a swimmer swims through the rivers of the British countryside as he listens to several conversations along the riverbank and appears to sink below the surface of the water.
Cinematography
The cinematography varies with a range of wide and close-up shots that make the audience feel separated from reality just as the swimmer experience as he swims, focusing on the movement of the water and only becoming less jarring when he stops briefly to listen to conversations.
The decision to shoot the film in black and white gives the appearance of the film a dream-like state, suggesting that this is a good dream for the passionate swimmer as he continues to swim for miles. It turns into a nightmare at the end when he appears to be shot by an arrow in the water, sinking to the bottom and yet he emerges unscathed afterwards, further strengthening this reading of the film as it feels real to him
Sound
The sound is perhaps one of the most creative aspects of this film, with music from throughout British cinema history including themes from The Lord of the Flies, playing in the background as the swimmer moves along the river, often timing the more harsher notes in the music to periods of struggle during his swim when he has to swim faster to or from something. The music initially begins at the start with a slight quiet whisper to the tune that creates a suspenseful atmosphere as the titles roll, building anticipation.
Meaning and Response
This film is very subjective depending on what the viewer brings to the film, whilst some might just view it as a swimmer taking a swim, others might see it as an expressionistic piece that demonstrates a swimmers love and fear for the sport.
The cinematography and sound have a great influence of getting the audience into the mind of the swimmer and understanding what they are experiencing. Personally, I think that the person watching the film is the swimmer. The film is presented in such away that places you inside his thoughts as he observes other peoples conversations and his own feelings as he glides through the current.
Contexts of Film
The film was commissioned in order to express Britain’s extensive art culture to display for the 2012 Olympics in London where it would be put on show to the rest of the world.
The swimmer in the film is Tom Litten, a young swimmer who narrowly missed out on being in Team GB for the Olympic swimming team
A young boy who lives with his mother and father is taunted and abused because of the fathers disappointment that he continues to wet the bed and his mothers overattachment. Upon finding a bag of seeds, he plants one and it grows until it becomes a grandmother who is loving and caring towards him. The grandmother unfortunately becomes violently ill, leaving the boy to attempt to get his parents to help only to be turned away, returning to find that she has died and in the end he dies also.
Sound
The sound is used in a way that is very much unlike any other film. Sounds of seeds shaking and the fathers repeated shouts of what appears to sound like “mine” are exaggerated. These noises are what drive the story due to a lack of dialogue, showing a specific characters intrigue in an object or a current mood they are feeling such as when the grandmother dies and her high pitched whistle is louder than ever before as she wails out in pain.
Mise-en-scene
Hardly anything is visible within the frame throughout the film due to the dark lighting. Whilst this also has its effects on the mood of the film, it also makes the objects in the foreground more prominent such as the bag of seeds and the bright orange stain left on the bed by the boy wetting himself as they are all integral to the story; Lynch is directing the audiences attention to the things that matter most.
Editing
Editing is sharp and violent when focusing on the boys parents, reflecting their animosity towards the boy and their violent outbreaks that push hum away.
Meaning and Response
I was overall startled by this film in that it was a very unique representation of what I believed to be Lynch’s attempt to represent procreation and the almost symbolic destruction of the idea of a family unit. Whilst it wasn’t something I would typically watch, I recognise the appeal of Lynch’s creative ideas that draws his audience in. The expressive use of colour and the exaggerated sounds add for a truly horrifying (in a good way) experience for the viewer.
A man with a speech impediment talks to a girl online for 6 months, but when she asks to meet in person he panics almost pushing her away, but decides eventually to meet her and finds out that just like him, she has to use sign language because whilst he has a stutter, she is deaf.
Genre
The film fits into the drama category
Cinematography
One of the most notable cinematography aspects in the film is the use of the BEV shots in moments of pressure and feeling alone such as when he is trying to type an excuse not to see her and when he is lying on the bed after she hasn’t contacted him for days. This gives the impression that he feel as if there is a huge weight on him, applying pressure and also makes it seem that as the audience we are are watching him closely but from afar, making him feel uncomfortable and nervous as he is a recluse.
Sound
Because of stutter, main diegetic dialogue from others whilst non diegetic narration for what he thinks. This makes other noises more noticeable such as phone
Due to the main characters stutter, diegetic dialogue mainly comes from others whilst non-diegetic narration plays over what he is thinking and feeling which has the added effect of making other noises such as the alert from his phone and the sound of typing and traffic even more prominent as they are the only noises he frequently hears because he chooses to avoid talking to other people, with the only times he does being his distant father and a lost tourist.
Mise-en-scene
After doing a bit of research, I discovered that the book he buys for her at the end of the film titled “Franny and Zooey” written by J.D. Salinger who was known for being a recluse just like Greenwood her entire life.
Performance
Greenwood’s face is often motionless and distant due to his reclusiveness and his unfamiliarity with interacting with strangers
His distant nature from his father is often shown by his sitting on opposite sides from him and at the furthest points from each other on the couch
Meaning and Response
I very much appreciated the focus on people who are deemed as different in society. Its become a common topic within film to express these differences and give them a happy ending but I believe this one accomplished this better than most. Whilst it was uplifting for those who might have felt differently because of a personal trait, it was also inspiring for those either with something not mentioned or without as its a film that extends to a greater meaning for everyone for their own reasons.
Representation
The main representational group in the film is those with disabilities, specifically people who are unable to communicate normally with other people due to either a stutter or deafness. This representation helps to show that people struggling with such problems should know that they are still able to everything that everyone else can do.
In this film, a lone gunfighter in the west walks into a bar where the voice of a narrator that categorises a typical western film narrates his every action and thought and those of the people already inside the bar, causing chaos as each person has secrets revealed that results in a bloodbath where only one person is left standing.
Genre
The film genres that this film fits into would be Western, Comedy and Action
Cinematography
There are some uses of noteworthy cinematography splattered throughout the film, one of which would be the actual splatter of blood as they get shot in the head. It’s a creative and effective way of showing someone being shot which adds an element of gore to an otherwise humorous film to remind the audience that despite the comedic nature of the film, people are still being shot and dying brutally.
Whilst the lighting allows for a vibrant and clear setting, its used largely for the gunfighter when he is giving his speech near the end to create a spotlight appearance from the gaps in the saloon window that makes him stand out in the scene and depicts him as the hero to save them from the narrator.
Sound
The diegetic sound in this film is mostly generic with the sound of boots, bullets and glasses made prominent in the sound mix as they add to the realistic setting of the film.
Music is used for dramatic and comedic effect both at the start, middle and end of the film. As the gunfighter walks into the saloon, music builds suspense of the approaching man which is only cut short by the realisation that everyone can hear the narration, thereby removing the suspense and adding intrigue. When they are about to shoot each other, the woman describes the music as ‘ominous’, breaking the fourth wall in order to encourage the people in the saloon to shoot each other whilst finally ta the end, when everyone except her is dead, the music begins to play again, signalling to the audience that the film is drawing to a close.
Editing
I like the editing in this film, there’s nothing unique about it but it is quick and sharp, often utilising a lot of shot reverse shots which focus on the characters reaction closely, allowing for more comedic effect
Mise-en-scene
Mise-en-scene is one of the major stand outs in this film with the costume design, props and the saloon setting allowing an authentic look for the film and its western setting which submerses the audience in the film, contributing to the other film forms such as cinematography and performance.
Performance
Performance is another major stand out for myself. The southern American accents that the actors adopt does a brilliant job of adding to the authenticity of the film whilst Nick Offerman’s voice contribution as the narrator provides a smooth narration that might be expected from a silent psychopathic narrator that initially doesn’t sound harmful and therefore his bloodthirsty narration seems all the more haunting and believable when everyone character can hear it.
Southern American accents, nick offerman provides a smooth narration expected from that of a narrator which doesn’t sound harmful and so his bloodthirsty narration seems all the more harmful when everyone can hear it
Meaning and Response
What I take away from this film is the implication that secrets can be deadly and can ruin relationships (less likely to kill you but still possible!). If we weren’t able to keep our secrets it could cause destruction on society. Deep down we know that we have secrets that we would never share with anyone and yet we always claim that we don’t so releasing these secrets could have massive implications and expose the most corrupt of people.
Contexts of Film
There are several references to groups of people during the time of the west that were treated differently due to them being a woman, gay, Asian and black, all of which are made reference to in the film and used for comedic effect, pointing out these flaws in the old western society.
The film is about a teenage girl living in the North of England with dreams of becoming a popstar so that she can afford expensive things that her unemployed father and her lying mother are unable to provide for her. She talks about all her dreams to the camera and how she’s going to achieve these dreams before standing over a river and dropping a small plastic bag in. The film takes a truly harrowing turn of events when a small baby, still fresh with blood can be seen inside as she walks of singing.
Genre
This film would fit into the drama genre
Cinematography
The cinematography was often shaky whilst the picture appeared grainy, perhaps with the attempted effect of conveying a realistic look at her life and the dull and bleak surroundings of Manchester that reflect her own life.
Editing
The editing is really quite jarring, with rapid cuts that are intersected by her short monologues to camera as she walks along the riverside. The film uses flashbacks to relate to what she is saying, for example when she speaks about her dad wanting to play for Manchester City in the football, cutting to a shot of him conceding an easy goal which is followed by a cut back to her claiming “not”. These flashbacks allow the audience to become more aware of her background and sympathise with her as we see first hand the struggles that she has to put up with.
Mise-en-scene
The mise-en-scene is very subtle but is used to great effect which I believe to have different meaning for the audience on the first viewing compared to when they rewatch it. Whilst her surrounding appears dirty and distasteful, one of the most important objects is the perfume. When watching the first time, it appears that she is just a young teenager looking for fragrances to perhaps make herself feel that she is more appealing but after she disposes of her dead baby in the river it takes on a greater meaning. The perfume is to hide the smell of blood that might arouse suspicions from her mother, highlighting the distance she is from her family and the society around her.
Sound
There is no non-diegetic music present throughout the course of the film, with the only source of music coming from her singing and her earphones which repeats songs from one singer; Britney Spears. Its clear the film sets her up as an idol for the girl with some of her lyrics reflecting the girls own situation (which she acknowledges in part). Lyrics such as “I’m not that innocent” and “I’m dreaming away” have an impact on her thoughts and feelings and are influential to her aspirations.
Performance
Perhaps the strongest part of the film, Ashley Thewlis does an excellent job at engaging with the audience and expressing her desires to become the next big international popstar. Her sarcastic and often exaggerated tone make the audience pity her circumstances as she is clearly unhappy with her current life and yet the joy and happiness she expresses when with her friends and singing suggests a sense of a hopeless escape that keeps her going.
Meaning and Response
The films topic is a very dark one but a necessary one to tell. I have great admiration for the way it subtly foreshadowed the ending through the dialogue the girl speaks towards the camera and the several flashbacks that add relevant contextual knowledge for the audiences understanding of her life. The dialogue almost passes you by which therefore makes the audiences reaction at the end all the more shocking and immediately makes you want to re-watch and link all the pieces together.
Contexts of Film
Abortions in the UK in 2001 weren’t commonplace, with 3.7 out of 1000 women respectively under-16 going through an abortion but the fact of the matter is that the number was still higher than it should have been and could have dramatic impacts on the lives of those affected. These figures only count towards registered abortions also, with abortions done illegally not included which is what the teenage girl in the film has done. The film, whilst focusing on the impact of abortions in general on young girls, largely focuses on the impact of a young under age girl being forced to kill her baby in order to hide the truth from her own parents, something that the director clearly felt was an important subject matter that needed to be discussed.
The film is based on the production of “The Passion of Christ” in Italy, where the film cast and crew act arrogantly towards the famine Stracci who attempts to disguise himself as a cast member to find some food, only to be hoisted up on a cross and left whilst several rich families of Rome visit the shoot, only for him to die on the cross.
Cinematography
One of the most admirable aspects of this film is the creative methods used to represent the class divide. When their is religious imagery present it appears in colour whilst other scenes appear in black and white, suggesting that religion is colourful and majestic whereas the rest of the world is dark and dull, filled with people who suffer everyday who are not cared for.
Mise-en-scene
The imagery of the poor man dying on the cross implies to the audience that unlike others such as the actors and the director, he has the strength to live a better life In heaven because of the comparison to him and Jesus, whilst they are aware that these are props and just a façade without truly believing in the significance of Stracci’s death.
Comparisons are made to Stracci being much like the dog that eats his food, therefore presenting him as a beast in the eyes of all others. Originally, he dresses up as a member of the cast in order to get food, hiding it under a rock but only o return to find a small dog ferociously eating his way through it. This is similar to a later scene when Stracci purchases cheese with the money he got from selling the dog, delving into the contents ferociously too whilst onlookers watch on and laugh, throwing him even more food. He is presented as a beast as that is what all the cast believe him to be, they see an unclean man with an insane appetite without considering the social influences that has caused him to be this way.
Meaning and Response
The film brilliantly critiques the social divide in society and the effect this has on the poor. Large amounts of food, luxurious clothes and happy dancing all contrast the protagonist who is dirty, starving and humiliated before his death. This is used to exaggerate the differences between the lower and higher class.
There is a certain irony to this film. Whilst the director wishes to use his film to celebrate Jesus and Catholicism, the themes presented contrast the very things that Jesus stood against whilst the cast mock the elements of life that he stood up for. Actors of people such as the mother of Jesus laugh at Stracci when they see him eating in a cave, mocking his situation and distancing themselves from him as he is almost animalistic to them. The director also mentions Marxism and his belief in it which too adds to the irony as Marxist ideology revolves around the idea of the proletariat owning certain means of production. This would benefit Stracci and yet it’s clear that this ideology for helping the poor seems to be neglected.
Contexts of Film
Orson Welles makes reference to Marxism. Marxism is an economic method of organizing society that gives the proletariat control of production to create a social transformation.
Pasolini is known as a provocateur. He is well known for being divisive and creating controversial films that question certain elements of society.
Wasp is a film about a single mother in England who has 3 kids and is forced to feed and care for them whilst trying to find a non existent social life all whilst being desperately poor. She meets an ex-boyfriend out of the blue and they arrange to go on a date but having lied to him about having kids at the thought he might be put off, she finds it difficult to take care of them whilst enjoying herself in the pub. All is revealed when there’s a cry for help from her child, forcing her to rush to their aid, revealing that she has children.
Genre
The film is a drama
Mise-en-scene
The mise-en-scene is used effectively throughout the film to show the depravity that Zoe and her children are living in. Moldy bread, pure sugar from a bag as a treat and eating a dumped pack of leftover takeaway ribs all add to a sense of disgust at the lives they are living.
Dirtiness is everywhere. From the children to the house, dirt is apparent wherever this family go, more than likely due to a lack of funds and time that result in a dysfunctional living accommodation. One child has dirt all over her face, presumably from food whilst the house is filled with junk and bland furniture that all add to this dirty.
Cinematography
The cinematography in this film is used effectively to show Zoe’s conflicting responsibilities and desires. The opening of the film when she fights with another mum who hit her child, close-ups without an establishing shot give the impression that we just jumped into the middle of her life and what she has to deal with on a regular occasion. The handheld cameras also give a shaky and amateur appearance that suggests she has a busy life with few opportunities to relax. The cinematography shifts from being shaky at the end of the film however as she begins to find stability when her friend shows that he doesn’t mind that she has children, buying them food and taking them home.
Meaning and Response
Whilst the film is titled ‘Wasp’ for the wasp that almost stings her baby at the end, revealing to her friend that she has children, the wasp could also be seen aa representative device for Zoe herself. Near the beginning when she is searching for food in her house, a wasp is shown to be trying to escape out of a closed window. My thought was that this was very similar to Zoë’s own situation, she can see where she wants to go but there’s something holding her back and trapping her in a confined space and much like Zoe does for the wasp, she needs someone to open the window for her, liberating her.
Contexts of Film
During 2003, 20% of the UK population were living below the poverty line, with the majority of sufferers being pensioners and single parents. This number remained the same up until the mid 2010’s with the UK being one of the worst countries in Europe for poverty which has been decreasing slowly up until this point in time. Zoë falls into this category as she is a single parent without enough money to afford enough basic necessities such as food, drink and clothing to meet the appropriate quality of life that would see her move above the poverty line.
Around the time of production, the amount of single parent households in the UK was roughly 9%, with a larger proportion of this number of single parent being headed by a mother. This can have a dramatic impact on parents and their children. Single mothers are likely to be more susceptible to be financially struggling and living in a low income area with a lack of support which could lead to mental health issues. The impact on children can be a more likely chance to suffer from mental illness in the future with an increased level of anti social behaviour. Signs of these impacts are present throughout the film. Zoe struggles to buy enough food to feed her children or afford people to care of her children which leads her to have a decreased social life. There is also a noticeable amount of anti social behaviour by Zoe that clearly influences her children such as her scrap with another mother at the beginning of the film and the swearing that she encourages.
The film revolves around a woman at her anniversary meal in her home with her husband, unsatisfied in his lack of adventure. The film has a twist, she turns her husband off via a switch on the back of his neck and immediately goes to ordering a replacement model, arriving soon after, but only for it to do the same to her as it desires standards that she fails to meet.
Sound
The most prominent device used for effect is that of the sound. Diegetic chewing noises as they eat their meal and non-diegetic lullaby music combine for an uncomfortable feeling for the audience. The chewing noises are far more audible than they typically would to create a sense of unease and the music has a haunting effect thats designed to give the audience the impression that their is something wrong between the two people right from the start.
Editing
Editing is used creatively throughout the film. One of the most notable piece of editing is when the woman is inquiring about receiving an upgrade. As the camera dolly’s backwards and she continues to talk about what features she desires for her ideal husband, the shot begins to fade out to black and then smoothly transitions to her peering through an eye hole in her door in the dark. The implication being made here is that a lot of time has passed as she continues to change her mind about what type of husband she desires and for the package to arrive.
Meaning and Response
The main ideas it seems to challenge is that of marriage and technology. The suggestion that Van makes is that the marriage is artificial and therefore cannot work. Its also a statement of a reliance on technology to achieve our desires and if we dont remain vigellent, we can lose ourselves and become dictated by that which we once craved for ourselves.
Contexts of Film
During the films release in 2006, a wide emergence of new technological feats were gripping the world that allowed a wide range of connectivity like never before. Facebook had just launched which allowed users to connect with millions of other people they werent aware even existed whilst youtube was becoming increasingly popular with over 72 million visitors each month. This all made for a world that found itself craving new technology and the next miraculous innovation that would take the world by storm. This is most likely a major influence of the film as the film attempts to convey the message that an overindulgence in technology can hav grave consequences and leave us switched off from the rest of the world.
The film is about an uncle who has to take care of his niece one evening as her mother is preoccupied with work. Richie receives a phone call from his estranged sister as a last resort, forcing him to take care of her daughter as they go out bowling and begin to form a close bond after he retrieves flip books that possibly inspired in the choosing of her name, resulting in him stopping an attempted suicide after he realizes what he would be leaving behind.
Genre
The genre fits comfortably into the drama category. There is a clear conflict between Richie and his sister and therefore a conflict between him and her daughter as well as she would have influenced her.
Contexts of Film
Suicide prevention has been a major talking point across several decades now and never seems to fully go away. This is with good reason, as despite a decline since the 1980s and 90s, suicide rates are still very high with just under 6000 suicides registered in the UK alone in 2012. Male suicide rates are typically almost 3x higher than female suicide rates.
Cinematography
There is a use of cinematography technique to create certain effects or feelings in the film. For example, when everyone begins to synchronized dance in the bowling alley, the camera arcs around Richie moving anti-clockwise, transitioning from a wide shot, to a medium shot, to a close up shot of him looking around. This suggests to the audience a sense of disorientation in his character as he feels unnatural to everybody elses movements.
Sound
The sound choice is relevant to the current events that occur in the film. The non diegetic song “We’ll meet again” by Vera Lynn is an appropriate choice for the setting of the film as it begins after he places the phone down on his estranged sister and goes to meet her for the first time in a long time. This also works for his niece as well, who he later states he was not allowed to see since she was a baby after he accidentally dropped her. The diegetic song “Ultralight” by Parallels begins to play in the bowling alley which has an upbeat melody to parallel the current feeling in the room, contrasting Richie’s attitude at that moment in time which has the effect of making him stand out as being different and almost abnormal in the crowd of people.
Meaning and Response
There appears to be a clear message in the film revolving around the theme of suicide. Should he have not picked up the phone, Richie would have died and learns after he resolves to not kill himself that giving up on his sister and his neice would hve been a terrible mistake. I think the message given to the audience is that giving up is not the answer and there is always a reason to live for. Christensen appears to imply that Richie understands this even in the opening shot, with the placement of the phone deliebrately next to him in the bath suggesting he is looking for someone to call and save him.
The film is about a woman travelling on a bus at night, She is located at a bus shelter before moving on to the bus, forced to stand and is pushed out the way by the queue of passengers who want a seat. She spots someone taking out a gun and shoot an old lady to get a seat, only for the scene to return to him standing as she was imagining it. Spotting someone else standing, she is pushed slowly towards him and she attempts to attract his attention, resulting in them holding hands briefly before a group of passengers barge through them and he leaves along with them, leaving her on her own with several other strangers as they begin to dance.
The film progresses in a linear form, starting at a bus stop and ending on the bus so that the audience can only assume that shes going home without seeing it as the destination isn’t important but the journey is. Abrahams uses a flash forward to give the appearance that a man has killed someone but then flashes back to restore everything to normal which is a clever twist as it gives the audience the impression that the film is about to take a dramatic turn. Binary opposition of the film initially begins with herself and everyone else on the bus.
Genre
The film best fits into the genre of drama/romance as a woman connects with another person on a bus that leads to a romantic connection before it is cut short.
Meaning and response
The film expresses the idea of connectivity. When she felt alone, she envisioned a man take out a gun to kill someone to gain a seat, implying that passengers would do anything to look out for themselves, while everyone else ignored and carried on, and yet after she connects with the man, she begins to see the passengers dance, including the one she saw shoot the old lady, suggesting that appearances can be deceiving.
The film challenges current attitudes towards people we are unfamiliar with and is suggesting that people shouldn’t judge others without first knowing who they are with the emphasis being on that people are often different in personality than what is represented by their body language. The message of the film is to not be so quick to judge others without prior knowledge of them such as the man, whom she thought might have been cold and imposing to begin with but as they got closer, she found to be warm and friendly. Whilst this representation does present strangers in a positive light, it neglects to inform the audience the realistic nature that not everyone you meet will have a friendly persona, and might often appear cold because this is a realistic depiction of their character, attempting to paint the world in a perfect light.
Sound
There is an effective use of sound throughout the film. Diegetic sounds are present as she waits for the bus of the approaching engine and the sound of water hitting against the pavement. As she places her headphones over her ears, the diegetic sound of music playing begins and the camera focuses on the passengers present on the bus, using a small montage to show their boredom and their dull faces. The music shifts from a gentle and relaxing sound to a dark and suspenseful sound as a man pulls a gun out and shoots a woman, but returns to the gentle sound after its revealed she has only imagined this happening.
Cinematography
The cinematography often consists of mainly one shots when focusing on her in the beginning to further the idea that she feels distant from the other people on the bus, however after they connect, there is a lot more use of wide shots that place her and the other passengers together such as when they dance, rather than focusing on them individually.
The look of the film is created from sources from the film world. There is no source of sunlight for lighting as it takes place at night so the lights from the bus shelter, headlights and on the bus are the only lights used.
Aesthetics
The dancing sequence pushes the narrative forward as it changes her outlook on other people which the audience are made to assume will have an effect on how she looks at strangers in the future.
The choreography of the dancing is exploited by the movement of the dancers, expressively moving between the rows of seating to fill in the available space left by the passengers who just left.
Aaron Bruce's Film Studies Blog 