DYM Homework 2: Film Opening Analysis

I've chosen to analyse the opening scene of The Dark Knight (2008).





Enigma Code:

• 1:24 - Why does he have a mask, and what does it mean?
• 1:58 - Who is 'The Joker' ?
• 2:16 - Are they going to succeed in robbing the bank?
• 2:53 - Who is the man sitting in the chair? 
• 3:00 - How are they going to open such a secure vault ?
• 3:42 - How are they going to escape?

Action Code:

• 1:18 - We expect that there will be a heist when he fires the grappling hook. 
• 1:32 - As the car drives up we assume that his partners are inside, or it could be a set up.
• 1:48 - He loads his gun, so we know he is preparing for a gunfight. 
• 2:04 - They look around before entering the bank. The police could be on to them already, or they could enter the bank without anyone seeing them.
• 2:15 - The firing of the first gun starts the action - we don't know if the criminals are going to get shot, or take control of the bank.
• 2:43 - As he points his gun at his partner's back, we assume that he will shoot him, but the partner might disarm him and fight back.

Semiotic Code:

• 0:54 - The tall skyscrapers suggest an urban setting such as New York. 
• 1:21 - He has the same mask as the two men shown previously, which tells us that they are working together. 
• 2:54 - The man's calmness tells us that he is an important and powerful character.
• 2:09 - The robbers are running which suggests that they have very little time. 

Cultural Code:

• 1:47 - We know that the three men are criminals due to their clothing, masks and guns. 
• 2:14 - Other than the location, the shots fired in the air and the screaming tells us that it is a bank robbery. 
• 3:45 - We assume that he is a businessman because he is wearing a suit and tie. 

Symbolic Code:

• Evil - Guns, violence, robbery
• The Joker - The robbers only know rumours about him which suggests that he is a mysterious character. Their masks also represent him.
• Betrayal - There are several examples in the clip where a criminal is shot by another. 

BLK Homework 2: Film Clip Analysis

This is a clip from the 2008 action thriller Wanted, featuring James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman.

Film-Making Conventions

• Sound effects are used to create suspense and build up to the action scene. At 0:07, the walking man's footsteps blend into the sound of Wesley's heartbeat. At this point the audience know something is about to happen. Loud metallic gun shots and clicks also emphasise the action.
• The framing in this clip is very effective - as the gunfight begins, a POV  'shaky camera' effect is used to create a sense of chaos and panic as people run out of the grocery store screaming. The clip rapidly cuts between this and close ups of the characters to show their expressions. There is also a shot of a bullet travelling down the aisle in slow motion, cutting through shelves of food. This suggests that the store very quickly turns into a battle field.
• Several visual effects are also used, such as a blurred POV shot of an advert to show that Wesley's thoughts are distorted and he cannot focus. There is also a close up of the screen of the woman's high-tech weapon at 1:46, showing that she is in control and has been trained to kill. Finally at the end of the clip there is an explosion - a typical element of an action film. 

Cultural Codes

• The domestic and casual look of the grocery store is familiar to the audience, making everything seem normal at first. The mise en scene juxtaposes with the action that follows - there are adverts, posters and other branded props around the store that the camera occasionally focuses on. 
• The characters are dressed formally - Both Wesley wearing a shirt and tie and the woman protecting him in the white dress look as if they have just come from work. Again this creates a sense of normality, but the audience can guess that Wesley is unprepared for the shootout - whereas she is probably trying to maintain a low profile. This creates a contrast between the two characters. 
• People can be seen buying groceries and going about their everyday lives in the background, which the audience can relate to. However soon the gunfight starts and the calmness of the store is disrupted.  For example, the woman shoots out the corner mirrors and a bullet goes through the head of a man's image on a cereal box.

DYM Homework 1: Film Still Analysis

This still is from the Sci-Fi Thriller 'Source Code' (2011) . 

I chose to analyse it because:

-On its own, the shot looks very enigmatic. The male character is surrounded by darkness, the only light source being a television screen. It creates a sense of mystery and raises many questions such as why he is there and what's going to happen. 

-His expression, the light reflecting off his eyes and the sweat on his forehead make him appear vulnerable and scared. He is looking up, possibly trying to find a way to escape and not paying attention to the television, which suggests conflict. 

-The framing and lighting is very effective. It is a close-up (CU) which focuses on the character's facial details. The TV screen is out of focus which creates depth of field, but it also adds to the effect that he is distracted by something above him. 

BLK Homework 1: Film Still + Evaluation

This is an image I have selected to write about from a collection of test shots we took with our group. The genre we chose for this shot was Horror. I think the shot represents the genre very well as it follows several horror conventions. The shot is a Medium Close-Up, Over the Shoulder shot (MCU OTS).

In order to create the ‘horror effect’, we thought carefully about the position of the character and how the light would illuminate his face. From studying still shots we knew that lighting, framing and mise-en-scene were important factors in creating a successful horror shot.

Body Language

The actor (me) is hiding behind a tree to create a sense of ‘creepiness’ and mystery. It creates enigma as the audience wonders – “who is he watching”? It is clear that the character is not a victim but a villain due to his expression looking ahead at someone and his body language, with his back to the tree so as to not be seen. To achieve this I was positioned behind the tree looking past the camera, which was placed to the side.

High Contrast Lighting & Use of Shadows

Another convention this shot follows is the use of lighting to induce suspense. In this shot there is high contrast between light and dark tones. Half of the character’s face is in shadow which suggests a ‘second personality’ or that he is hiding something. The lighting effect was much harder to achieve as we had to experiment with different positions and camera angles.

Camera Focus & Position

The camera’s focus is on the tree, which is also partly in shadow and its rough contrasted surface adds to the horror effect. This also helps make the character seem hidden as the tree takes up most of the shot. The position of the camera also creates dramatic irony as we, the audience, know that the villain is hiding there and watching someone, but the victim doesn’t and is likely to be in danger very soon.

Overall I think the shot was successful as it is very creepy and enigmatic. However if we were to retake this shot, I would consider a different location because the white windows in the background are slightly distracting. Despite this I think we have portrayed the theme and our intended effect quite well.