Psychological Horror Deconstruction-"Jacob's Ladder"

Psychological Horror Deconstruction: Jacob's Ladder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eENQ_WMato&feature=related

Point 1: Arriving Home

Camera Angles:

• In this shot a long shot is used as you're able to see the scenery as well as Mr.Singer. 
• Additionally a low angle seems to have been used as the camera has been tilted to look up at Mr.Singer, although this isn't evident at the beginning it is towards the end of the scene, as the further Mr.Singer walks towards the camera the less of him that is in the shot.  
• As Mr Singer enters the building, tracking is used at a low angle to follow him further into the building but once he has walked across the floor (highlighted by the lamp) the use of tracking stops.

Editing:

• The use of editing is quite minimal due to it being a continuous shot.
• Continuity editing is used as Mr Singer come out of the taxi and arrives into the building. 

Sound:

• The sound within this shot hardly uses any diegetic sound, as all that is heard is the closing of the door behind Mr Singer and his footsteps.
• Although, the diegetic sound is only used for a small section of this shot. The use of non-diegetic sound is also used all that is heard is the  minor chord played by the violins/violas/cellos. Because the tonality of the chord is minor it hints at the possibility of something bad happening. 

Mise En Scene:

• Lighting within this shot is very minimalistic. The lamp and main light are seen as extremely bright and possibly signify a link to the bright light that we see at the end of the scene. The use of the lamp and main light create a warm tone to the building that Mr Singer arrived to. It allows the audience to recognise the fact that Mr Singer is warm and welcoming home-like environment.
• Additionally, the blue toned light from outside allows the audience to realise that it is evening time or possibly very early in the morning. However, the blue light is reflected onto the wall exhibiting the use of artificial lighting. 
• The colour blue is often used to connote calm and relaxation in an environment, which is greatly achieved by the end of this overall scene. 
• Furthermore, by the end of this shot the lighting gradually get darker hinting at the content of the next scene. 

Point 2: Searching for family


Camera Angles:

• Again a long shot is used as we are able to see the actions of Mr Singers clearly and his surroundings.
• Additionally, we can also see the majority of Mr Singers' body therefore a full shot has been used. 
• The camera then zooms into the scene, emphasising on the silhouette of Mr Singer before tracking Mr Singer to the next room. 

Editing:

• Also, as this is a continuous shot editing is very minimal, however continuity editing is used as Mr Singer moves from one room to another, cleverly the audience is unaware of the room change due to this. 

Sound: 

• "If you're frightened of dying and you're holding on you'll see devils tearing your life away. If you've made your peace then the devils are really angles, freeing you from the earth" - Non diegetic sound of dialogue as it's a voice over. 
• Diegetic sound of rain however it could also been pre-recorded in a studio and then applied to the scene therefore making it non diegetic. 

Mise En Scene:

• Again the use of the colour blue is used and is evident in nearly 3/4 of my points connoting the calm and relaxed life that Mr Singer enters by the end of the film.
• Additionally the use of darkness it also reiterated within this shot and sets up a juxtaposition between this dark period in his life to the new chapter of his life that is revealed by the end of this scene. 
• Although the windows create vertical composition the checkered pattern of the top window, the juxtaposition created by the closed blinds and the vertical and horizontal lines and the diagonal beam of light all highlight the corruption and confusion that Mr Singer had been and was experiencing throughout the film. 
• The use of lighting in the second shot also creates a diagonal line but it is evidently artificial lighting but it creates a link with heaven as it is illustrated as being quite divine foreshadowing the upcoming events of the end of the scene. 

Point 3: Flashbacks


Camera Angles:

• The use of camera angles throughout the flach beaks consist of a large range, as there are close ups of family members to highlight on their emotion to allow the audience to understand that this was a happy moment in Mr Singers life, in comparison to now. 
• Additionally the last shot emphasises on the relationship that he had with his son before his son passed away and this is achieved through a long shot of the two characters as their whole body apart from their feet are in the shot as so is the scenery.

Editing:

• Mr Singer is having flashbacks at this point so the use of editing really highlights this by creating the perception of it being Mr Singers memory possibly by dimming the colours and creating a film reel. 
• Continuity editing is used between each memory as it jump cuts to create the flickering of the film reel. 

Sound:

• As Mr Singer experiences his flashbacks all that is heart is the non diegetic sound of a bass drum imitating a heart beat. 
• The memories of Mr Singer move in time to the heart beat.
• Surprisingly the sound of the memories are not sounded possibly signifying the fact that Mr Singer can remember the memories due to their sentimentality rather than the actual speech. 
• Within this scene there is no use of diegetic sound. 

Mise En Scene:

• Again the colour blue is used and as mentioned this prevails the sense of calm and relaxation. The colour blue is connoted through the water (something natural).
• Additionally the lower shot uses the father and the son hand in hand, a strong relationship is connoted through this as the son is imitating his fathers exact actions. 
• The lower shot also uses greenery and nature to connote that their relationship was natural as well as strong. The use of the colour green connotes nature, luck and possibly the balance they had in their life before the sons death. 

Point 4: Re-united with son and death


Camera Angles: 

• The camera always stays at a low angle (therefore looking up at the characters) this may suggest that they have dominance over the camera in the sense that the two characters will not come back.
• As mentioned the camera stays at a low angle throughout and film the doctor at a low angle however this merely represents the fact that he has a higher dominance over Mr Singer as he did try to save his life. 

Editing:

• A graphic match is used as Mr Singer is lead up the stairs by his father. The further up the stairs they go the more sun that is seen and soon a dazzling amount is exposed leading to a graphic match of an overhead light in an operating room. 

Mise En Scene: 

• The lighting used is again very divine symbolising the end of the scene of Mr Singer dead.
• With context behind the film, the audience would know that the person leading Mr Singer up the stairs is his son that died shortly before his first marriage ended. And this can be related to the picture that Mr Singer stumbled upon of his son whilst in bed towards the beginning of the movie. 
• The idea that the two characters have their backs towards us gives the audience the idea that where ever they are going they might not be coming back as neither one of them turns back. 
• Additionally, the lighting gives the interior of the house a golden tone, highlighting the idea of heaven. 
• The shot below is exactly the opposite and is more realistic as it is what exactly happened to Mr Singer the use of the darkness may exhibit the idea of the harsh reality, that even though Mr Singer was imagining the shot above, in actual fact he was still on the operating table covered in blood. 
• The use of the colour red connotes danger which is symbolised through the blood, the lighting highlights this to show that it's fresh blood therefore having a bigger impact on the audience.

Sound:

• The use of non diegetic sound is extremely powerful within this last scene as in conjunction with the first shot it highlights the idea that the son is literally leading the father to a better place and this is prevailed in the major tonality of the piece.
• Furthermore, the strings used to play this music are rich in tone giving off a triumphant sound therefore highlighting again at the possibility of Mr Singer entering a better place. 
• The use of the tied semibreve at the end of the piece is used as a sound bridge between the scene before and the sound of the EKG machine.
• We then have the use of diegetic sound which consists of the rustling created by movement and the dialogue of the doctor saying "He's gone."

Psychological Horror Deconstruction: 'American Psycho'

Psychological Horror Deconstruction: 'American Psycho'

Point 1 (Huey Lewis + The News) 

Camera Angles

Close up of the Huey Lewis CD putting emphasis on the conversation about the album and this distracts the audience and character of Paul Allen from what Patrick is doing as it seems initially they are having a conversation about music. Medium shot of Patrick- this helps keep the emphasis on Patrick and keeps from informing the circumstances to the audience too quickly. It also shows us that he is in control of the situation. High angle shot of Paul Allen showing his vulnerable position. Full shot of room showing the covered up sofas- slowly revealing subtle hints to the audience of what Patrick is doing and shows us Paul Allen and his weak position slumped, sitting down on the sofa. This all helps towards very slowly showing the audience the circumstances that Patrick is control and what he may be planning to do. 

Editing

Tracks Patrick and doesn't let us see the full room until last minute- deceiving the audience into thinking the circumstances are casual. As well as this, it has the effect of watching Patrick the whole time however only realising what he is doing until last minute and so we feel like he has not only tricked Paul Allen but the audience as well and this emphasises his slyness. Also, by following Patrick's movements it makes him seem even more in control of the situation as he is what we are concentrating on whereas we are only shown Paul Allen very briefly and this highlights how at risk his position is by making him seem unimportant and small.

Sound

We only hear the diegetic sound of the two characters conversing. Patrick however dominates the conversation and this shows how he is ruling the situation. The topic of conversation is the history of a musical group and this gives the impression of a casual conversation. However, Patrick's voice resembles that of a newsreader as he explains that 'But when 'Sports' came out in '83, I think they really came into their own; commercially and artistically' using extensive vocabulary and hand gestures to emphasise his. All of this has the effect of disconnecting Patrick from the audience and Paul Allen as he seems unreachable and mechanic. Paul Allen's voice differs completely as he sounds drunk and hazy, showing his vulnerability   

Mise en scene

The two characters are wearing almost the exactly the same outfit of a blue shirt and reddish tie and this shows how similar they are and how people in the consumerist world are clones of one another. However, Paul Allen is wearing a tie with diagonal stripes on and this diagonal composition helps to indicate that something is going to go wrong for him. Patrick however is wearing vertical pinstripes emphasising the power of his situation. Paul Allen is shown continually with tight framing when Patrick is in the room, however when Patrick leaves the room he is shown with loose framing showing that only has the chance of escape when Patrick isn't present. Paul is also shown as in the centre and at the bottom of each shot he is in, highlighting how he is powerless- however by being in the centre this makes him seem like a target.

Point 2 (Patrick's Pills) 

Camera Angles

Close up of Patrick while he puts on his raincoat- the audience's attention is drawn to what he is doing and are confused. This is another subtle hint as to what is going to happen but we are still not completely aware of the significance of him putting on the raincoat. By making us as clueless as to his intentions as Paul Allen, the victim, we are also somewhat apprehensive about what is going to happen and this is successful at putting us into the brain of a psychopath because we are scared of our protagonist- a very uncommon thing as the protagonist is usually who we identify with. The close up of the pills showing that he has actually been prescribed medication make audience think Patrick could be mentally ill and this confirms our suspicions that he is a psychopath making us even more anxious about the outcome of the events. 

Editing

Match on Action is used as we see a shot of Patrick's raincoat and then watch him put it on and this helps emphasise the continuity of time and shows that Patrick has limited time to be able to execute his decision to kill. It also makes sure we focus on the raincoat and notice him putting it on causing us to wonder at it's significance. It also uses a Cutaway of the close up of the pills putting the emphasis briefly on his mental state and background- making the audience wonder why he is like the way he is and this highlights the slightly more sombre mood of the clip.

Sound

We hear Patrick's voice continuing to talk about the album and this is used as a sound bridge from the last clip and showing us that he is still deceiving Paul Allen by distracting him from his activities. However, then he stops talking while he takes his pill and looks at himself in the mirror sombrely for a moment. This emphasises the diegetic sound of the class clinking against the bathroom surface giving the impression of him being cold and also making the pill-taking even more noticeable. Patrick ceasing to talk for the brief moment is also effective as it makes it more serious as he looks at himself in the mirror seemingly reflecting on himself and his actions. 

Mise en scene

When Patrick looks in the mirror there is a shadow across top half of his face over his eyes showing the dark side to his personality and this is emphasised as it covers his eyes which are seen to be the tunnel of the soul- a shadow is also foreboding. However, he steps forward out of the shadow as if to imply he is okay and in touch with his evil side. The mirror shows that he is not only vain but that he has many different sides and personalities as Patrick's reflection is something which recurs frequently throughout the film. The bathroom is a much darker room than the front room and this could imply that Patrick is much more sombre when he has to confront himself doing his actions, due to the mirror. The density is largely stark as this gives more emphasis and symbolism to the few things that are shown to us throughout the scene such as his pills. The whole of the clip seems to be filmed in the reflection of the mirror and this makes it seem as though we are seeing things through the perspective of Patrick and that he may have edited the truth. Also by having the only shot not filmed through the reflection of the mirror the one of Patrick's pills it gives the allusion that the actual truth is that he simply has a mental health condition.

Point 3 (Hey Paul!) 

Camera Angles

Close up of the axe confirming to the audience that Patrick intends to murder Paul Allen. This makes the other things such as the raincoat and covered up sofas make much more sense to the audience and they begin to understand the sadistic nature of Patrick- that he has planned the murder to carefully in order to make sure he doesn't get any blood on his clothes or furniture. This gives the impression that to be planned in so much detail it is not out of pure anger but rather cunning however the close up shot of Patrick axing Paul shows his fury and this causes much confusion as the audience do not understand Patrick or his motives.

We also see close-ups of Paul during the lead-up to him being killed emphasising his confusion and horror at the series of events. This makes it all seem more realistic as his reactions are more human than how Patrick is acting.

Editing

The scene uses Continual Editing throughout and this helps make the scene more realistic as the actions of Patrick are so irrational that the audience would not be likely to believe it is real if it consisted of canted shots or frequent jump cuts. 

This also emphasises how grounded Patrick's sense of mind seems to be in the scene as he has carefully planned each detail, further making his actions absurd.

Sound 

In the scene we can hear Paul Allen questioning why Patrick is wearing a raincoat and why there is newspaper on the floor. Paul's voice sounds as though he is mocking Patrick as he asks 'Do you have a dog? A little chow or something?' and laughs, and Patrick answers 'No, Allen' very patronisingly and using his name- this helps us understand the conflict between the two. 

Patrick then turns on a CD of Rock n' Roll music creating a diegetic soundtrack for the murder. This emphasises the continual jolly and upbeat mood throughout the build-up of Paul's murder creating a somewhat contrapuntal effect. 

Also, as Patrick goes to pick up his axe his voice increases in loudness and this gives helps make the audience aware that he is about to murder him as it builds up to the moment and also gives the impression of him finally losing his cool exterior.

Mise en scene

The room in which Patrick murders Paul is completely white and even the sofas are being covered over with white sheets, the lighting is also high-key and bright- this has the effect of subverting the usual conventions for a murder scene making it memorable and quite strange for the audience as it is not what they are used to seeing. 

The black, vertical blinds covering the windows are also frequently put into the shot resembling a jail and this emphasises that Paul is trapped in his fate as Patrick literally has everything set up for his demise.  

Also, when Paul makes fun of Patrick by asking him if her has a dog, we can see very tight framing surrounding Patrick as he answers 'No, Allen' and this gives the impression that it has been the last straw of annoying him and he no longer has any choice whatsoever about killing Paul. 

Point 4 (Sit down and relax) 

Camera Angles

After Patrick axes Paul we see a Reaction shot of him as he takes off his raincoat giving the impression that his work is done and he can take off his 'uniform'. Patrick seems relieved that he has finally murdered Paul and this shows his psychopathic nature as murder actually seems that murder is his form of catharsis. We then see a full shot of him relaxing on the sofa having a cigar with the dead body of Paul Allen in the foreground and this emphasises that he is seeing a dead body on his floor -as we can also see it- and is very composed about it.

Editing

This scene also uses Continual Editing and this helps to highlight how collected Patrick is about the situation as he relaxes and has a cigar on the sofa as the scene is slow and drawn out whereas if it was created with short and snappy clips it would portray that the protagonist's mind is on edge after murdering someone.

Sound

Throughout the scene the diegetic Huey Lewis soundtrack is playing and empathises how proud Patrick is feeling with himself after the murder of Paul as it is upbeat and rock n' roll. It makes the audience not feel any grief about his death and and so assists in us understanding how the protagonist is feeling.

Mise en scene

Once Patrick has murdered Paul, he leaves the blood on his face for some time after giving the impression that it is almost like a medal to show his pride. The blood is also extremely bright red to signify his danger and that he finds death addictive. However, we also see a profile shot of Patrick where it is evident that on one side he has no blood on his face and this seems to convey that either he has differing feelings about the murder or that perhaps he hasn't actually killed Paul and that it could be in his mind. We see a full shot of Patrick from across the room with the body of Paul in between him and the camera and this makes us feel disconnected and out of touch with him as he is unreachable. This helps to emphasise how different and potentially insane he is. 

'The Uninvited Guest' Opening Deconstruction

Point 1: Showing the house

Camera Angles/Shots/Movements:
Over the shoulder shot telling us that someone is watching the house.
Camera zooming towards the house afterwards and moves upwards as we go up the stairs suggesting that this is the actual movement of a person and someone is walking up to the house.
Close up of the door builds suspense as it follows a very slow approach towards the door so you expect something bad is going to happen.

Editing: 
No editing in this shot only a smooth continuous shot which gives a more realistic feel to the scene and creates tension as it is slow and drawn out.

Lighting: 
Dim lighting, nearing night time which is a convention of horror as darkness could signify isolation (because everyone is asleep in their houses, there is no one out and about at that time, and it is also when you sleep which is your most vulnerable)
Shadow of a hand on the door supporting the camera movement, telling us that we are following a person's steps to the front of the house, it creates tension as it is dark which could be evil and it is mysterious as we don't know whose hand it is.

Mise En Scene: 
Overall this scene creates tension and gives the idea that the person in the house is being watched and monitored, also that the person watching isn't a good person and they aren't wanted (which links into the title of the film)

Point 2: Following the stranger's path on the map

Camera Angles/Shots/Movements: 

Close up of his face as he hears the noise and turns around, a reaction shot to someone coming into his home and you can relate with him as he seems rather paranoid and scared. Movement shots around the map and around the house, once again following someone's path (point of view shot) to show that someone is in the house. Close ups on his face and a shot of both their shoes in the same room with him hiding behind the door. This tells us that he is already a very paranoid person as to begin with he has a method (which is looking into the reflection of the frame) if anyone breaks in, and he was 'following' the person's movements around the house by looking at the map.


Editing: 
Cross cutting is used in this scene to build suspense as the man watches the map and the movement the camera makes on the map is where the person in his house is moving this draws to our attention the fact that there is someone in his house that is not meant to be there and he is unaware of who it is.


Lighting:
Rather dim scene, he turns off the lights at one point when the intruder is nearing the study telling us he doesn't want the intruder to know he is there and he wants the place to look empty as light suggests life and that someone is there, and darkness creates tension as you cannot see properly and it makes the scene rather eerie.

Mise En Scene: 
Overall this scene is telling us that the main character is very suspicious and that he probably lives alone as having someone in his house is a mystery to him as he is hiding from them, also that he is rather scared of intruders. It creates tension and suspense for the audience and makes them want to watch on to find out what happens to the man. We can only see the shoe of the intruder giving them a sense of mystery and making us wonder who they are.

Point 3: Turning on the light & conversation with the ex girlfriend 

Camera Angles/Shots/Movements: 
Medium shot of the two (two shot of them having a conversation)
Over the shoulder shot of the woman holding the keys to the house.
Close up of their heads at an uncomfortable intimate proxemics that was once comfortable for them but is no longer. Close up shot of the woman looking through the boxes, (she is in focus) and the man standing up behind her (who is out of focus) during this part she is the dominant in the shot as she is forcing her presence on him as she wants to find something, also it is evident that he wants to get back together and he misses her company. But she is being cold and acting indifferent towards him.

Editing: 
A few eye line matches are used throughout this as it goes from an over the shoulder shot of the woman to an over the shoulder shot of the man to tell us they are looking at each other.

Lighting: 
At the start of this scene the lights are turned on which give the scene a whole different atmosphere and compared to the previous scene the audience is much more at ease now then before and they feel more comfortable watching this (and also safer) it is still dark outside but inside it is brighter which could suggest how his life is brighter with her in it.

Mise En Scene: 
The life line for the man is introduced as the scene here is very bright so it tells us that she is help for him and he needs her. We feel safe with her therefore we feel a connection with her and we want her to survive and always be there so she can keep him safe, also we know that the man (Felix) likes her and wants to keep her safe as well but is depending on her.


Point 4: Attic scene. 

Camera Angles/Shots/Movements: 
In the first screen shot he is at the bottom of the shot which suggests that he is all alone without her and he is isolated or pushed out of her life as he is being pushed out of the shot. He is looking to where the sound is coming from which is where she is to show that he wants to be back into her life and he doesn't want to be excluded any more.
In the next screen shot she is in focus and he is in the background which tells us again that he is just looking into her life but he wishes to be involved in her life and she is perfectly fine getting on with her life without him. It also tells us that she is the main focus for him and the main reason he is living so not being with her is proving hard for him. This also tells us that she has more power over him as she isn't as needy as him or perhaps doesn't show it as much as he does. Finally there is an overhead shot in the next clip which is him putting the key away, this is effective as you don't realise why there is an over head shot until he puts the key there. This also tells us that he is paranoid as he is hiding the key to the attic and he is also not leaving it open but locking it. The overhead shot gives us an idea of vulnerability which foreshadows the future events.

Editing: 
A few cross cutting shots were used to show how interconnected their lives were or perhaps how intertwined his life was to hers but not hers to his.

Lighting:
The lighting in the attic scene is very dark which foreshadows the future events that will happen within the attic and makes it an eerie place especially when he is left alone in there. Once again darkness is used to create a sense of fear and tension for the audience so they see the attic as a scary place where something bad is going to happen inside it. When he is looking at her she is in full light which tells us she is an important person in his life and he is half in shadow telling us that she has half given up on him and he isn't very important in her life, or that he is always in the back ground of her life watching her.

Mise En Scene: 
This scene tells us that Felix misses his ex probably more than she misses him or shows, it also gives a sense of foreshadowing to the attic as it is dark and unwelcoming telling us that maybe something bad will happen there in the future, and the fact that he is very paranoid could also link to the foreshadowing of bad events.

Psychological Horror Deconstruction 'Shutter Island'

Point 1 - Beginning of dream scene
Camera Angles

Begins with a two shot of the couple facing each other while Dolores is holding an object in her right hand. Following this there is a medium shot of Dolores with her hand in the same position but holding nothing. There is then a close up of her face as she looks down, then jumps to Teddy's face, zooming in to a close up. There is then dialogue between the characters switching between close ups. Pan movement shortly followed by a track movement follows Dolores as she walks across the room to the window. When she stops a medium shot is used. A close up of Teddy's face shows his head move to face her, and then an over the shoulder shot (from in front of Dolores) to show a close up of her face, while Teddy is blurred in the background. This could highlight is feeling of separation from her in the scene. A jump cut is then used to disorientate the viewer and Teddy, as Dolores is suddenly facing. A medium shot of her back is used to show her slowly burning. 
Editing
Visual effects are used in this scene, such as the blood and Dolores back slowly burning, plus the scraps falling from the ceiling. The scene is quite disjointed because before the jump cut  we see Dolores standing still, yet we hear her voice talking to Teddy. The jump cut makes it quite disorientating. 
Sound
The non-diegetic sound in this clip features string instruments as part of the sound track, the notes are long and drawn out, and fairly low. The diegetic sound in this scene consists of the sounds of birds and wildlife outside the window, including the sounds of crickets. Also a faint burning sound can be heard when Dolores' back is revealed. 
Mise en Scene
Dolores' yellow dress would give the impression that she is quite happy, however the green and red print on it suggest that she is in danger and is perhaps corrupted or ill. There are lots of diagonal lines in the opening of this scene, from the edges of the mirror to the roof of the building outside the window. These are always placed in shot with Dolores or behind in shot suggesting something is not quite right about her. However there are also lots of vertical lines in the shot showing that they are both emotionally quite strong. 
Point 2 - Let Me Go
Camera Angles
Close up of both their hands on Dolores' stomach as she begins to bleed, after this the camera zoom in to a medium shot of them both which turns into a close up of them. Establishing shots are then used to show different objects around the room from a table with a telephone on it, to a mantle piece. There is also a shot of a lamp and sofa, during which the colour of the scraps falling down slowly turn to black. Another establishing shot shows the couple in the middle of the room (slightly to the right) and Dolores in a pool of blood. Close ups and a zoom into their faces to show their intimacy continue until Dolores turns to ashes where a medium shot is used. 
Editing
Again visual effects are used to show the scraps falling from the ceiling and their change in colour as Dolores' death approaches. In addition to this, visual effects are used when she finally turns to ashes in Teddy's hands. 
Sound
The low, long notes continue in the second half of the scene and they slowly quicken in pace as Dolores' death approaches. Burning can be heard all the way through this part of the scene (diegetic sound) and the sound of dust is heard as Dolore's turns to ashes. 
Mise en Scene
The increased amount of scraps which begin to fall and change colour to black show that there is suffering in this scene, and that it increases as the scene goes on. Also, the blood which appears on Dolores' dress shows that it is fresh from the bright colour but also suggests death. It highlights how vulnerable she becomes in the scene. Teddy is therefore almost protecting her, which can also be found in his clothes, as he is wearing a brown jacket, it also highlights his strength. 
Point 3 - "Put them at the table..."

Camera Angles
A point of view shot is used at the beginning of this scene to show that Teddy is looking at the three children. An over the shoulder shot is then used to show a close up of his face, this could also be a reaction shot to seeing the children laying on the grass. A series of reverse shots are then used to show the dialogue between the two characters. An extreme close up shot of Dolores' hand is then shown rubbing Teddy's chest as she becomes very emotional. 
Editing
Continuity editing is used in this scene as the dialogue progresses, and an eye - line match is used between the characters as we keep seeing their perspective on one another, as they are engaged in a conversation. 
Sound
The non-diegetic sound in this scene is made up of low notes with a high, minor piano note played at a certain interval. It is very sudden each time, making the scene very uneasy and showing something is wrong. 
Mise en Scene
In this scene Teddy is now not wearing his jacket showing he now has less strength than before, this is contrasted to Dolores still wearing the same yellow dress, however this could show cowardice as she keeps asking to be let go of, suggesting she is not capable of facing what is to come. The two little boys both have blue items of clothing showing that they are calm, and at peace. The little girl is wearing a pink dress, but it is slightly faded which means her femininity is reduced. One of her shoes is not being worn, suggesting some kind of struggle previously. 

Point 4 - Death
Camera Angles
To begin, a close up of Dolores' face is shown and this is a reaction shot to her being shot with the gun. We then see a close up of Teddy's face as he is distressed about what has just happened. The camera then slowly tilts downwards slightly so that we see Teddy touching the blood on Dolores where she has just been shot. An aerial shot is then used to show the four bodies lying on the grass and Teddy deeply distressed. A medium shot is then used showing the blood running across Dolores' body towards her neck.

Editing
Eye-line matches are used again to show the connection between the characters, plus the blood on Dolores' stomach is a visual effect to give the impression she has been shot. Continuity editing is used a lot throughout this scene. 
Sound
The diegetic sound in this part of the scene begins with the sound of a gunshot which is very unexpected and shocks the viewer. We then hear Teddy in distress over what has happened as Dolores' body can be heard falling to the floor. Again, throughout this part of the scene there are uneasy minor notes played on the piano at certain intervals which make the scene fairly sinister. 
Mise en Scene

We see a very emotional few moments in this scene showing the intimacy of the relationship between Dolores and Teddy. We then see Teddy in profile showing he is not interested in the outside world and is focused purely on Dolores. The bright red blood stain shows that the wound is fresh and also highlights danger and death. The grass is a fairly dull green showing that any luck is now gone, and creates a bridge between itself and the print on Dolores' dress, possibly showing corruption of her and illness in some way. 

Pros & Cons of making a Romance

Actors:

PROS

• Usual stereotypical group of friends may be easier to obtain
• If its only an opening, could just introduce the two characters in a way that wouldn't show they were bad at acting. 

CONS

• Might have bad actors
• They might not be willing to act out what is required of them
• Might not have that many actors avaliable
• Meeting times differ between people
• Where everyone is to meet might differ between people as well depending on where people live etc

Location:

PROS

• The park is a romantic & suitable place
• If we are making a film on school romance, a school setting would also be suitable.
• There are other romantic areas/famous landmarks that are public and could be used

CONS

• If we are filming in a public place we need permission from people to be able to film the as extras.
• Can't really film in cafés or restaurants (definitely not cinemas) which are typically where first dates are.
• Weather could be a main factor in this if its rainy and grim their meeting scene may not be as good
• Might be lots of people playing around not just walking by which could affect how the scene looks

Editing:

PROS

• Easy to edit, no supernatural creatures/monsters so shouldn't be too difficult.
• Romantic music can be put over the top easily
• Can use different editing techiques to make it effective for the audience 



Psychological Horror Deconstruction: "Grace"

Psychological Horror Deconstruction: "Grace"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaBWFab4xgA

 Point 1: 8 months pregnant

Camera Angles

• Both screen shots on the right use aerial shots of the main protagonist. This allows the audience to see the facial expression of the protagonist which is vital when there is a lack of mise en scene or diegetic or non diegetic sound. Adding to a previous comment, the facial expressions juxtapose a as the first shot highlights the calamity of her  during that moment whereas the other shot portrays her character as being detached from the world due to her blank non expressive face.
• Differentiating the two, the first is a close up of her face although it is out of focus.
• I chose two shots of the main protagonist for my first point as the setting remains the same as does the camera angle however there's a distinct juxtaposition between the two due to mise en scene.

Editing

• If comparing the two shots, continuity editing is evident as an impression of time is given e.g the first shot during the day and the second shot during the night. 
• However, analysing them separately, the first shot has very limited or perhaps even no editing at all where as the second shot is an eye-line match of someone watching the main protagonist. The dialogue "after the accident she said that she was going to carry the baby to birth" supports the thesis of her being watched as does the TV screen. 

Sound

• The sound used is non diegetic as it's a voice over, possibly conveying the main protagonists' thoughts (internal monologue). As well as the dialogue from conversations between other characters. 
• In combination a minimalistic piano piece is played underneath the voice over, it's also in a minor key therefore preparing the audience for a negative outcome or implications during the birth of the child.
• Additionally, the shot below the first also uses non diegetic sound as there's another voice over -   "after the accident she said that she was going to carry the baby to birth. Additionally there is also the sound of a ticking clock again providing an idea that in limited time something bad is to happen.

Mise-En-Scene

• As mentioned, one of the reasons why i chose both shots was because of the huge juxtaposition between the mise-en-scene.
   - The first shot uses tight framing showing that the protagonist is comfortable within her environment and it also makes her the dominant of the shot. The use of the colour white shows purity and emphasises on the calamity of the atmosphere she was within, furthermore the glare on her skin may suggest that it's morning implying the youth of a day as well as the un born child. 
• The second shot subverts any sense of calamity and replaces it with an atmosphere of depression and solitude. Unlike the other shot, loose framing is used to suggest detachment from the world, confirming her detachement and solitude would also be the position in which she is lying as she is extremely spaced out physically and mentally. 

 Point 2: Miraculous birth of Grace

Camera Angles

• The first shot uses a medium/high angle shot looking from a long distance towards the protagonist and Grace. Although the first shot looks extremely comfortable the use of a long shot creates a sense of anticipation as there must be a reason for it to be so far back.
• The second shot uses a medium shot, although the protagonist and Grace are seated we are unable to see anything from their waists below therefore making it a medium shot. Additionally they are also out of focus, perhaps suggesting their loss on the real world and the corruption that Grace has caused.

Editing

• Cross cutting is used within the first shot to illustrate a mother and new born baby bond. Subverting the conventions of horror the  cross cutting is extremely smooth and not spontaneous at all creating a sense of calm.
•  For the second shot editing is extremely scarce. 

Sound

• The first shot uses non diegetic sound of a female singing a lullaby softly and smoothly (legato). For this scene this adds a sense of youth and innocence and begins to subvert the ideas of this being a psychological horror film. 
• For the second shot the element of horror is reinforced with the use of non diegetic sound from both instruments and dialogue. "That baby is sick" is used as a sound bridge between the weeping protagonist and the shot above alongside the extremely dissonant and high pitched sound produced by a violin, making it uncomfortable to listen to let alone watch. 

Mise-En-Scene

• The first shot of the mother caring for her child is perceived by the audience as being innocent as the warm colour tones produced by the wooden flooring seems to provide a safe environment for the mother and Grace. The use of the pale blue signifies the youth of Grace and is a colour closely related to a new born baby.
• The framing of the first shot is loose illustrating the comfortable environment that they are within.
• Additionally the furniture is green and the hallway on the left has also been tinted green suggesting the corruption that is likely to arrise soon.
• Lastly, the use of the colour green is evident in my last shot therefore establishing the idea of the corruption that Grace brought into the protagonists life. Furthermore, they are both out of focus suggesting the detachment from each other.
• The last shot is within Grace's room however, the idea of the room being tinted green emphasises on the psychological issues that arrise within this film. 

Conforming & Subverting psychological horrors 

•  Unusually in this circumstance the protagonist is female, subverting the conventions of horror in which the main protagonist is usually a male. Additionally there is no clear sign of an antagonist apart from the baby, Grace, which is where the psychological element plays its role.  However, although the protagonist is a female, she is also blonde which is typical when casting as they are illustrated as being the most vulnerable.
• Additionally the name of the film "Grace" totally subverts the conventions of a psychological horror. The word "grace" merely implies peace and can be linked to religion so subverts the idea of it being a name or word of good.

Pros and Cons of making a horror film opening

Editing

Pros

• Can use jump cuts to disorientate the viewer. 
• Can alter the contrast of the film, for example you can make the footage appear very grey and dull, this conforms to the conventions of horror. 
• Can use visual effects to add or enhance the footage filmed, such as adding blood to a gory scene. 
• Can add audio effects (non-diegetic sound) to emphasize sound recorded and add new audio in, such as a paranormal creature growling etc
• Can easily add scary music to add suspense. 

Cons

• May not have software available to add good-looking visual effects to footage. 
• May have to find a composer to create music, could be expensive. 
• Need enough time to edit before a deadline.

Locations

Pros

• Can easily find locations which could be scary for a viewer, such as empty streets, dark garages, sheds, all which can count as isolated places, conforming to the conventions of the horror genre. 
• Grainy footage from the camera (if shot in dark places) could add to the effectiveness of the opening, as it is a convention of horror films. (To be shot by a character)

Cons

• If filming in dark locations, we may not be able to pick up very much with the camera, it would be very grainy. 
• May not be able to find isolated locations for filming.
• Locations have to be suitable for the storyline. 
• May not be able to use desired locations if they are too far away due to travel costs (budget).

Actors

Pros

• Film opening will be relatively short, meaning if actors are bad we can work around them by shooting locations and using editing. 
• In a horror film opening the actor/s do not necessarily have to speak, they could just use facial expressions and actions as a reaction to an event. 
• Can get away only having one actor as the main protagonist as they could be discovering something supernatural/paranormal. 
• Do not need an actor for supernatural/paranormal creature because we could never show it, just show reaction shots of the actor to what they are seeing or experiencing. This also makes it scarier. 

Cons

• Some actors may not be able to do genuine looking facial expressions and would not make the opening effective.
• Possibly need an actor to play the paranormal/supernatural creature, which would we require make-up and costumes - depends on budget. 
• Need to get good actors otherwise it will decrease quality of overall film opening.

Comic Horror Deconstruction: Shaun of the Dead

Comic Horror Deconstruction: Shaun of the Dead

Point 1 (Wakes up and yawns) 

Camera Angle

Close up of turned inward feet- can't see the full body think it's a zombie.

Playing around with the idea of zombies without confronting it.
Irony of sounding/looking like a zombie in a 'zombie film' makes it comical.

Sound

Non-diegetic soundtrack of upbeat cheery music consisting of brass instruments- mimics the kind of music found in a video game has the effect of decreasing tension levels and makes the scene more comical

Sound of Shaun yawning- made to sound like a groaning zombie linking with the close up of the inward feet toying with the idea of zombies - makes it ironic and funny

Editing

Pans upwards so that we gradually- has the effect of straight away thinking it could be a zombie as we only see the inward feet and hear the groaning- we then see his face and this helps to make fun of the zombie theme as we can see that the noise was actually just him yawning. This  much more effective than if we just saw his whole body emerge at once.

Mise en scene

Open form is used and the density is stark- doesn't look as if anything has been symbolically placed and this adds to the realism of the scene. The background has everyday objects such as the rug and pictures in frames and the protagonist is wearing a simple and scruffy outfit which looks to be his pajamas and this gives the impression of everyday life to the audience making the contrast to the zombie references throughout the opening even more funny.  The colours are also not very bright and no contrasting foils are used making it seem as though nothing has been specifically chosen to stand out much like every day life.

Point 2 (Oblivious to the zombies) 

Camera Angle

Medium or full shot on Shaun to show that he is the protagonist but also to show the surroundings
Doesn't ever focus on the obvious signs of zombies such as the blood smears or the zombies lurking in the background in order to emphasise the ignorance of the protagonist- increasing the comedy of the scene.

Sound

Diegetic squelching of body matter on shoes as he walks and the sound of the zombies groaning- use of dramatic irony as the audience know what it is that is making the sound but the protagonist doesn't even notice it and this makes it more funny for the audience.
Non-diegetic futuristic soundtrack mimicking that of what would be used in relation to a spaceship highlights the eeriness of what is going on; the town has been ripped apart and zombies are roaming the place therefore contrasting against the protagonists reaction of being completely oblivious adding comedy to the scene.

Editing

Tracks Shaun - follows him just as though it were a normal day- replicates the scene earlier in the movie where he goes to the scene right down to the fact that he passes the same beggar on the street but this time he is a zombie. Emphasises that Shaun hasn't noticed any difference in the day at all and adds comic effect.

Mise en scene

Throughout the movie a very open form is used and this point is included in this. By using an open form it helps give the impression to the audience of everyday life and this increases the comedic value as we can relate to the lives of the protagonists well. By using well-known brand names such as 'cornetto' it belittles the drama going on relation to the zombies as it gives the air of an everyday situation. This means that the use of the red -connoting danger- is almost ridiculed. 

'Amelie' Opening Sequence Deconstruction: 

Point 1: (process of fertilisation) 

Camera angles/shots:

Extreme close up of the sperm travelling to the egg showing that the mother of Amelie is being impregnated.

Editing:

Outlining of the one sperm that fertilises with her mother's egg showing that the fact that she came into existence was a one in a million chance and she was made for a purpose (she has a reason to live) otherwise it would have been another sperm that got in. 

Sound: 

The same song is played over all of these small scenes acting like a sound bridge to show that all these scenes are linked in some way, perhaps by the fact that they are all happening at the same time. 

Mise en scene: 

In this scene the colours used are pink, purple and a slight amount of orange. The pink can signify femininity of Amelie's mother and perhaps how that passes onto her in some aspects, it also connotes romance which in this scene is understandable. However the purple connotes individuality which backs up the idea that every single sperm is completely different telling us that she is a completely unique individual who only came about through a process of random occurrences/one in a million chances. The orange in this could connote optimism telling us that this is a moment to be celebrated (as births/pregnancies generally are) so therefore it tells us that her life/creation was a happy one.

Links to Genre: 

As it is a romantic comedy the fact that the woman is being fertilised backs up the romantic aspect of it and shows the love between the parents. 

Point 2: (Pregnancy and birth) 

Camera angles/shots:

This shot is a medium shot where the head has been cut out of the shot, this could show that the body could be anyone's once again playing on the idea that it is a one in a million chance. 

Editing: 

As you can see from these two images the pregnancy time is sped up and the body undergoes many changes in a few seconds to signify time passing. 

Mise en Scene: 

In terms of Mise en Scene we feel that we do not know the woman who's body this is so therefore it could be anybodies, telling us that maybe Amelie could have been born from anyone's body but it turned out to be from Amandine.

Point 3: (Childhood games) 

Camera angles/shots: 

(Picture 1) Here there is a close up on Amelie's face with the cherries around her ear. 

(Picture 2) And here these is an extreme close up on the glass and her hand. 

(Picture 3) In this picture there is an extreme close up on her finger with the PVA glue

(Picture 4) This photo has an extreme close up of her finger as she pulls off the PVA glue. 

 Perhaps the idea of these close ups are to show specifically what she is doing and to have the audience connect with what she is doing as she is partaking in games/activities that the audience can understand as they probably did them when they were younger.

Editing: 

In these short clips specific colours stand out, mostly 

the colours red and green: red being shown on the cherries and raspberries also the font colour of the cast and green being shown in the liquid in the glass, the lid of the pva and the general colour tint of the screen.

Sound:

Over the top of a piano song (which starts of rather slow and then begins to speed up) there are diegetic sounds that we'd be able to hear if we were on set, for example the dominoes falling or the sound the glass made whining, also the sound of her blowing into a leaf. All these sounds make it more real and bring focus to that particular object.

Mise en Scene: 

The fact that the main colours here are green and red  connotes that Amelie is to a passionate young girl who will be faced with some kind of death within her life the green could connote good health but more importantly that she is either a lucky girl or a girl who plays around with the idea of luck and tricking people into believing they are lucky. 

Point 4: (introduction of parents) 

 Camera angles/shot/movement: 

Both parents are standing central in a shot, and they then have a camera zoom towards their face leading to a close up of head and shoulders. Extreme close up of tool box as the tools fall out, medium shot of him cleaning the tools out and putting them back in the box. Overhead shot of Amandine cleaning out her bag and putting everything back again.

Editing: 

In terms of editing white writing is written next to their faces to pick out one twitch/habit they have to make it more personal for the audience and more comical (which links with the genre of romcom) 

Sound: 

The music played over their introduction is the same piece that was played over the first half (with the sperm and pregnant woman) showing a link between everyone's lives. There are diegetic sounds in the scenes such as the sound of the two men peeing which adds to the comedy of the film opening (there are many other diegetic sounds that are added into these sounds like the bath water which makes it more realistic.  

Mise en Scene: 

The fact that they are both introduced in the same way with the zooming into a close up of their faces while they stand outside their job and the white writing telling the audience one habit/twitch they have, also by the final thing that they like being incredibly similar shows that they are both linked in some way and they share similar hobbies. Also that they are clean 'freaks' and they are very serious people, only doing the absurd things they enjoy make them happy. All this tells the audience that Amelie will be a rather strange child as her parents are both eccentric themselves. In terms of colours, in the introductory scenes they are most likely wearing the colours that describe them best, e.g. the man is wearing white which is a uniform for doctors so this could tell us that his life is very uniform and almost obsessive in some aspects. The fact that the lady is wearing red could tell us that she will die in the near future and she wasn't present for most of Amelie's life.

Links to Genre: 

In these clips there is much comedy included as we get to see a small insight into the parent's very peculiar lives and we find out little things that make them unhappy and little things they like. 

Amelie opening sequence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pFctvte6Ts