self-test answers
Here are some possible answers.
You may have been able to think
of other points as well.
1.
•
WIDE EST. (establishing) shot
•
the colours and the sand suggest desert
•
shallow focus – the figures and the mountains in the background are
indistinct.
•
the broken wagon suggests age – they have been there for some time
•
perhaps the story is set in the desert and the past will impact on it
Holes (2003)
Holes is set on a dried-up lake bed, which is effectively a desert – and the boys
are digging holes which their supervisors hope will lead them to buried treasure
from the past.
The dryness in evidence here will be significant later,
2
•
CU tightly framed by
architecture
•
the cross and the coloured
glass are signifiers that it is a
church he peers into
In My Father's Den (2004)
•
the canted angles and the way the character looks through the narrow
window suggests unease, discomfort
•
he looks tired, unshaven, a bit scruffy – suggesting he has come a long
distance
•
there is a strong sense that he feels hemmed in, trapped, is there reluctantly
or something similar
•
the side lighting on his face suggests an ambivalence at being there
Paul (Matthew Macfadyen) has returned for his father's funeral. He has arrived a
little late and peers into the church.
His unease is partly because his father was not a believer, and partly because he is
not mentioned in the service. It is also the first time he has returned after he left
home many years before.
3
•
the focus is on the BCU of the
hands right on the picture plane, yet
the rest of the shot is still largely in
focus. It is only distance that
makes them a little indistinct
Finding Neverland (2004)
•
There is a strong sense of purpose in the way the boy is walking towards us
•
greens dominate – suggesting spring or summer; whoever it is seems to be
writing out doors; the light is that of summer
•
there is no sense of unbalance – the shadow of the tree on the right balances
the figure on the left, and the child's figure makes a nice diagonal movement
back into the picture space
the hands belong to JM Barrie, who likes to sit in the park and write
the approaching boy is Peter (Freddie Highmore), and he is coming to speak to
JMB; the rest of his family can be seen in the distance under the tree
4
•
CU / MCU shallow focus
•
he seems trapped within the frame – on the
far left and with his head cut off at the top =
a sense of oppression
Mean Creek (2004)
•
the shallow focus isolates his from his surroundings, suggesting he is
encased in his own misery
•
the unbalanced composition underlines the unease and disturbance of the
pose; this is reinforced by the soft, almost grey, light
Rocky is facing his guilt and anguish over the death of George who has ended
up dead largely because of his actions
Behind him are the boat and the river in which George drowned
5
•
ELS – Really extreme
•
WIDE EST.
•
two travellers on foot in a rural environment
The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Frodo and Sam set off for Rivendell with the One Ring
No evidence here of any threat – an idyllic scene
Emphasises their smallness and how far they must travel on foot – and how
frail they are as guardians of such responsibility.
6
•
high angle crane shot
•
WIDE EST.; deep focus
Holes
•
A yellow school bus in the midst of what looks like an army camp – seems
incongruous
•
the colours are grey and dreary – even the green of the trees is greyish
Stanley has been convicted of a theft he did not do and sent to a 'reform school'
which is this camp
The yellow bus will be familiar to all American viewers – all school buses in USA
are this colour
The figures in orange are the boys already there
7
In My Father's Den
•
over shoulder shot, slightly high angle, MS of the girl (Celia)
•
makes her look trapped, as if she has been caught doing something she
shouldn't; the side lighting on her emphases this
•
the large shoulder on the picture plane is aggressive and threatening
•
the dark shadow on the right behind Celia balances the bulk of the shoulder
•
low key lighting
Celia has come to interview Paul for her school newspaper; he is startled
to find her in the den
8
Heavenly Creatures (1994)
•
LS (or MLS – her feet are missing)
•
strong sense of movement as the girl (Pauline) comes towards the camera
•
she looks as if she is pretending to be an aeroplane – suggests behaviour less
mature than her size would indicate was appropriate
•
she is wearing a school uniform tunic of the sort worn before the 70s – suggesting
the film is set in (or was made) the past
The shot comes from a montage of Pauline and Juliet playing their imaginative
games.
The film is set in Christchurch in the 1950s
9
The Fellowship of the Ring
•
low angle shot, designed to emphasise how much too tall Gandalf is for the
low ceiling in a hobbit home
•
adds humour and a touch of humanity to Gandalf
astonishingly detailed workmanship in the setting, which was one of the
hallmarks of the Lord of the Rings trilogy
10
Finding Neverland
•
MCU (or MS)
•
the rest of the widescreen frame is filled with architectural
features that provide interest without distracting from the figure
•
beautifully lit from the left side
beautiful composition:
•
the painting on the left is balanced by the rectangles on the door to the right
•
he is slightly off centre, and his vertical stance is paralleled by the two
architectural verticals beside him
JM Barrie (Johnny Depp)
11
It is, of course, Juliet, hurrying in
response to her mother's summons.
She is young – two weeks off 14 –
and is to be told of a planned
marriage for her.
Romeo and Juliet (1966)
•
LS (or ELS, since there is quite some space all round the figure)
•
wonderful use of colour – she makes a vivid splash of red in the neutral
shades of her surroundings
•
Costume clearly indicates a setting in the past – in Renaissance times, in fact
(C15)
•
that she is running in spite of her elaborate costume suggests she is young
•
she is almost perfectly central in a composition that emphasises the receding
horizontals of the corridor, and so calls to mind those many Renaissance
paintings based on one point perspective
12
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
•
MS TWO (or MCU TWO)
•
shot in a corridor, with the receding planes providing interest behind
•
shallow focus so attention stays with the two people
•
Joel (Jim Carrey) leans forward so he provides an interesting diagonal
across all the verticals
with Kate Winslet
13
The Fellowship of the Ring
•
delightful high angle wide of the hobbit children as they listen to Bilbo's
stories
•
his POV from the front right of the frame
14
In My Father's Den
•
an INSERT – a shot showing an item that is being mentioned or looked at
•
almost certainly a POV shot
Andrew confronts his brother Paul in his motel room. His passport, which he
had dropped the previous day, is proof that he had arrived in time to attend
his father's funeral.
15
Finding Neverland
•
a beautiful crane shot establishing the setting in Hyde Park
•
the spacing of the trees and the formality of the clothes creates an ambiance of
calm and order; the clear, even light reinforces this
•
the path and the trees create a slight diagonal back towards the right, thus
preventing a too symmetrical look
•
the figures are beautifully spaced for balance
The figure on the left is JM Barrie (Johnny Depp), with his dog Porthos.
Peter (Freddie Highmore approaches from the right.
16
The Fellowship of the Ring
•
a WIDE EST. shot with a totally different feel
•
instead of order and calm, here is danger and threat, from the fire over the
mountain tops.
•
the ruggedness of the mountain bulk to the right contrasts with the calm of
the lake to the left
•
the horse is clearly unsettled,
•
an unearthly light falls from behind the mountain onto the white castle/city
in the centre which contrasts with the blackness beyond
17
Chicken Run (2000)
•
low angle MS
•
shots like this usually emphasise power, threat, authority
•
the colour of her dress is echoed in the sky, which is threatening,
adding to the sense of her power and dominance
•
nothing else in the frame distracts from the threat implicit in her pose
Mrs Tweedie has power of life and death over the chickens in the chicken run
18
Moulin Rouge (2001)
•
a blue filter colours a fantasy scene, with the Eiffel Tower, and two figures
(Satine and Christian) dancing on the clouds
•
their figures are so tiny that ELS doesn't even describe them
•
the man in the moon has a big smile on his face
•
this would have been created digitally
19
•
a low angle shot
•
MCU fills the frame – makes it imposing
•
judicious lighting allows us to see the face
even though the scene is set at night –
normally a torch shining towards us like that
would make the face invisible
•
his bulky body fades into the darkness
behind
•
the aspect ratio of the picture indicates that this film was made for TV
Danny the Champion of the
World (1989)
Victor Hazell (Robbie Coltrane) shines his torch into a pit where Danny's dad
William Smith is supposed to be lying with a broken ankle – except Danny has
rescued him just in time.
20
The Fellowship of the Ring
•
lovely over shoulder shot that provides a symphony of silvers and greys
•
Saruman (Christopher Lee) is framed between the verticals of the his staff on
the left and the carved columns on the right, as well as Gandalf's head; the
stairs behind add an ascending point of interest
•
nice contrast between the tousled grey hair and the smooth white hair
•
the way the light reflects off the successive verticals is masterly
•
tight framing
21
Crash (2004)
•
high angle crane shot
•
beautifully placed to look through the branches to the pools of golden
light created by the torches
•
figures ELS
the beauty of this shot will contrast with the ugliness of the scene that follows, when
one of the officers sexually harasses the woman in the vehicle
22
•
MCU THREE
•
tight framing on the left, looser on the right
•
compositional line goes on an oblique angle
and so avoids a straight line
•
natural lighting
•
costumes indicate graduation
•
the central character is framed by the other two, in a variation of over shoulder shot.
•
similarity of hairstyles suggests father and son
Spider-Man (2002)
Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) talks to Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe) while
Harry Osborn (James Franco) looks on
the relative poses suggest more intimacy between Peter and Norman than
between Norman and his son; this implied closeness is ironic, in that Norman
will become Peter's enemy later
the composition signposts the way Norman's later behaviour will destroy the
friendship between Peter and Harry
23
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
•
contemporary semi-rural setting
•
POV shot from the perspective of Olive, who waits for the van to return to
pick her up
•
naturalism of light and colour
24
Walk the Line (2005)
•
low angle shot designed to capture the pleasure he has in his new fame as
he signs autograph books
•
cluttered shot suggests the encroachment of fans
Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash
25
Pleasantville (1998)
•
BCU shallow focus
•
the shallow focus forces us to concentrate on the reactions of the character,
with no distractions
•
side lighting highlights nose, chin, cheeks
David (Tobey Maguire) is fighting with his sister in front of a black and white TV
programme which they will both soon be part of
26
•
low angle MCU
•
reinforces authority and power
•
the Prince's authority is reinforced by the strength of the tower behind him
•
beautiful use of colour: red, blue of the sky and the silver-brown of the armour
and stones
Romeo and Juliet
Unlike Mrs Tweedie earlier, this image is a positive one: the authority here is
benign and in pursuit of keeping civic order
Robert Stevens as the Prince, the ruler of Verona
27
The Constant Gardener
•
ELS hemmed in by a narrow corridor
•
the image is one of a man with only one way to go
•
back lit, though he is walking towards the light
it may be a bit much to read so much out of a simple shot like this but it does all
fit with the arc of the story, as Justin (Ralph Fiennes) doggedly pursues the truth
about his wife's murder
28
Walk the Line
•
CU TWO
•
back lit but with enough light to keep their faces distinguishable
•
the light behind seems like a spotlight
•
provides diegetic sound
Johnny Cash (Joaquin Phoenix) and June Carter (Reese Witherspoon) sing a
duet
The filming of the concerts in this movie was designed to allow the audience to
share what it was like to be on stage rather than just to be in the audience.
29
Holes
•
BCU
•
shallow focus
•
suggests a bully, or a thug – the thin moustache often associated with such
Jon Voight as Mr Sir
he is a bit of a caricature, as the moustache suggests
30
Romeo and Juliet
•
MCU
•
beautifully framed by the architecture so it gives the appearance of a portrait
in a heavy frame
•
the rich colour is set off by the silvery-grey of the architecture
•
beautifully lit by three point lighting to enhance her beauty
Olivia Hussey as Juliet
This is the first time she is properly seen the film, and shown like this she
seems to have stepped straight out of a Renaissance portrait. Art history
students will recognise the style and pose.
She is dressed in red which is the signature colour of the Capulets; the
Montagues will be in blue
31
The Constant Gardener
•
a very striking shot
•
back lighting to create a silhouette
•
MCU TWO
•
unusual in that the planes etc behind can be clearly seen
a significant moment in the story; this is the last time Justin (Ralph Fiennes)
will see his wife Tessa (Rachel Weisz) alive
the darkness perhaps suggesting the temporary suspicions he has of Tessa
32
Chicken Run
•
LS TWO
•
nice use of light to make their shadows fall on the shed
33
The World's Fastest Indian (2006)
•
insert
•
signifier of time of day – in this case 5.30 in the morning
34
Little Miss Sunshine
•
MS TWO
•
unbalanced composition – yet doesn't feel unbalanced, as if the weight of
the sea compensates
•
some symmetry in that both are in white
•
horizon line on the Golden Section
Frank (Steve Carell) and Dwayne (Paul Dano) philosophise at the end of a long
wharf
Each reached a breaking point in their lives but have rejoined their family – the
position at the end of the pier could be seen as a metaphor for this
35
Whale Rider (2002)
•
WIDE EST.
•
establishes location – in this case, a hospital
•
soft almost grey light – creates an appropriate mood
In the hospital, Pai has just been born but her twin brother and mother have died
36
The Constant Gardener
•
canted or Dutch angle
•
the angle suggests something terrible must have happened here
•
hard light
•
tiny ELS figures; deep focus; very great depth of field
it is the site of a murder – the figures seen are retrieving the bodies from an overturned truck
37
Walk the Line
•
BCU with superimposed MS
•
suggests he is day-dreaming or fantasising
•
shallow depth of field; even behind June there is no suggestion of space
the shot is from a montage summing up Johnny Cash's life at the height of
his success – he has everything except June Carter
38
V for Vendetta (2005)
•
MCU / MS
•
night scene
•
side lighting highlights half the masked face and the propaganda poster
•
high contrast noir lighting
side lighting used throughout this early scene – metaphor for the double life of
V: he is both freedom fighter and private avenger/killer
the big V on the propaganda poster is his work
39
Juno (2007)
•
high angle ELS
•
nicely balanced shot, with staircase framing the scene at the door
Juno has come to visit Mark; they will listen to music and dance in Vanessa's
absence
40
No. 2 (2005)
•
POV shot: the children she looks at are neatly framed by the window
•
slightly high angle
•
differential focus – she is slightly out of focus, which centres on the children she
is looking at
In a film about family, Charlene (Mia Blake) watches the youngest generation at
play, with the oldest – her grandmother) just visible beyond the tree
41
Juno
•
aerial EST.
•
the van arriving at Vanessa's suburb establishes location; the snow
establishes the season
•
almost monochromatic – blue-white
42
The Matrix (1999)
•
low angle to suggest power, authority
•
POV
•
the sun behind his head, the bare sky and the top of the next building all
reinforce the seemingly invincible power
•
green colour filter
Neo's POV (of certain death) as Agent Jones goes to shoot him, a second
before Trinity shoots Jones
the green tinge is that of the digital world of the Matrix
43
Mean Creek
•
high angle ELS the camera, the mirror (which will be a window), the bar
table all signify that this is a police interview room
•
the canted (Dutch) angle underlines the discomfiture of the boy
•
alone, he looks very small and trapped, very vulnerable
Sam (Rory Culkin) faces the consequences of his actions; he contributed to the
death of a boy
44
No. 2
•
MCU
•
'glamour shot'
•
beautifully framed by the light of the window, with the rest of the frame filled
with curtain
•
traditional portrait pose – goes back to Leonardo da Vinci – with the
shoulders oblique to the picture plane and the head turned towards us
Miriama McDowell as Hibiscus
45
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
•
high angle/ crane shot
•
WIDE EST – place and time of day
•
beautiful effect of light from the hall
•
balanced
46
The Pianist (2002)
•
WIDE EST with tiny figure to provide both perspective and also communicate
his horror and despair
•
colour and effects are digitally created
•
deep focus
Heinrich Szpilman in the ruins of Warsaw after the German army has retreated
the emptiness and destruction emphasise the difficulty he has surviving and
finding food in this
47
Walk the Line
•
WIDE MS and POV
•
the viewer shares the singer's view of the audience
•
spotlight on him is balanced by normal front lighting so no
silhouette effect
Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash
48
Richard 3 (1995)
•
insert BCU
•
attention-getter just as the action is in fact: a signifier that a speech is to
be made
In the film, this comes some 10 minutes in as Richard is about to deliver the
opening lines of the play as a public address – a brilliant handling of the soliloquy
49
The Queen (2006)
•
high angle / crane
•
tiny figures enter
•
the purpose of the shot is to emphasise how the architecture and décor
are designed to intimidate
The tiny figures coming through the door are Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) and
Cherie Blair (Helen McCrory), visiting Buckingham Palace for the first time after
Blair was elected Prime Minister. The shot sums up how the whole visit seems
designed to humiliate and belittle both of them.
50
Moulin Rouge
•
CU TWO
•
masterly composition of profile and full face, with strong verticals behind them
•
cold blue light
•
both heads emerge form dark clothing; both have reddish hair
•
tight framing
Marie (Kerry Walker ) is unable to comfort Satine (Nicole Kidman) who has
learned she is dying
tragically ironic contrast between the beautiful young woman who will die and
the much older woman who has survived