Monday, 16 December 2013

LP: The Nightmare On Elms Street


Camera Techniques
Duration
Analysis
Establishing shot of the ‘springwood diner’
It slowly tracks towards the diner, allowing the audience to understand that the next shot is going to be in the diner and places them in the location.
3 seconds
It is raining and the time of day is night-time, which straight away connotes horror, because a storm is normally a very conventional weather, found in horror. The lights on the sign of the dinner are also flashing off and on which creates a sense of foreboding.
CU still shot of the clock, telling us it’s 4.30
2 seconds
The shadows on the wall allow us to feel as if it’s very late in the night
The lighting also changes colour, creating an ominous effect on the audience
Tracking onto the man sitting in the both
11 seconds
Dialogue- “can I have another” and the lady quite clearly ignores him, implies she is being drawn to something because she doesn’t stop walking.
Still shot, showing the waitress walking away from the camera
3 seconds
More dialogue of the man asking for a drink- “hey can I have some more coffee please” but yet again she ignores him.
Long shot of the diner, showing the bar table to the right
3 seconds
The lighting is very dark creating a sense of fear
CU of the top frame of the door and a bell ringing
1 second
The rain can be seen dripping down he window, reminding the audience of the storm
MS of the man sitting in the booth, showing him turning round to get the waitress’s attention
5 seconds
More dialogue- “excuse me”, he is still trying to get her attention, yet again emphasising that something isn’t right and creating a sense of foreboding.
Still shot for 5 seconds showing the long shot of the diner again, then it pans left following the man trying to find the waitress
10 seconds
The panning allows the audience to see the emptiness and isolation of the diner, the man seems to be all alone apart from this spooky lady
Panning left showing an empty kitchen
2 seconds
Sound- the sound of flames can be heard
MCU following the man shouting to see if anyone else is in the diner and trying to find the waitress
11 seconds
Delivery of dialogue is significant because he still shown shouting to see if there is anyone in the diner, he clearly feels very alone. The MCU shows his facial expression as worried and confused.
Panning past a kitchen full of stuff but with no one in it.
8 seconds
Set design not only establishes the characters predicament, that he is alone for the time being but also shows that people were once there which creates even more of a sense of isolation.
MCU, tracking backwards showing the man walking
4 seconds
Non-verbal language conveys the confusion that the man is feeling by his facial expression, but he seems determined to find out what’s going on.
Still shot of the door with a blurred window, the man is showed coming towards the door and opening it, you can see him through the window. Showing continuity because we know he is going to walk through the door.
6 seconds
The lighting places us with the man, because the window he is seen through is very light and everything else is dark.
The shot is framed so the audience can see the man through the window
Still continuity shot of him coming through the door
6 seconds
You can here the flames even stronger now
Tracking forward showing the waitress again, ignoring the fire on the right hand side
3 seconds
Sound continuity shot showing the flames
The lighting allows everything to be very dark and the fire to glow very brightly, drawing the audiences eyes towards the fire
MCU of the man shouting ‘hello’ again
1 second
The MCU shows his emotions, and we can see by his wide eyes that he is very confused about the fire and can’t understand why the waitress is ignoring him
POV shot from the man, of him walking, tracking towards the fire
1 second
Again, showing the fire glowing causing the audience to focus on it
MCU of the man
1 second
Showing his fear again
POV shot, showing how bad the fire is
3 seconds
The noise of the flames has been turned up over the music
Blurred effect, shows the heat of the fire
MCU reaction shot from the man to the fire
1 second
He is quite clearly getting anxious, his walk has slowed down and his mouth has opened in shock
POV shot from the man looking at the fire, panning from right to left showing the mess using a selective focus so that part of the action is in focus
2 seconds
The music connotes the fear, because it get’s really loud.
Blurred effect, shows the heat of the fire and a quick camera action implies he is panicked
Panning past his face, showing him scanning the mess
2 seconds
Again, showing his emotion and confusion
Panning past a skull of an animal covered in blood
2 seconds
His dialogue- “what the fuck” implies he doesn’t know what’s going on.
The blood on the animal is very conventional of horror, something is killing this to create such a mess and because there is still blood on the skull it means it must of quite recently been killed so maybe the danger is still around.
Blurred effect, shows the heat of the fire
MCU reaction shot from the man to the skull
2 seconds
His non-verbal language conveys him as feeling quite sick after looking at that skull
Shot focusing on the claws of the protagonist
7 seconds
Costume is key in providing a visual signifier to the audience, for example the claws on the protagonist are very conventional of horror because they can be used as weapons, and a murder device.
Tracking past the stuff hanging in the kitchen, following the man
3 seconds
Low key lighting of the stuff in front brings our attention to the man, and allows the audience to focus on him
Shot focusing on the mental claws of the protagonist rubbing his claws together
3 seconds
Again, costume is used to show that the protagonist is evil because he is creeping up on the man with his sharp claws.
Reaction shot to the noise of the metal claws rubbing together, very quickly the man turns around
1 second
The music gets louder implying he has noticed the sound and is scared
Long shot showing the man checking if anyone is there
1 second
The protagonist disappears and you can hear a clunking of pans, as if he has quickly escaped the mans view.
Reaction shot from the man to hearing a door opening
3 seconds
His mouth is open and his eyes are wide connotes fear, he knows he is in danger
A still shot that shows a door swinging closed, and then pans left towards the man with the claws who slashes them at the other man
5 second
Make-up is used to show the slashes on his arm, the blood portrays the horror and death
CU of the man suddenly waking up from his nightmare
1 second
The lady can be heard trying to wake him up by repeating his name, highlighting the fact that he has just woken up.
MCU of the waitress talking to the man
5 seconds
She is conventionally pretty
Shot of the man sitting at the table
3 seconds

MCU of the waitress reacting to what the man has said
1 second

Shot of the plate with a bit of meat in a pool of blood
1 second
The blood is conventional of horror
MCU of the waitresses face
1 second

Reaction shot from the man of the waitress taking away his plate
1 second





1 comment:

  1. You have highlighted a lot of the conventions of horror films that have been used in this clip. that will be very helpful when we plan our opening

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