Key Thriller Conventions - Camera

Camera Angles - The use of strong and visually interesting camera angles is essential in encapsulating an audience and adding tension or mystery to a scene. I think we should utilise camera angles with utmost priority.

Examples of good use of camera angles:

Close up:

   The close up here in Witness is used to add to the tension and suspense of the atmosphere of the scene at this time and make the audience sympathise with the boy as he is struggling to close the door and could be killed if he doesn't - making the audience fear for his life. This is used to great effect and makes the audience feel more connected with the character of the boy.

   The close up used in Animal Kingdom is to make the audience directly associate with the main character, 'J'. As the film progresses, more and more close ups are used to directly associate the action with 'J' and to make the audience feel as if they are experiencing it from his perspective.




Long shots/Landscape shots (used to establish location):

    This long shot of the Australian landscape is used in Animal Kingdom. It is used to reflect the character in the scene as a morally corrupt, in that the landscape seems endless and limitless - reflecting that his morality, or lack of such, has no boundaries or limits and he will continue to do whatever he wants without consequences. Also the desolate wasteland that is shown in this image shows that his mind is in the wrong place and his judgement is wrong and he's gone insane with worry and anxiety. This kind of representational image could be used in our Thriller as we have the facility and idea to use a limitless landscape of the countryside.

 

This very barren landscape in Essex Boys is used to connote very similar meaning, in that the man is beating up a 'friend' as it is describe by the voiceover, although we can tell this is not true. The limitless landscapes reflects his limitless personality and morality in that he's just come out of a sentence in prison and the first thing he does is nearly kill the person who meant he went into prison. Although this is very graphic, the idea and connotations behind it are very strong and could be used in our thriller.

    Planning:

    In our Thriller I do think that we should focus very clearly on trying to use some of these generic camera shots as it would add more to the film rather than just having simple camera shots - as we only have 2 minutes so every shot and every detail must mean something, as I think that we should use clever narrative techniques, such as foreshadowing and connotations.

    The use of a long shot to establish a location could definitely be used as the girl is walking home as it would show her location, and it could be used again to show the man's house. We have already decided on using an establishing shot near the beginning of the film to show the girl in the café and establish the location and the whole café to the audience.

    As we develop our shot list further we will be able to establish which camera angles we are going to use and why we are going to use them. Such as a long shot to establish location or a high angle shot to show dominance in a scene.