Clear white on black text, in old fashioned text gives the feeling that it may be in the 1950s- this sets the scene.
The font also looks like prision bars which gives an insight into the film
Slow pace shots, makes you pay more attention on the details
Pauses- build tension
Lighting
Up light on driver's face in car gives off shadows which make him look evil and they only use one light in this shot.
Low key builds suspence in flash back
Low key in court room makes it feel bleak and looks colourless
Uses yellow filter which makes it seem old fashioned.
Sound
Sound bridge- begins speaking in the flash backs then you see it in the scene where they are actually talking. This makes it more perfessional
Music's aim is to build tension
Digetic sound in car (music on the radio)
Non diegtic at beginning then becomes part of the scene through car radio
It reflects the scene- as it adds to the atmosphere.
Mainly use orchestral strings and rumbling drums which all creates tension
Camera Angles
Low camera angle when he gets out of the car as it focuses on the feet, makes a different perspective
Medium close ups in court room to focus on emotion
Medium shot in court room on prosecution in consequence makes him have authority and it also allows viewer to see the audience
Uses tracking in court room. Goes from prosecution to the accused, shows intmidation.
High angle in court room. Makes the accused look small and see from judge's angle
Mise en Scene
Red dress- this makes the wife seem more 'sexy' and passionate but also has a side of danger.
All props reflect the time period (1950s) which makes the film more believeable.
From analysing this opening scene it has made me think about the use of props and how important they are on setting the scene and what an impact they have on the film and how it looks. So I will be sure to pay special attention to them. I liked the different camera angles in the opening section because they were perfessional and after talking in depth it made me realise it does change your perseption on certain characters. I would like to use some tracking in our film to ensure the audience is looking at what I want them to look at for example certain pictures or letters. I also liked the sound bridges as it introduced the new scene smoothly without disjolting it so I would also like to include them. The opening scenes also made me think about the font and how it reflects the whole film and what impression it gives off, so I will keep this in mind when choosing it.
Up lighting(light pointing up onto face)- creates inverted shadows
Backlighting
Editing
Extremly slow pace, roughly 6-10 shots in 3minutes20- this makes you pay more attention to every detail.
Eyeline match (character looks at something then camera cuts to exactly what they see/saw
Camera Angles
Close ups
Medium close up(still see surrounding and emotion)/ over shoulder- creates a thought of a person behind them.
Long establishing shot then panning in- find out hwat's happening to them
Voyuerism (looking in at someone e.g. through window)
Mise en Scence
Reflections: reflecting city lights on window while focusing on main character& reflection of his face in mirror (over shoulder shot)
Sensory deprivation (focusing camera on something and blocking your view of something else)
Cuts and brusies on main character's face- creates 'thug like' feel
Sound
No speech
Heavy breathing
high pitch wind instruments then gradually adds woodwind- creates tension, layering instruments
sea crashing against rocks
Low pitch drones in the music
Sound bridge (at beginning introduces the sound in darkness then has first picture)
While watching the opening scene of The Machinist I found out new techniqual terms and I also liked the ideas of having back lighting to create a silhouette and having reflections to create tension and I found the eyeline-match technique worked very well at creating tension and getting the audience envolved.
Lighting Soft light creates shadows: The light is comming from the right side of her face to create light shadows on her left side on her face.
Hard lights: creates a heavy shadow effect which will feature in our thriller opening sequence Glamour lighting is used in romance: we may use this lighting if we flash backs to when our main characters were in a relationship.
Low key- Dark lighting, we will use this lighting throughout the sequence to create tension and because it is a main connotation of Thrillers. High key- bright lighting, we may use this to make a contrast with the main lighting to enhance scences and make them stand out more.
