'Shrooms' Setting Deconstruction

I decided to deconstruct some scenes in the film 'Shrooms' to look at how location is presented and used in the story. 

Point 1: Opening
Camera Angles:

The camera angles used in the opening are full shots of a girl running through a misty wooded area. There is also an extreme close up showing somebody's eye. Establishing shots are used to show a mysterious building, telling us that the film is going to link to that location and the woods.  Editing:

The editing used in this opening are a series of jump cuts to disorientate the viewer and quickly switch between the girl running and the people in the building. There is juxtaposition linking the two together and montage editing which piece all the different shots of different people in different rooms together. Credits have also been edited in to the opening. 

Sound:

The diegetic sound used in the opening consists of the heavy breathing at the beginning, matching the girl running through the woods. Also, you can hear her footsteps as she runs. Throughout the opening screaming can also be heard suggesting that the people shown have had bad experiences and could be / are in pain. The non-diegetic sound in this clip is made up of long minor notes, which are very foreboding and make the scene effective.

Mise en scene:

Throughout this opening, it links to location very well, which is good for research. A girl is running quickly through the woods. This adds mystery and suspense as we do not know why she is running, and if there is something chasing her. Also, the blood stains seen inside the large building indicate that something bad has happened, and people have been hurt and suffered injuries. 

Point 2: Journey to camp site

Camera Angles:

There are many establishing shots used showing the van driving through the countryside. This shows that they are in a fairly isolated location surrounded by trees and there are no villages nearby. The camera also pans from right to left showing the van progressing along the road. This is from behind some trees as if somebody is watching them. There is also an over the shoulder shot used behind the person driving the van to show them travelling in a wooded area. 

Editing:

The editing used in this scene is mostly continuity editing showing the van progressing in its journey. There are also eye-line matches used to show the girl looking down at the map of where they are headed. This highlights the location and how secluded it is. 

Sound:

The diegetic sound used in this scene is mostly of birds calling, showing that there is lots of wildlife in the area. Also, you can hear the van driving around the conversations inside it. The non-diegetic sound is made up of long low notes which make it quite mysterious, especially as the people are from abroad - they don't know exactly what they've let themselves into. 

Mise en scene:

The area around the van is always filled with trees and a forest area, showing they are very isolated from everybody. The van is often the only vehicle on the road suggesting that people do not visit the area often. The bad weather could point to something bad happening, or adding to the danger that they could be in, since it makes it easier to get lost. The close up of the map is a huge reference to the area and makes sure the viewer knows how isolated the characters are and how the forest is going to become a part of the story. 

Point 3: Road Kill

Camera Angles:

There are close ups used in this part of 'Shrooms' showing the animal and the face of the guy looking down to him. There is an point-of-view shot used showing exactly what he is looking at (the animal). Reaction shots are used to show the surprise and shock the group witness when the animal moves suddenly, when they least expect it. There is also a two shot used when the indigenous people are shown.

Editing:
Jump cuts are used to show the sudden collision between the van and the animal and also when the animal moves from its laying down position. This disorientates the viewer and creates a bigger shock value. Continutity editing is also used to show the progression in the story.

Sound:

The diegetic sound in this point is made up of the animal hitting the van in the collision. We hear the screams of panic from the people in the van and their conversations about what has happened and what to do next. The non diegetic sound in this clip consists of the music getting higher and higher in pitched, telling the viewer that something is not quite right here. The notes sound minor which also suggests fear and that something bad is happening.

Mise en scene:

In this scene, the woods are used to provide a hidden threat to the characters. This is seen when the animal jumps out of the woods unexpectedly and causes them to pause on their journey. Also, the indeginous people also appear out of the woods unexpectedly. This shows how well you can surprise both characters and the viewer by using a forest area as you don't know what's lurking behind the trees. The woods also make the area quite dark a lot of the time, even though it is the middle of the day, it means that simple things like an animal being by the roadside becomes much scarier as they are so isloated and unfamilar with the area.

 

Point 4: Arrival at camp site

Camera Angles:

Medium shots are used when the campers are putting up their tents, there is also an over the shoulder shot used when they are in conversation. From this you can see just how close they are to the woods, and how they are in a secluded area. A medium shot is also used (see right) where the woods and a lake can be seen, this shows how their only escape is through the woods. Establishing shots of the lake show that they are completely surrounded.

Editing:

The editing used in this scene is continuity editing, nothing dramatic happens in this clip, it is just setting the scene and showing how they are settling into the campsite.

Sound:

The diegetic sound in this clip is make up of the characters talking to one another and putting the tents up. In the background you can hear the sounds of the wildlife around, however the non diegetic sound covers this slighty. The non diegetic sound is calm music which sounds quite happy and doesn't suggest anything bad is going to happen. It luls us into a false sense of security.

Mise en scene:
All the campers are seen putting up tents in a secluded area, with the forest seperating them from the outside world and any help they may need. We see that all their food supplies are carried around in their van, and it does not look like they have access to any more food. They are having to rely on themselves, this could be dangerous because they may run out and there is no where else to get food if something goes wrong, because they are separated by the forest. Also, the lake shows the only escape if something does go wrong, is through the woods.

This film is good for researching a forest location for filming because it shows how much scarier it can make a scene, and how a forest can easily isolate characters from services, making them much more vulnerable. This could be useful when thinking of a film opening because you can quickly make a character appear vulnerable, simply by using location.