Unit 10 Essay

 I have been asked to analyse a range of film clips, or short films, from different genres in preparation for a series of programmes on fictional film genres. 

My critical analysis of the purpose, format, narrative structure, visual storytelling, genre and audience of my chosen films, and genres, will be used by the production team for a new series to inform the content of one or more of their programmes. I have been asked to present the outcomes of my analysis to the production team 

Intro 

Fictional films are exaggerated stories or ideas put to screen which can include themes and concepts which are relevant to discuss with the audience and or could be possible in the foreseeable future. An example of this could be the film ‘Se7en’ as the crimes are very complex, brutal and exaggerated so that the audience finds the film more entertaining and interesting.   

The four main formats for a fictional film to take are Indie which can be independently funded by the director or independent entertainment companies, feature length which have a studio budget behind them and appeal to the mass audiences, short films which are shorter then 40 minuets including credits and Film Festivals which are organized or extended presentations of films in more than one screening venue. 

Genres’ main purpose is to help the directors figure out how their characters act, react and interact in the story they are telling. Genres are ultimately created by the director as they choose which genre, they need to organize the contents of the film.  

The horror genre typically targets common fears like the fear of the unknown, loss of identify, death etc. Thrillers generally mix with other genres such as crime, horror and action and so feature a lot of conventions from these genres.    

Thriller audience expectations would be that the villain is found out and killed/arrested for the crime he committed and that some form of justice is restored. Horror expectations, however, are that there is one last survivor and the villain is presumed dead but in fact survives. These two steriotypical narratives are altered in different ways with the films i have chosen and discussed below.    

Conventional use/ subversion of mise-en-scene  

Mise-en-scene is the arrangement of the scenery, props and actors during a scene. Mise-en-scene, if used correctly, could be used as a way of visual story telling whilst simultaneously impacting the audience.   

The film ‘Goodfellas’ uses the deep reddish lighting of the car’s break lights to convey the sense of brutality and hellishness that that just been witnessed by the audience in the opening scene. This foreshadows the hellish actions which are yet to be revealed to the audience throughout the rest of the story.    

 

This type of mise scene en scene is conventional for the crime genre however as the lighting is straightforward and has a clear meaning.   

Another example would be this shot from the film ‘Prisoners’ which shares the same technique of using the lighting and setting for visual storytelling.  

 

The shot is so dark that you can barely see the character in it, with the only source of lighting being the small gap in the wood panel keeping him in the shower. The character, Alex, is clearly being presented in a sympathetic manner as he is shown to be weak, defenseless and alone in this shot with the darkness. The character in the shot, however, is the film’s villain, subverting stereotypes of narrative as we later go on to learn he was abducted as a child, and he is responsible for taking the missing girls. The shot highlights the entrapment of the character and creates sympathy for the villain too, adding more complexity to the shot.          

This scene taken from ‘The Lighthouse’ however is more complex than the previous examples and has multiple interpretations. The medium shot focuses on the character, making the shot claustrophobic and the black and white style of the shot not only gives the film a unique style, but also reflects the time period of the 1890s and the dark, disturbing visuals of the film. The light slowing consuming Winslow as he touches the light and the blood of Thomas on him being slowly dissolved, gives the light a supernatural feeling, resulting in Winslow going insane due to its power. The scene could also be interpreted as Winslow’s realization that the light is just a light and that the violence and insanity that followed throughout the film was for nothing. The scene could even reflect the story of the titan Prometheus who stole fire from the gods and was punished by Zeus by having his liver eaten by a huge bird every day for eternity, which is exactly what happens to Winslow. So many interpretations are being told at once by the lighting and the cinematography giving the viewer multiple narratives to access.  

 

The lighting presents a complex scene to the audience which can be interpreted in many different and unique ways.  

In conclusion, mise-en-scene can be used for visual storytelling, giving alternate meanings for a specific shot whilst making the shot look appealing to the audience too. The crime films I have spoken about share similarities with their type of shot as they are both using lighting and the placement of the characters for visual storytelling purposes. The horror example however, uses the same technique but has more variety to the narrative, with multiple interpretations to be taken.   

Conventional use/subversion of camerawork  

Camerawork is very important to set the overall genre of a film. If the lighting is dark and dingy, then the film would fall into the thriller category and if. Camerawork, like mise en scene, can also be used effectively to tell a story or set a scene. However, it can also be used to manipulate the audience into believing something that is not true.  

An example would be this shot from ‘The Lighthouse’ as the surrealness of the scene causes the audience to debate whether the scene is reality or a result of the madness of the characters.  

 

The character has just witnessed another character turn into a sort of sea monster above him and the scene cuts away into an extreme close up shot of Winslow’s widening eye. This makes the scene unconventional as it is now debatable whether the scene was reality or a nightmare as the camera work that is used creates an insanity feeling as Winslow's eyes widen in horror at what he is seeing but the scene is then immediate over, giving the scene a dream like feel like Winslow has just woken up. The scene is made even more horrifying in that we as an audience don’t even know whether to take the scene literally or not.  

This next scene, from ‘Goodfellas’, is an example of a wide angle is used to symbolize the damaging lifestyle of the main character Henry Hill.  

     

The medium shot is taken from Henry’s past when he first entered the crime lifestyle. In the scene, he is shown lighting cars on fire with petrol and the shot freezes on this image as he narrates over how the kids in the neighborhood used to carry his mother's groceries home for her ‘out of respect’. This scene uses the shot of the cars exploding as a symbol of Henry’s upcoming life. A life of violence and fear in the crime underworld as he witnesses the explosions of rage and brutality shown by his criminal friends, especially Tommy and Jimmy. This lighting also conveys the current surge of excitement Henry is feeling about his new lifestyle as he mentions how he was earning more money than most adults in the area at only 13.  

This shot is taken from the short film ‘Lights Out’, depicting a ghost in the corridor of a woman’s home.  

 

This long shot of the corridor makes the woman in the distance more hidden to the viewer, this results in the discovery of the silhouette more unnerving as you as a viewer have stumbled upon it yourself just like the main character has. This scene immerses the viewer into the story with these camera techniques and makes the experience more unnatural and creepier.  

Camerawork is very useful to incorporate symbolism, audience interaction, suspense and even disbelief. It is a flexible element which, if used correctly, could totally alter a narrative’s meaning. 

 Conventional use/subversion of editing  

Editing in the film industry is used to put the scenes filmed into a coherent order for the final film. Editing, like the previous film elements, can be used for creativity to be shown.  

‘Prisoners’ uses barely any cuts in the shower scene to create a disturbing, brutal feeling to the actions taking place.   

 

The lack of cuts in this scene makes it stand out more than other more stereotypical crime thrillers as there are no dramatic cuts or narrow angles, narrowing the view to the audience. Instead, we are given a medium shot that gives us a clear view of what is happening, forcing us to watch what is happening in full detail, sharing the horror with the characters.  

This shot from ‘Goodfellas’ also uses only 1 shot in this sequence when Henry and his wife are walking inside this restaurant.  

 

This continuous shot follows both the characters as they make their way through the corridors to the restaurant. This tracking sequence is very impressive to watch as there is so much going on during this one take with extras talking and moving around both the characters. The shot shares similarities with the previous as the audience always has a clear view of the characters. This shot is iconic to the film, enhancing immersion for the audience whilst also continuing the narrative simultaneously. 

This shot from ‘The Lighthouse, uses a clear uninterrupted shot of the characters enhance the paranoia of the scene.  

  

This shot lasts uncomfortably long with both characters in a power struggle of sorts as shown by how they are sat. The shot lingers on them not cutting or panning away, and tension builds as the characters start slowly getting angrier and angrier at each other. The shot is simple, but the scene shows no indication of when one of these men will snap and so the shot then become terrifying as the audience is just waiting for one of them to burst into rage.  

These three shots do not use any form of cuts or angles to get their messages and themes across and still are incredibly powerful to watch. These shots are proof that several cuts are not always needed to make a scene.  

Conventional use/subversion of sound 

The use of sound in a film can fall into two categories, diegetic (sounds that can be heard in the film’s universe like a door slamming) and non-diegetic (like music tracks which cannot be heard by the characters but only the audience). The use of sound effects could be to build tension, add comic effect or to just enhance the scene in general. 

The film ‘Goodfellas’ opens with the song “Rags to Riches” which is contrapuntal to the brutal opening by being a happy cheery song, making the opening more impactful and more disturbing. The song even shares similarities with Henry’s life as Henry will go from rags to riches as he goes higher in the gangster underworld. This song adds a lot to the film's opening, relating to the main character and making the opening more rememberable and shocking.  

‘Lights out’ incorporates diegetic sound with the light switch sound whenever the main character turns the lights on and off. This diegetic sound is mixed with non-diegetic sound as the jump scare is built up with the light switch sound and then it climaxes with a non-diegetic jump scare sound. The lack of music until the jump scare builds catches the audience off guard as there is no warning to the jump scare occurring with rising music. This technique mixes up the traditional jump scares that are commonly seen in films, making the experience scarier and more unique to the film itself.  

The film ‘The Lighthouse’ uses disorientating sounds during its opening sequence. This, like the ‘Goodfellas’ song, shares elements with the story's main themes of horror, isolation and insanity. The noises are unnerving, resembling a horn like sound, like the lighthouse itself making the sound and it is unclear if it is non diegetic or diegetic adding to the dream-like state of the film.  

Sound can be used to symbolize a character’s ark before it even begins, showing emotions characters will eventually explore and potential choices they will make or enhance the scene in general. These examples do exactly that and they make the films more immersive and entertaining for the audience.  

Conclusion 

The films I have chosen to talk about may share genres with one another but are all unique in their own ways, adding their own unique style to each of their filming elements. They all use the film elements to convey hidden messages and themes to their audience in a subtle and unique way. Camerawork is used to convey symbolism and tension whilst sound can be used to add more emotion to a scene or to symbolize a character’s emotions or choices. These key elements are essential tools for film making and, if used correctly, can create scenes which are complex and interesting to the audience.