Camera Techniques (with stills)

Shot Type

• This is a medium shot as we can see most of the characters but also their facial expressions 

• This is a long shot, this establishes the scene as the background is prominent over the facial expressions 

• This is close up and unlike a long shot the background isn't prominent, instead the characters facial expression is the focus

Camera Angle

• This shows a low angle which emphasises the importance of the character, also the pyramid is of importance

• This is a Dutch angle (canted angle) because the character is intimidating, dangerous and insane

• This is a high angle as the body is still on the floor and is powerless, it gives a sense of vulnerability

Focus

Soft Focus

• Soft focus makes the foreground prominent and the background is unintelligible. The effect short focus has in this still is that the background is quite plain, the focus is on the character on the forefront

Deep Focus

• Deep focus would be used to establish a scene as all can clearly be seen. This is a deep focus image because both the foreground and the background are in focus and are clearly shown, there is no prominence in the still

400 word treatment of film

Set in London, Lawrence a 17 year old boy who is living with his parents is walking back from school when he is approached by a man. He takes Lawrence into his van and drives him to his house. Two crackheads, (Ed and Cam) are on the other side of the road. Ed witnesses the kidnap however he is unable to resemble what he saw. Ed wakes up from a dream of a little boy getting kidnapped Later on that day Ed tells Cam that he thought he saw something, Cam tells him that he was high at the time and that he saw nothing two days after a couple of policeman go to their house after a search commences for Lawrence After the police leave Ed grows increasingly sure that he saw something and recognised one of the faces of the detective Weeks after Ed begins to remember what he saw on that day and he goes to the police station and tells the detective (who visited them earlier) he is beginning to remember. The detective however is the one who kidnapped Lawrence and is beginning to get worried Ed eventually realises that one of the detectives is the kidnapper, but doesn't know what to say or do Ed looks for help in Cam, however Cam refuses to believe him Lawrence's parents seek for help, Ed decides to tell them what he saw The parents go to the detectives and tell them that Ed told them the whereabouts of Lawrence. At this point Lawrence temporarily manages to escape but Jerry re captures him.The detective (the bad one) begins to worry about the situation. The other detective (Caroline) begins to become suspicious because she finds pictures of Lawrence on Jerry's phone. This then leads to Caroline to look for Jerry who for some reason has disappeared Jerry then goes to find Ed and kills him and he then tries to kill Cam who gets chased, but gets away and finds Caroline. Caroline then tracks Jerry down to where Lawrence is kept and has a face off, Jerry loses and Caroline saves Lawrence.

The Conjuring and Vantage Point analysis

THE CONJURING - Title Sequence from Nathaniel Costa on Vimeo.

Mise-En-Scene

Lighting is used in the opening sequence, the dark colours create a sense of mystery and eeriness and also the time it is based in, the props used indicate the devil, old age and death with the use of the star and the gravestones. The setting seems to be in a country house and seems to be based in 19th/20th century England, the costume of the characters is traditional English clothing at the time it was set in. 

Camera

However, the POV angle of the person viewing the slides makes us question the time as to which it is set, it is also at a high angle. 

Written Codes

The font type is almost like a newspaper, as the title sequence is showing newspaper articles. Some of the slides show main headlines which anchor the meaning of the film or the origins of the story that the film is re exploring.

Vantage Point

Mise- En- Scene

The colour is sepia and this creates a sense of darkness, blood and tension. The setting seems to be a protest against America, the sequence shows guns which may indicate a conflict against america. The red light that goes across the words relates to the laser aimers on the guns which re enforces the violent and military theme of the film. Also, the music gives a stealthy feel to the film and the prop of the sniper backs this. 

Camera

There are many camera angles used in this title sequence, the beginning shows a long shot, high angle of the location, however, the sides are left in black which creates mystery and the sudden changes in shots signify surveillance. The close ups on banners and the USA sign show it may be based in the Middle East which creates an anti American feel and a political or military thriller.

Written Codes

The font is straight forward and classic.

Shutter Island analysis

The film has a linear structure, it runs smoothly and in a straight line and it is not broken up despite there being flashbacks the structure remains linear. The film is shown from the Di Caprio's point of view - we follow him through every scene and, because he is unaware of his real identity so is the audience. This works towards a twist ending. Shutter Island follows the classic Hollywood narrative structure as explored by theorist Pam Cook. She believes the standard Hollywood narrative structure should have; linearity of cause and effect within an overall trajectory of enigma resolution with a high degree of narrative closure (a resolution). Furthermore, the film meets Todorov's theory, it has clear plot points. The equilibrium is when the detective is asked to investigate the disappearance of a patient in the prison. The significant event is when the detective realises there is a twisted plot by the hospital doctors and the disequilibrium is when he investigates. The climax is when he solves the enigma and he discovers reality, the new equilibrium is he begins his road to full recovery. Barthes' theory also relates to Shutter Island, as the the enigma is developed with the increase in tension which results in a resolution to the plot with a linear narrative. Furthermore, Propp believes that regardless of differences in the plot, characters and settings share common structural features. The hero in Shutter Island is Leonardo Di Caprio, the villian is the institution, the escaped prisoner and Di Caprio himself, the donor is the main doctor and therapist. There is a dramatic twist at the end of the film where the detective finds out he was being role played the whole time he was thinking he was the investigator, and his partner was in fact his therapist. Di Caprio realises reality at the end, but we are left to two possible endings:

• Teddy asks Chuck whether it's better to live as a monster or die a good man. He stands up willingly and goes with the orderlies, as he would rather choose to continue his fantasy than accept the horrors of his reality

• Alternatively, he has accepted his reality, but still cannot live with the horrors of it. So now at the end of the film he is acting out the fantasy, rather than living   Effectively, he is cured. However, he still can't live with his memories so he knowingly forces the doctors to take the decision for physical intervention. He wants to end his life as a good man 

Shutter Island meets the common attributes associated with the thriller genre, the film is set around an enigma which is only solved by the hero, it is based in an establishment with a strong theme of violence, the hero is dragged into something deeper than what he intended.