Synopsis
Hunter Llewelyn Moss establishes the left-overs of multiple drug runners who have murdered each other in a bloody shootout. Moss also discovers 2 million dollars remaining at the scene and decides to help himself. Little does he know that he has now perturbed a psychopathic killer, Anton Chigurh, and that he is now on his tail after the money in his possession. As the pursuit gets more intense, more people suffer at the hands of the men's dispute and it becomes a question of who will come out on top... Film setup
This film overall exceeded its budget so therefore has made a profit. This is a major factor and most likely the most important element in determining a films success. Trailer:
The trailer begins with some light music and a compilation of images that have a subtle tone which is then juxtaposed to the slightly menacing music that creeps in after this companioned with the deep and threatening tone of Anton's voice. Even though the coin toss is an innocent proceeding, Anton makes it seem threatening and the audience can infer that there is a deeper meaning to it.
The source code is an iconic thriller based on an ex soldier who wakes up in another persons body and discovers that he is on a mission to find the person who is aiming to bomb a train. Little does he know he only has roughly 8 minuets to find this person and identify him to his authorities. He encounters different characters throughout his journey as well as a horrific and overwhelming truth and he is left with a big decision in relation to his fate.
$14,812,094 (USA) (3 April 2011, 2961 Screens) Gross: $54, 696, 902 (USA) (10 July 2011)
Audience experience
The Source Code keeps it's audience on the edge of their seat while allowing them to enjoy good quality film. The timed mission aspect of the film brings out the task completing instinct in the audience and they find themselves close to Jake Gyllenhal helping him to solve the mystery whereas the growing chemistry between himself and Michelle Monaghan with subtle humour helps the audience thoroughly enjoy the film from the beginning to end.
This is further supported by the other actors in the film which act as a huge compliment to the enjoymenty factor with their heightened performances. Overall, the film meets the criteria of a strong psychological thriller/thriller mystery.
Selected Review
A reviewer of the film described the media text as beautiful cinematography that has the capacity to do Chicago extremely proud.
The ambiguous ending to the film means that their are practically more questions than answers by the audience after the film, however, the film feels right with this style of ending as it leaves the audience second guessing and leaves an open discussion.
Finally, the film is highly recommended catering suspense, romance, mystery and thrills which make the film an all round masterpiece.
Trailer
This is a very effective trailer in portraying the main ideas about the film. The opening is extremely effective as it engages the audience with a sense of illusion and then shocks them by the heightened pace of the following shots almost like a vision which is effective when they see Jake wake up and they are immediately keen to understand the linkage and relevance of this vision. The shot of him looking into the mirror and not seeing his known face makes the audience feel dread where they relate this situation to themselves and begin to think how they would react in that scenario which engages them further.
The explosion of the train provides another abrupt shock and the audience are baffled by the action and content of the trailer and are eager to see more. The trailer then goes on to explain aspects of the film so the audience can gain an understanding of what is actually going on and the juxtaposition between the setting of the train and the desolute room the captain finds himself in presents to the audience different places at different times which help them depict other features of the film and have them guessing about what the film could be about.
The trailer then goes on to show the different side of the film with the relationship between the main male and female actors and how he wants to save her from her pressed fate. This appeals to a wider audience as more feminine people can begin to relate to the film with interest of a relationship and this also makes the trailer more versatile and appealing to different audiences.
The style of editing is effective throughout the trailer using fades to highlight a change in time and location while straight cuts are used to keep the action consistent and maintain some form of continuity.
The sound throughout the trailer is important based on the fact that it is the key to having an impact on the audience. As the trailer begins the provoking non-diegetic music mixed with the diegetic sound of the characters speaking is effective as it gives the audience a sense of illusion and the compilation of cinematic boom sounds aids the tension experienced by the audience. The sound correlates effectively with the action on screen and as the speed of editing increases, so does the tone of the music to create suspense and the audience are incapable of drawing away from the action.
First 5 minuets
The Source Code as a strong opening. The audience infer from the way he is that the Captain seems confused and the compilation of events that follow his awakening add to this effect as they are focused on and registered by the captain which has relevance later on in the film. He then goes on to explain who he is and the audience then begin to understand why he might be confused.
The Soundtrack in the background represents mystery and illusion to aid the idea that he is confused. As regular things keep occuring the juxtaposition between normality and the surrealness he finds in everything going on around him is enhanced. The crane shots of the train going along are helpful in giving the scene a sense of direction. These three factors; the sound, shots of the train and events on the train are linked to show that the action is building to something and thus makes the audience feel suspenseful, and anticipating something bad as they relate themselves to the situation captain stevens is in.
He then looks into the mirror which has serious impact on the audience as they are filled with intrugue and confusion and questioning why his reflection is different. However, the audience then go on to relate the factors to each other and complete the equation which is that the Captain is confused because he does not know who he is and that his identity is not what it seems to be.
After the mirror event, Captain's anxiety is heightened which is companioned by an increase in the speed of editing to make the audience feel tense and uneasy while watching. The tension continues to build and the audience are engaged to a maximum level and then the shock of the explosion of the train leaves the audience bewildered and in awe.
There are certain requirements in a film in order to place it within the thriller genre. This is based on the fact that a thriller is designed to make its audience experience suspense and tension and also feel a degree of terror through what they experience while watching the film. Therefore, a team who are creating a thriller film, must take into account all of the different genre conventions that relate to a thriller film. Furthermore, the thriller genre is such a vast one that it is most divided into sub genres. Here are different examples of sub-genres within the thriller genre:
- Spy thrillers (The Bourne Ultimatum)
- political thrillers (The Manchurian Candidate)
- conspiracy thrillers (Zero Dark Thirty)
- Legal thrillers (The Departed)
- Psychological thrillers (Silence of the lambs)
What all of these sub genres have in common is the fact that they all come under the title of suspense thriller and are divided based on the storyline and content of their films. Therefore, it makes it evident that themes such as suspense, tension and anxiety are key to the infrastructure and success of a thriller film. However, there are techniques and criteria that are followed film makers in order to install these themes within their thriller films. Here are examples of thriller conventions:
The McGuffin
The McGuffin as established by Alfred Hitchcock is the source that drives the plot and gives reason to the film for both the villains and the "hero" or favoured character. It has been identified that the audience do not truly register the McGuffin and have too much care for it, they are just aware that the characters are associated with this item but their main concern is with the main character and how they will escape the villains and fulfil their goals set throughout the film. This installs a thriller film with a stronger plot and thus helps filmmakers develop outward from the McGuffin.
Red Herring
A Red Herring is another useful convention of the thriller genre, it allows the plot/storyline to be abruptly or gradually directed in a different direction. This is useful as it often provides the audience with a shock as what they believe to be the bulk of the storyline is changed and they have to adjust and adapt to this which can be very shocking. A strong example of a red herring from Hitchcock's Psycho, is the Bates Motel, as prior to this, the audience would belief that the storyline would be about the pursuit of Marion by the other characters, but the Motel has something else in store for them. This shows how the Red Herring can be very effective in bringing he shock factor into film.
Alfred Hitchcock is an iconic and recognised film hero of the 20th century, directing over 60 films throughout his long 55 year career, he was heavily renowned for his involvement in the thriller genre and evolving cinema to make the audience experience a wider variety of feelings and emotions while watching his films and the camera developments he was able to make to create certain techniques.
Achievements
- 2 Golden Globes
- 8 Laurel Awards
- 5 Lifetime achievement awards
- Academy award as best director
- Film Rebecca nominated for 11 Oscars and won the academy award for best picture of 1940
- Received a Knighthood in 1980
- multiple remakes of well known as well as silent movies in modern times
The master of suspense
Hitchcock holds this nickname based on how his films affected their audiences and his unique editing style as well as bewildering storylines within his work. He had 20th century audiences shocked, on edge and fired up while watching his films and provoked authorities at the top of the entertainment business with the controversial and original contents of his film. He manoeuvred the camera to make it move in a way that is similar to a person's gaze, subjecting viewers to engage in a form of voyeurism. He conducted shots to increase tension, fear, or empathy, and used inventive film editing. His stories are often starring fugitives on the run from the law alongside blonde female characters there to build the storyline and appeal to a wider variety of audience with romance and often maintaining, cunning and manipulative attributes for the other stars to work against/with.
This is a very strong opening to a thriller film, it contains many elements associated with the thriller genre. The editing is very distinct and accurate accompanied by the use of a wide variety of shot techniques. There is good match on action at the beginning where the mysterious black-suited character is breaking into the house and this is continued up the stairs on the way to the bedroom. The use of effects such as the sniper effect used companioned with the heavy breathing suggests focus and builds tension as the audience anticipate that the characters making the transaction will get shot. The cross-cutting of the editing after this of the man running and the villain is effective as it displays the emotions of both at that present time. The non-diegetic sound mixed with the diegetic sound of the character running is efficient as it helps create suspense and build up the essence of a chase. When he arrives at the car and the driver is unconscious, the audience feel tense as they do not know where the villain is, when he begins to strangle him from the backseat, the editing speeds u between the villain and the runner and therefore this helps the audience feel more shocked and on edge to find out whether he will escape death or not. The title becomes relevant with the child who he tells to be quiet in the backseat is revealed as it suggests that he will be in pursuit of the villain. The McGuffin is also established with the micro chip that is found on the floor near the car. The last image of the villain walking away is effective where it is partnered with the non-diegetic and irregular sound.
Despite this, there is room for improvement. Firstly, the scene was too long which may question how much of an opening it actually is. Also, shots such as when he produces the gun in the bedroom could have been divided into more shots to view the action from a wider variety of angles.
Waking up
Waking up is also a very strong piece of media text to represent the start of a film, however, the work entertains many attributes of a thriller trailer rather than an opening to a film. This can be seen in the pace and speed of the action, correlated with the narration and constant non - diegetic music within the film which creates the atmosphere of a trailer rather than an opening to a thriller film. The speed of editing is relatively at a quick pace and there is not much variation in the length of each shot which does not slow down the action and allow essential aspects of a thriller opening such as tension to increase as the audience are not allowed to relax and experience this action as they are watching intensely to keep up with the action as each shot quickly changes to the other. It can come across to the examiner that this group is attepting to cram in too much action in too little time and thus suffers from adopting the persona of a trailer rather than a thriller opening. Despite this, other features of the production are very effective in relation to the thriller genre. The black outfits of the characters in pursuit of the main character contrasted to the purity of the white T-shirts of the main character gives indication of the position that the different characters have in the film, with the characters in black being the established enemy. Furthermore, the ident used is very powerful with its bold white font contrasted to the black background with a strong symbol that is related to the text.
The Watched
This is another good example of a thriller opening. The title is thick, white and bold and effective when contrasted to the black background, similar to Waking up, although it could be percieved as simplistic. However, this film can lose marks based on location and setting. Where it is set in a school, this can imply a lack of effort in finding a location to film and means that the members of the group took an easy option in using the grounds of the school. However, this is only one interpretation, a school is a symbol of security, safety and innocence and the the fact that an anonymous and mysterious character dressed in black and suspicious clothes has breached the barrier of the school could be a way of showing that the character suspicious of being "watched" is now vulneerable and her safety has been impeeded. Furthermore, the non-diegetic sound in the background over the action is effective as it sounds extremely menacing and unclear, thus making the audience feel uneasy. This is key and meets the criteria of the thriller genre. Despite this, there is a lack of diegetic sound throughout the piece which helps the production adopt the style of a film and provide a wider variety of effects for the audience and help them further understand the action; an example of this could be an explanation on why the character may be watching the other character. Moreover, there is a wide variety of different shot types and angles which gives the film flavour, companioned with strong variation in shot lenghts. They have used Point of view shots appropiately, and long shots to help show the character being followed. Dissolves have also beeen utilised to portray time moving forward. All of these different factors put together makes this piece of media text very suspenseful and tense as the audience anticipate what will happen to the vulneerable victim as she is followed.
Continuity editing in relation to film is the process of disguising the discontinuity of the editing process by making the narrative of the media production appear that it is continuous even though each individual shot of the editing is separate to create an essence of coherence within the film. There are many different elements of continuity editing to portray continuous action in film. Continuity is essential as it allows the storyline of the media production to appear realistic and also allows the audience to follow the action easily and thus understand what is happening throughout the film.
Establishing Shot
An establishing shot is an effective way of presenting the setting where the next scene will take place. An establishing shot is commonly in the formation of a crane shot which gives the audience a thorough view of the set including location, props and characters. A low angle shot is also common when using an establishing shot to present locations such as large houses or buildings. This is key in continuity editing as it allows the audience to understand where the characters are and gives indication to why they are there. The audience are not confused by a straight transition from one location with action taking place straight to another with action taking place between different characters. An establishing shot is most likely the symbol of a change in scene to help the narrative flow smoothly throughout the media text.
Shot Reverse Shot
When two characters are engaging in conversation, it would be easy to have one medium shot from the side of the two characters facing each other. However, this is not very effective and has little impact on the audience and techniques such as the shot reverse shot are useful as it allows the audience to follow the action and embrace conversations between characters to a greater extent. Also, it maintains a level of reality in the media text where the conversation becomes believable as the audience almost feel like they themselves are engaging in the conversation with the camera directly on the subject.
180 Degree Rule
The 180 degree rule plays an imperative part of continuity editing where it makes the action clear and concise, also giving the media text a professional look and not causing the audience to become confused by the layout of the setting on screen. 180 degree rule is that with the camera on one side of the action, it cannot then switch 180 degrees opposite the previous shot because it looks like the characters or the subjects in the picture have changed position which would not be possible in reality and thus breaks the naturalistic style of the media text. This relates to shot reverse shot where the 180 degree line passing through both subjects cannot be broken and the camera must stay on the same side that the 180 degree line marks in order to sustain the continuity of the media text.
30 Degree rule
The 30 degree rule in film relates to the relationship between the audience experience of the film and a 30 degrees angle from the centre of two subjects. This aids continuity editing based on the fact that it does not cause audience distortion and confusion based on the fact that it eliminates jump cuts in the editing and keeps the audiences' attention on the storyline of the media text and not the editing of the film as the jump cuts appear very stern and evident in the media text. However, alike the 180 degree rule, this rule can also be broken deliberately by editors to create certain effects such as portraying thoughts of a character or building suspense with distorted editing.
This short film made by students from Valley Park College helped me better my knowledge of the 180 and 30 degree rules in film.
Cross Cutting
Cross cutting is a useful editing technique used in film and helps sustain continuity as it creates the idea that two sequences of action in the media text are taking place at one time which is most likely not the case but the audience believes this based on the usage of cross cutting in the film to portray simultaneous events. Cross cutting normally consists of a straight cut and the action is normally in a completely different location to the previous shot and these two factors joined together can create the illusion that the two sequences are taking place at the same time.
Match on Action
Match on Action is an extremely common and essential concept of continuity editing. It is the created image from editing that the action on screen is continuous and not broken, even though the match on action filming process is broken down into two or more shots, the final product when all the shots are brought together make the audience believe that the action is happening continuously and instantaneously one after the other. A prime example of Match on action is the shot of a subject leaving a room from one side of the door and the camera then switches to outside the door where the subject looks like he/she has just come through even though two shots were taken from inside and outside the room but put together makes it appear nothing more than a person just walking through a door to the audience and allows them to focus on the storyline and not the editing.
Below is examples of Match on Action in media text:
Eye Line Match
An Eye line Match in film is the use of editing to create an illusion for the audience that one subject is looking at another subject even though in reality they may not be actually looking at anything but just looking off screen. Subject number one would off screen to the left or right and then the next shot would be the other subject in a different place in the same setting and then there is a further shot of the face of the first subject to clarify what they were looking off screen at and display their reaction and when all of the three sequences are brought together it appears as if one subject is merely looking at another subject without the audience noticing the break in the editing.
Below is short video which identifies the basic ideas of an eye line match:
Re-establishing shot
A Re-establishing Shot is very similar to the establishing shot with the only differences being the relation between the camera and the spatial/visual elements on screen and the fact that the re-establishing shot occurs at the end of the scene. The re - establishing shot occurs after closer shots of the scene are taken and the re-establishing shot offers a smooth transition into the next scene.
These are all of the different factors that make up continuity editing in the film industry and this will further help us structure our opening to a thriller for our coursework as we will be able to follow these guidelines.
Speed of editing Speed of Editing is another essential factor in film as it is the key determining the mood of the film and what effect is placed onto the audience. The speed of editing is different in relation to the genres of particular films. In a fast paced action thriller, the time between each different shot is likely to be much shorter than a romance film as a Thriller is designed to be suspenseful and keep the audience tense and on edge and fast editing is key to this as it provokes audience attention keeping them thoroughly engage as they have to focus and keep up with the action. This also helps keep reality because it is likely that in a thriller film the action as the audience know from real life will be fast and aggressive and fast editing gives the effect of fast and abrupt action and the idea that there is a lack of control on screen.
However, in a romantic film, the mood that the director is most likely looking for is a relaxed, calm and love-filled one and therefore, slow editing is required to sustain this atmosphere. The slow editing while two lovers are talking on screen is realistic as there is no need for tension and suspense, and one picture with no edit allows the audience to relax and take in the action without having to focus to follow everything that happens on screen like they have to do when editing is of a fast tempo. This further gives the audience permission to relax and experience the feelings the characters on screen are most likely feeling which allows them to relate to the film to a greater extent.
Overall, the speed of editing is the time each shot lasts and this establishes the pace of the film moving the action along and further determines the mood of the film and how the audience feel watching the film.
Here are examples from films where the speed of editing is prominent in relation to their genre and the action on screen:
This extract from The Bourne Ultimatum is extremely effective when focusing on the speed of editing. At the beginning of the sequence, the speed of the editing averages at about 3 - 4 seconds per shot which is relatively slow compared to the rest of the extract, this allows tension and suspense to build while the women is cautiously moving around the building. This is juxtaposed to the quick and abrupt editing of Matt Diamond who is running across the buildings where the audience register is towards the women presented to them at the beginning of the sequence with each shot averaging at about 1/2 to 1.5 seconds. When the shot is taken back to the woman on screen, the editing slows down again which further builds suspense especially through the interaction with the non diegetic sound which is indication that the chase is still on in a different frame even though the camera is currently on the woman. The editing continues to be extremely fast where Matt Diamond is running and when the two agents eventually begin to fight, the editing is the fastest which implies that this is the climax of the scene and the audience know this is effective in the audience as they feel the most tense and engaged in the action at this point in time. This shows how the speed of the editing is crucial to the experience the audience have when watching the film as it is the key to suspense and tension. There is also a cool down period at the end of the scene where the audience can release some tension as the editing slows down and the fight comes to a close. This means the audience can release some previous tension and continue to follow the storyline.
In this extract from Sleepless in Seattle, the editing is much slower in comparison to the extract from The Bourne Ultimatum which can be heavily based on the genre difference in the two films. This shows how the genre can determine the technical aspects behind different films as they are designed to have different effects on their audience. As Sleepless in Seattle is a romance, it is designed to make the audience experience feelings of love and compassion and therefore the editing is manipulated to reflect this. In the opening section of the extract the editing ranges from 3 seconds to 20 seconds per shot. The long editing does not cause the audience to feel tense or even alert unlike the previous extract as the director wants the audience to understand the calm and relaxed environment of the action and for themselves to relax.
Style of Editing
The Style of Editing refers to the transitions of the different shots in a media text. The style of editing relies strongly on what effect the editor/director wants from a selected piece of a film. There are many different factors involved in the style of editing based on the fact that each different style has a particular meaning in relation to the action on screen.
Straight cut
A straight cut is the most common, basic and invisible transition between two different shots. It consists of shot A abruptly and plainly changing to shot 2. This transition normally does not have a large effect on the audience and can be used to retain reality in the media text as it does not manipulate the audiences' suspension of disbelief.
Fade
A Fade is another transition in which the action on screen gradually fades into or out of one colour. This colour is normally black, however, any single colour is considered as a fade. Fades occupy two forms, one forms is a fade in where the picture starts with one single colour on screen and gradually fades into the action on screen. The other is a fade out where the action on screen fades out in to a screen with one single colour. Fade ins normally occur at the beginning of a media text whereas fade outs are more prominent at the end of a film. Fades place different effects on the audience. A fade out into a black screen may relate to gruesome and dark elements in the media text where a fade into a white screen may be a symbol of purity and tranquillity if for instance someone has died peacefully at the end of a film. Unusual colours such as green are used in relation to the media text, such as at the end of the film Hulk where there is a fade into a green screen at the end which relates to the colour of the main character. Fades can also represent the passing of time within film.
Below is an example of how a fade shot works:
Dissolve
A dissolve is similar to a fade with some different features that separate the two. A dissolve is where one picture fades out while another one fades in which differs from a fade as one picture does not just fade into one colour. There is normally a connection between the two different pictures that are together in the dissolve to make it relevant to the storyline of the media text. An example of a dissolve would be a man reading a letter with an address on it which dissolves into a shot of the same man walking towards the location he saw on the letter. This shows how similar to a fade, a dissolve can be a regulator of time either pushing the storyline forward or engaging in a flashback.
Wipes
A wipe is the replacement of one picture on screen with another. It is almost as if one image is replacing another one on screen in a sweeping manner. A wipe shot is most commonly one image pushing another one off the screen to the left which is the indication that time is moving forward. Wipe shots are effective as it allows the sequence to change abruptly and keeps the audience attentive and engaged in the film.
Below is an effective example of a Wipe shot:
Jump Cut
A Jump Cut is an unusually stylistic editing technique and is most commonly a continuity error opposed to a transition used for effect. A jump cut is associated with discontinuity and it can appear as if there is a mistake in the media text which was unnoticeable on set. A Jump cut is where the two shots are changed very abruptly and it appears as if a piece of the media text has been removed. An example of a Jump cut used for effect can be found in the film Breathless 2, 1960 where Seberg is in the car and the camera is behind him where you can see the streets around and then the picture changes abruptly and the surrounding streets are different and he is holding a mirror in his hand which the audience know would be impossible in real life which can show how the Jump cut can break reality. However, in this particular instance, the Jump cut is used to emphasise the mirror in Seberg's hand and pushes the journey in the car forward showing how Jump cuts can also relate to time.
Graphic Match
A Graphic Match is another common editing technique which aids continuity based on the fact that it consists of two subjects on screen that have a similar look and one frame transforms into the other one with these two subjects in similar positions and as they have a similar look it allows the transition between the shots to happen smoothly and efficiently where the audience can take to the change in the picture in an understanding way. Therefore, when two different frames are matched in the way they look, it is described as a graphic match.
Below is an example of an excellent graphic match;
Mise En Scene
The Mise en Scene in film relates to all the elements you can see on screen. It is French terminology that translates to "What is put into the scene or frame." The different features of mise en scene are;
Settings and Props
Costume, hair and makeup
Facial expressions and body language
Lighting and colour
Positioning of characters and objects in the frame
Setting and props
A setting is the location in which a media text takes place. The setting within a film is related to the genre of the film which makes the setting relevant to the action taking place on screen. The location is further supported by the props. Props are the objects that are relevant to the production and are used to enhance the effect of the action and the location with the characters often using the props while acting. However, many props are present in the mise en scene to better the effect of the production. These are examples of settings and props relevant to genre within film:
Science fiction - In a science fiction film the setting could be inside a space ship with advance technical mechanical machines which would be relevant to emphasise the idea that the film is based in the future as the audience will not recognise the setting in present day which enhances the effect of the location. An example of a prop in a science fiction film is a lightsaber such as in the star wars films. An example of this is the image below.
Thriller - In a thriller film it is likely that the action is rather naturalistic unlike a science fiction film and therefore the location will match the naturalism in the film by being realistic and a location the audience are familiar with and knows exists in real life. An example of a setting in a thriller could be an abandoned warehouse such as the one below from Bullet To the Head where the main fight scene is taking place. It is evident that props in the mise en scene relate strongly to the action from this example through the use of axes and the weapons on screen.
Costume, Hair and Makeup
Costume hair and makeup are relevant to the actors within the film production. These three factors are manipulated to present a charcter in a film in a specifc way. They are important within the film industry based on the fact that they portray the charcter to the audience and can allow the audience to interpret the character prodominately based on appearance.
Within a western film examples of costume are;
heeled mens boots
cowboy hats
laced trousers
iconic belts
The makeup in a western film may be used to enhance the image of a grubby and sweaty cowboy to make him look more grimy and unclean.
Heroes and Villains
Heroes within a film may have costume features to match what their purpose is within a film. A hero in an action film such as a superhero may be presented in a very iconic way with tight fitting costume with bright matching colours so they stand out from the other characters within the film and there is greater input into their outfit. An example of a superhero like this is superman. However, resourceful heroes in the thriller genre may have more simplistic costume as the focus is on their mission within the storyline and not in their appearance. Examples of costume could be normal everyday clothing or a more proffesional look such as a suit.
Villains costume would normally want to represent the fact that they are dark and mysterious characters or troublesome. This therefore means that their costume is often created using dark coloured materials and clothing can either be unusual and menacing such as a long dark cloak or proffesional and formal such as a dark suit and the character may be a slick villain, this again relates back to genre in films.
Makeup
Certain genres use makeup more prominently than others based on what features the film consists of. The horror genre would use makeup to a greater extent than the western genre as the characters within a horror film would use makeup to look a specific way and create a scary effect and makeup is a main feature in presenting a scary figure.
Facial expressions and body language
Facial expressions and body language play a big part in mise en scene within a film based on the fact that these factors help the audience understand the feelings of the characters on screen to portray a certain emotion. For example, in a thriller film a character may hold an angry facial expression when they are in pursuit of a villain whereas in a romantic comedy a woman may hold bright eyes and twirl her hair when interacting with a man that she likes so the audience understand that she has lustful feelings for the other character.
Angry
Happy
Positioning
Positioning of characters and objects within a frame is extremely important as it can determine the importance of the object in the media text. If the character is in the foreground, it is indication that the character is of relevance at that specific time whereas if that character is in the background of the shot it may mean they are less important at that specific time. Positioning within the mise en scene is also supported by the focus in the shot and the two factors of mise en scene correspond with each other.
If characters are evenly positioned within the frame then it creates a balanced shot for the audience to watch not feeling many strong emotions. However, if characters are positioned on the outside edges of the frame it indicates a distance between the characters and can imply to the audience that the characters oppose each other.
Focus
There are two different types of focus in media, the most common is deep focus in which the foreground and background in the shot are in focus and therefore clearly visible for the audience. Furthermore, there is split focus in which one section of the frame is in focus and the other is out of focus, either the foreground or background. This focus places emphasis on a specific section of the frame anhd therefore directs the audiences attention in a certain place in the shot.
Deep focus
Split focus
Example of Mise en scene
Casino Royal - Opening
This scene from Casino Royal presentes good examples of mise en scene based on all the elements in the scene that are presented on screen. The use of the smoke and the low key lighting creates an essence of mystery from the very beginning of the scene. The darkness of the office that the two men sit in juxtaposed to the brightness of the dirty toilet area they are fighting is in correlation to what the men are conversating about as the darkness is disguising James Bond's real nature has he appears calm and relaxed in the office which is contrasted to the ravenous animalistic creature fighting in the bright toilet which suggests that the solid white light exploits James Bond's real nature as he cannot hide in the light. furthermore, all the items in the office are black which enhances the idea of mystery whereas the cricket players and the stadium is of a white colour as well as the toilet and the objects within it.
The Manchurian Candidate is another iconic political thriller which graced the screens of the cinemas in the latter part of the 20th century. The widely credited and cherished original novel written by Richard Condon in 1959 was quickly adapted into the mighty film in 1962 directed by John Frankenheimer which received world wide credit with nominations for two academy awards and media attention based on the involvement of controversial issues of the time period such as the Cold War and the significance of the threat from communism in the east countries. Also starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, and Janet Leigh. Up to date versions of the film include the 2004 adaptation directed by Jonathan Demme which focuses on more recent issues such as conflict in Kuwait and the modernised audiences can relate to the features of the film. Starring Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber, Meryl Streep and Kimberly Elise.
Synopsis
Ben Marco, captain of a platoon who fought in the Korean war and has returned to the US with recognitions of their triumphs. Once settled back in the states, Marco establishes that himself, like other members of the platoon are having recurring nightmares about Marco's sergeant Raymond Shaw who is nominated to win a medal of honour for his work in Korea, saving multiple lives but the nightmares project another story where Raymond savagely kills members of his own platoon. Marco now ventures on a pursuit for Shaw to uncover the truth and find the reasons behind this dream and why his platoon have been affected by this...
The 2004 adaptation of the film follows the same storyline but the basis of their problem originates from Kuwait fighting the first Gulf War where Marco's unit has also been tampered with in unusual ways...
1962
Trailer
The trailer to the Manchurian candidate has a variety of different effects on its audience. Firstly, the bold white writing from the outset juxtaposed to the intense black background is inviting yet threatening to the audience on first impressions thus creating an insidious environment for them while watching the trailer. This is thoroughly supported by the menacing and hypnotic whaling sound heard over the writing corresponding with booming sounds of drums which create an ambiance of destruction and vaguely hypnotizes the audience and engages them in the trailer, withholding their full attention. This relates to features of the film where characters have been brainwashed and hypnotized to think and act a certain way and implies the trailer makes the audience feel like they must continue watching to find out more about the film. This is abruptly interrupted with diegetic sound of a screaming man and while the audience are already tense, this works as an instigator of shock for the audience. The continued and sustained interaction between the sound, the peculiar bold messages and interruption by fast and iconic sequences from the film maintain a tense atmosphere for the audience to be enveloped by. The messages on screen imply that it is mandatory to watch the whole film to be able to understand and relate to the concepts involved and gives the impression that if you don't watch it then you have missed something incredible. This is provoking and makes the audience considerably more eager to watch the film.
Mother scene
This scene is an extremely iconic scene within the film despite not containing any dramatic action sequences or fast pacing conflict. Raymond is seen to be lectured by his mother about what is wrong with his involvement with the people who are of a communist nature and belief. There are messages behind this scene for the audience to register based on the period the film was made. The statue and picture of Abraham Lincoln in the foreground and background represent the idea of freedom as he is renowned for abolishing slavery in the states. This idea has a positive correlation with the ideology of Shaw's mother Eleanor where she states, "Stand up for what's right and freedom" which relates to her views as a right wing politician. The overall message given off to the audience is that the political views of right wing parties are positive and right and that communism is threatening and dangerous with references such as "communist tart" in the description of the girl Raymond is associated with. The speed of editing is extremely slow using up to only 3 shots throughout the entire scene which shows that the main purpose of this scene is not to present fast and engaging action but to send subliminal messages out to the audience and almost utilise Eleanor as a tool of indoctrination for the people watching the film.
2004
The trailer
In contrary to the 1962 version of the Manchurian candidate, the trailer is modernized and fast paced with tension sustained throughout based on the tempo. This is evident of the technology advancement that has taken place in between the years each film was made. The editing of the trailer is many times faster than the 1962 trailer which has more visual impact as the audiences' attention is rapidly changed with each shot where each clip only lasts for roughly 1-3 seconds. This supported by the fact that most of the sequences have highly significant aspects of the film in each. Furthermore, the sound throughout the trailer has a significant part to play in the effectiveness of placing impressions onto the audience. Similarly to the 1962 trailer, there are menacing and unsettling mixture of diegetic and non diegetic sounds playing within the background while the action on screen is taking place. The discussion between the characters on screen gives hints to what the film might be about which increases the audiences' desire to learn more about the film and may encourage them to further make the time to watch the film. Similarly to the previous trailer, the correlation of the fast editing and the thunderous and menacing diegetic and non diegetic sound in conjunction with each other sustains suspense and allows the trailer to hold its audience at its mercy.
Interrogation
The scene opens with extremely horrific images of the corpse of Corporal Al melvin and the effective usage of the extreme close up on his blood shot eye to induce feelings of terror and dread into the audience. It captures their imagination and is a thought provoking beginning to the scene based on the fact that it is not clear how Al Melvin passed away and it is left to the audiences' imagination to decide for themselves how he died. Furthermore, throughout the scene while the men are questioning Ben, their is a low essence of music which reflects the nature of the conversation and appears quite mysterious. This is then amplified to more bold and threatening music when Ben starts discussing the implant in Shaw's back, highlighting this aspect of the interrogation as important and the audience can register this through the use of the non diegetic sound. As the discussion progresses, the intensity also increases and the man manipulative of Marco leans in closer and closer to him, vocally provoking him and suspense increases until we reach climax and the man is punched.
Unofficial trailer
This adapted advertisement of the film for channel 4 places the exotic music at the forefront of the sequence. It is powerful and outstanding so the audience are kept thrilled and stimulated while watching. The cooperation of the extremely fast editing in sync with the music creates suspense especially as the selection of sequences chosen from the film by channel 4 are key moments and are disturbing and terrifying, therefore inducing intrigue and stimulation into the spectating audience.
Opening scene
The audience are subject to the opening battle at the very beginning of the film which takes place in Kuwait. By setting the battle within modern history, the events are much more immediate for the audience and they are able to engage in an relate to the setting and atmosphere of the film better. The graphical developments and how sophisticated the editing is makes the action that much more significant to the audience. It is contrasted to the original film based on the fact that the action is on an advanced set using some real locations instead of a fake grassy mound with the leading characters battling in an unusual manner. The technology developments means CGI filming can be used in correlation with special effects and features such as explosion and night vision can be used to enhance the impact and impact that the action has on the audience. This also makes the film realistic and believeable.
Production Values
•The modern film:
•Floods the screen with red in the
‘flashback’ scene – blood and the subconscious mind.
•Has non-diegetic music that sounds like
blood pumping around the brain in the flashback scene.
Lighting is a prime factor within the film industry. It is used to enhance the picture on screen as in effective in declaring clarity within media productions. Without lighting, films can often appear dark and thus unprofessional, which makes it mandatory to have appropriate lighting when shooting sequences in film. However, lighting can be used in different styles to manipulate and give the picture on screen a particular look. The image below is an example of a standard lighting set up:
These different styles of lighting put together in this particular set up is effective as the it creates an overall light that presents the subject on screen to a clear and better quality than without the lighting. Breaking down the separate aspects of this lighting set up, there are names for each separate element of the set up as follows.
Key light
The Key light in film is known as the first, brightest and arguably the most influential, however, this varies based on many relevant factors within the filming i.e. the subject. The key light's main function is to effectively portray the form and dimension of a subject on screen so that it has a specific effect on the audience. Positioning of the key light is also very relevant with a focused picture that can be described in film terms as "hard" and a diffused shot on screen which can be described as "soft". Normally in a three point lighting set up, the key light is normally at a 30 - 60 degree angle from the camera, however, the level that the key light stands can be varied to embrace different effects. An example of this is a low level key light can make out a silhouetted effect in which the subject on screen can appear mysterious and thus the audience only see their movements and not too much of their appearance. In contrary, a high angle key light can be effectively used to present the subject on screen with a greater appearance and present and the audience can relate more to other features of the subject such as facial expressions and subtler gestures. The key light can also be affected by different factors such as background and colour.
In the media industry, Fill light plays a major role as it is used to reduce the contrast of a scene to match the dynamic range of the recording media. It is effective as it is used to diminish shadows and dark spots that can be created from key and back light in the three point lighting set up. From a picture on screen that would be considered as normality, an increased or decreased use of Fill light can allow shadows and darkness to show greater on screen or reduce darkness on screen making it an effective way of provoking the audience to feel a certain way when watching the action on screen. Furthermore, the fill light in correlation with the key light is an artificial way of creating an illusion of natural fill when the fill light is positioned on the camera with the key light in its normal position. The fill light is most commonly positioned to the right or occasionally left hand side of the camera where it is at a similar degree angle as the key light around 30 - 60 degrees, however, the positioning of a fill light is strongly based on what type of effect the lighting cameraman or cinematographer is after. Overall, the fill light is effective as it corresponds with the other factors of the three point lighting set up in order to portray a subject on screen in a certain way to provoke audience reaction, based on its movement and positioning and how it manipulates the features on screen.
Back Light
The back light translates into the phrase "light from behind" where the light is emitted from behind the subject present on screen. The back light alike the fill and key light is part of the three point standard lighting set up. The back light's key function is to counteract the effect of the key light and thus sustain a balanced picture on screen in relation to the subject. The back light can be used to create a rim of light around the subject from behind and thus placing emphasis on different parts of the body such as hair, shoulders and other extremities. The back light is important as it levels out the overall picture within a three point lighting set up. However, on its own, the back light directly behind a subject will create a silhouette of the subject with their features not visible to the audience. This can therefore be effective for specific genres of film such as horrors or thrillers with an intense vibe as the back light can create tension and suspense and cause an essence of mystery for the action to have a great effect on the audience.
Under Lighting
Under lighting is an effective lighting tool used in film to inject the action with suspense, tension and mystery where the main source of light comes from under the subject and thus illuminates specific parts of the subject such as their face leaving facial shadows which causes the subject to appear vague and unclear which can make the audience feel confused, intimidated and frightened by the subject which is a major reason why this use of light is often seen prominently in thrillers and horrors where suspense and intensity are two major factors involved in the content of the film. This demonstrates how under lighting can manipulate features of the subject to provide a scary effect for the media production and its audience.
Top Lighting
Top lighting refers to the lighting source that comes from a source above the subject, and is often from the left hand side for specific effect. The top light from the left hand side can traditionally preserve a contrasting convex-concave ambiguity so that the audience can become suspicious of the subject on screen and the effect can even be to the extent of confusion. This is effective especially in genres such as thrillers where there is a need for factors such as tension and suspense which can be created from aspects such as ambiguity. Top lighting is used in a more modernised way, straight from above the subject where it efficiently highlights the features of the subject which can make the person or object on screen appear glamorous and therefore desirable
Low Key Lighting
Low key lighting is another key element in film and the media. It is used to manipulate the picture on screen to create a specific effect for the action on screen and the audience that will be spectating. LKL is done through using a single key light in a position that placates the cinematographer for the sequence on screen with the occasional input of a fill light or a reflector. LKL can also be held responsible for the Chiaroscuro effect within film where the contrast between dark and light areas on the subject can highlight important or relevant aspects of a picture and can also provide the picture on screen or an image with a certain volume which can make a 2 dimensional image appear relatively 3 dimensional. Furthermore, low key lighting is accompanied by a dark background to sustain the effect of a mysterious and darkened atmosphere of the shot.
High Key lighting is evidently the opposite of Low Key lighting where there is a much greater use of fill lighting accompanied with the key light so that the lighting ratio is affected to create the right effect for the cinematographer. The higher the lighting ratio, the higher the contrast of the image, the lower the lighting ratio, the lower the contrast of the image. Overall, HKL accompanied with a bright background creates a very realistic feel to the image on screen where the audience understand that the action or picture is very naturalistic and the audience can strongly relate to it as being a representation of the "real world." Contrary to this, extreme HKL can be used to develop an on screen environment where it appears very abstract almost spiritual. An example of this would be an extreme white background and necessary construction on screen to portray.
Nosferatu
The film Nosferatu, made in 1922 relied dominantly on the use of lighting with much of the action taking place using pure lighting to fulfil the scary effect of the film. This is evidence that lighting has played a major role in film throughout history. Without modern day effects and graphics to create a certain effect for a film, filmmakers in the early 20th century had to be resourceful and develop techniques of portraying or creating a desired effect without advanced editing and graphics and lighting played a vital role in sustaining horror and mystery throughout film. In this specific film, most of the action on screen was supported by low key lighting to sustain mystery and suspense for 1920s audiences to feed off of while watching.
Film Noir
Film Noir is French terminology which translates into "Black film" created by Nino Frank and is used to describe a group of Hollywood films from the early 1940s to the late 1950s which focused on many cynical attitudes and sexual motivations of the time period and the films are normally classed as a representation of the dark and more sinister side to humanity. Films regarded as Film Noir use Low key lighting throughout most, if not all of the film. This makes the film appear black and white and the lack of colour and the predominant dark nature of the picture reflects the action taking place, with most of the action in Film Noir productions being very dark and sinister and to some degree even misogynistic.
.jpg)
.jpg)
