Case study: The Third Man

Introduction
Shot in 1949
Directed by Carol Reed
Rated 8.4 stars out of 10 from 70,603 users
In the opening weekend it made:

$13,576 (USA) (9 May 1999) (1 Screen) (reissue)

It's Gross made was:

$596,349 (USA) (19 December 1999)

Males	47257	8.4
Females	6678	8.3
Aged under 18	334	8.5
Males under 18	282	8.7
Females under 18	52	7.4
Aged 18-29	22575	8.4
Males Aged 18-29	19968	8.4
Females Aged 18-29	2607	8.3
Aged 30-44	20823	8.4
Males Aged 30-44	18623	8.4
Females Aged 30-44	2200	8.2
Aged 45+	9610	8.6
Males Aged 45+	8042	8.7
Females Aged 45+	1568	8.6
IMDb staff	10	8.2
Top 1000 voters	721	8.3
US users	20247	8.6
Non-US users	33688	8.4
IMDb users

Also reviews suggest more males watch this film that females. Although males under 18 and over 45 have the best rating at 8.7

Sound

During the opening to The Third Man, the use of non diegetic is well presented because the theme is aimed at 'Harry Lime' or 'Orson Welles'.

This theme tune directed at the character of Harry Lime makes him seem an ambiguous villian or not very serious. It also points to 'Orson Welles' character as charming and sort of glamourous. 

There is also the use of a voiceover which helps to explain the story and introduce it to us and also introduce the characters to use as well so one can get a better understanding for them.

Camera Angles

 Throughout the Third Man there are various types of shots used and one that is used effectively is the high angle shot. Here is 'Holly Martins' as he looks for Harry Limes. And this shot is meant to be from a German who looks at him in this way. It suggests that he is small and isn't noticed as he is new to the country from the USA. In turn, this connatates that he is seen as a nobody.

There are also a good range of Tilt shots used within this film. The tilt shot is used in thrillers and many other genres which attempts to disorientate the audience but also makes it seem scary and provide that sense of nightmare. The shot also attempts to add the aesthetic interest to the scene from the audience.







In this film, there are so many close ups used which help to identify either objects used within a certain scene or to show characters emotions.

This shot magnifies what would be shown in a regular shot. It shows the certain object, in this case the cat.

This is a second close up shot which identifies the characters emotion as, in this case, being confused. This can be established through this close up shot unlike if it was shot from a high angle where this may be a little more difficult to see.

Here is the start of the film where close up shots are taken on the black market of objects and being able to identify them with this close up shot.

Lighting

In The Third Man, a lot of non-ambient lighting is used. One example of where the lighting is non-ambient is where a close up shot of Harry Lime is shown in the darkness. It shows the non-ambience as it looks as though a spotlight is being used to see the characters face whereas if that spotlight wasn't there, then we wouldn't have been able to see him. It means that this dark atmosphere is being made from ambient to Non-ambient as the area behind the camera has been set up with spotlights to hit that perfect position in order that his face can be seen.

Costume

In The Third Man, the costumes worn by many of the characters, especially males are your classic overcoat and trilby hat combo. This signifies what people back in these days would have worn during this period. The smart dress overcoat could easily be pulled off in thrillers made and potentially in our thriller although it may be ignored and dress and make the thriller modern.

Another costume part in this period would also be the Bow Tie which portrays the character as some what being untrustworthy.

Location

The Third Man is shot in the beautiful city of Vienna. It is also shot during a period where the second world war has just come to an end. This shot below shows Vienna as actually being quite a dangerous place due to the fact that there is a body in the water and also that body is being surrounded by a lot of broken glass. This would have been because it is around 1946-1949 and the war would have literally just come to it's conclusion so there would have been a lot of work to get Vienna back to the way it would have been.

Case Study: Kill Bill 1

Introduction
Made in 2003
Quentin Tarantino directed and write the film.

The Bride wakes up after a long coma. The baby that she carried before entering the coma is gone. The only thing on her mind is to have revenge on the assassination team that betrayed her - a team she was once part of.

Rated  8.2 out of 10 starts from 388,436 users on imdb.

Camera Angles

During the introduction to Kill Bill one, there consists a strong use of close up shots. These types of shot help to establish the characters emotions on what they are feeling. It also helps to, on occasions, position the audience into the shoes of the character like a point of views shot. Bill here using his hankerchief shows it is actually Bill through the close up but also helps to signify his character. This hankerchief helps to show he is your typical cowboy character where also shows that he is an extreme killer. Here the blood also signifies his attitude being a dangerous person.

The hankerchief with Bills' name on shows he is a vain and conceited character while also being slightly egotistical about himself.

Sound
Throughout Kill Bill one, there is a lot of diegetic sound used. For example the footsteps which connate menace and fear.

The heavy breathing is also a good diegetic soung as it keeps the scene real and natural throughout this period. Lastly, the loading of the gun is also diegetic, where this helps us to establish that we now know what is going to happen to her.

The soundtrack of 'Bang Bang' by Nancy Sinatra is also a useful track that fits in strongly with the film. This helps to go well into the film as it signifies that her lover killed her which is ironic as that is exactly what happens to this women and Bill. This also links in well to Bill and his life of crime which shows him to be a criminal and the lifestyle he has of crime.

Lighting

In Kill Bill, there is a very large amount of noir styled lighting which helps to establish the flashback in the opening scene. This shot which is consist with the noir opening gives a tribute to the noir tradition. The shot which is already used in Camera Angles, also helps to start to establish the genre of the thriller and make it into a hybrid film.

Both of the these shots show that brilliant sense of the noir tradition and creates the thriller genre instantly through this technique.

Enigma

There are many moments of enigmatic effect even in the first scene where we are posed with many questions and leaving us pondering what the answers to these would be. For example we ask ourselves:

Who is this woman?

Why did Bill decide to kill this woman?

What does Bill actually look like?

In my opinion I think that this film is absolutly stunning example of the noir thriller genre. Some of the shots presented in it are excellently shot and helps to provide a sense on excitement and also keeps us on the edge of our seats as we want to know what happens next in the film, wile also supported by all these questions we are faced throughout the film.

Case Study - Essex Boys

Essex Boys
Made and released in 2000.
Terry Winsor directed it.
5.9 stars out of ten from around 2,100.
Opening Weekend: £111,548 (UK) (16 July 2000) (54 Screens)
Gross:£441,128 (UK) (6 August 2000)
Aimed at Males between 18-30 normallly.

A majority of the votes have come from males compared to females however the best rating have come from the Females aged 18-29 with a rating of 6.9 out of a possible 10.












Lighting

This is the first scene in 'Essex Boys' where Jason is discovering the car in the claustrophobic garage. Here we have the noir lighting which gives te dark on light effect to the scene.
One can also establish that the light is Non-Ambient and also has been made to be in the spotlight of the scene so we are able to see what else is in the scene and how it is made to be a thriller.

This picture can also be put into the Lighting catagory due to the reasoning that the light in the background is in exactly the correct spot so we are to see through the dirty and smerred window. The light hits the Sean Bean character perfectly like a spotlight which helps us to see him and the way he can be shown to the audience through his costume and his facial expression.






Effects

The effect shown here with Sean Bean being portrayed through a car window shows us that he can be seen as a dodgy character and person. From him being shown through the dirty window also helps us to establish that he is detached from everybody but not in the way which makes him dull or monotonous. This effect also helps us to understand that he is a rather cold character and makes it look as though he is out for revenge of some sort now that he is out of prison.

Here we have a Vanishing Point. This is the third scene of the film where 'Jason' is driving the character of Sean Bean to a destination. This can tell a number of things; firstly being the fact he is driving into a tunnel is like looking through the barrel of a gun which in turn can also show him driving towards another dimention. The Vanishing Point can also portray that he is driving himself into trouble and also into moral darkness which the scene tries to show. We can also see the wet shiny streets which also helps to put across the idea of him going towards trouble. We also have the Primeval of the character where Jason is being dominated by his primitive instincts.

Camera Angles

This camera shot presented is of the Sean Bean character attacking a memeber of a factory. It comes from a Point of View shot from Jason. This type of shot is very effective due to the reasoning that it puts the audience into the shoes of the character and shows us what that character is seeing at that specific moment in time.

This is also an effeective camera angle which has been used. The high angle shot of the character of Sean Bean when he about to get 'revenege' on a second character. This type of shot attempts to show the characters insignificance and vulnerability to the scene. Despite this however, due to the fact that we have already seen what he can do, we know that he isn't this and is actually quite menacing and composed. The shot here also helps to position the audience into the scene.

Location

In Thriller films, locations are a vital aspect towards the genre and the film itself. In these pictures below we can see the bare landscape of the Essex marshes using Point of View and Longshots.

                                              

These pictures helps to set this specific scene as being away from civilisation and out in the open. The landscape which has been used helps to reflect the morality to the character of Jason. It helps to establish to us that Jason is an isolated figure with himself having a detached personality. These pictures also help us to understand that he has no moral boundries. This helps to prove to us that his world is considered to be dangerous.

Sound

Despite the fact there isn't much to mention of the sound of the film, especially during the opening parts, we can establish one important factor which makes the film effective in it's own way. The voiceover from Jason helps us to understand what he is thinking at that moment in the film while also building up the relationship between them and Jason.

Case Study - The Killing

Exploring the Generic conventions in the trailor of The Killing and how they are used with in it.

Lighting

In 'The Killing' we have your traditional Noir thriller as we have the dark surroundings. Here we can see that effect of suspence it creates as we are unsure about what is going to happen next.

There also a use of chiaroscuro lighting which presents the right on dark effect. This also helps to connate us to the illusion and to the nightmare of the scene that is is used in. The use of the torch also helps to create that classic thriller as it can be associated with so man of them.

Mise en Scene - Examples

1. Torches to create the chiaroscuro effect
2. Having a dead body creates again the classic thriller example as you always see a minimum of one dead body.
3. Search parties which are also associated with the thriller are a must as their are always police or detectives in the search for clues as they are in search for who has committed the murder.

Lifts which are also seen in the thriller genre are a signifier for thrillers as is creates mystery and sometimes have people trapped which also creates suspence.

Locations 

As we see in thriller films, there are always the same locations we see which help to make the thriller the genre it is. An example of this would be car parks. This type of location helps to show that if a victim is being chased by the villian in a sense, once you enter the car park then normally there is no escape for the victim; especially multi-story, which if you reach the top then you cannot get away.

Another example of locations can be cities which help to create a dystopia. As you can see below the city looks menancing which cross-references to the film Bladerunner which also uses a city to look menancing. If we look at 54 seconds to 58 we see the use of this through the trailer.

Costume

There isn't really much to say on the costume aspect apart from one major element. During The Killing, we are able to establish that Sarah Lund wears the same Jumper in every episode. This helps to tell us one of two very important aspects to her character; firstly it shows us that she isn't just a typical cliche character and has her own style and way she wants to go about her.

Secondly, linking to the job element is that it implies thats she cares more about her detective work than the appearence of her which also portrays than her job is more important.

To start with, the Jumper look that Sarah Lund took up in the first episode of The Killing looked to be monotonous and dull, whearas it has had quite the opposite effect where it has become an iconic figure when we talk about her character as a whole.

Effects

Another generic convention for The Killing is the use of effects throughout this thriller series. As you can see to the left is a picture of the use of water. The water in the picture is of a character from the series The Killing running through a dark/noir forest. (Again another signifier of the thriller genre) The usage of water in this context helps to reflect the lighting used; whether it being Ambient or Non-Ambient, towards the scene so we are able to make out what is around the character and also where they actually are. It also supports the way it helps to create a sense of mystery as we do not know why this character is running or in more realistic terms to the thriller, What she is running from.

Vanishing point

As you can see above, we have The Killing's trailer. Because I am unable to pick out certain bits and print screen them, I am having to show you this way. If you play the trailer and skip to one minute and six seconds you are able to see the use of the vanishing point that gets used within the series. This, in effect helps to show a sense of danger or even mystery as you are unsure what could be down the corridor or even if anything could be down their such as clues in the attempt to help solve the storyline. They also provide an enigma thus adds to the sense of mystery. Where does the vanishing point go and what is at the end? This type of camera shot is also visually appealing and adds style and interest to a film.

Research on Essex Boys

Essex Boys
Made in 2000
Title Sequence establishes the thriller genre through the Noir lighting at the beginning of the film. It also is established through the screeching of the blackboard.
Director: Terry Winsor

Key word - Primeval - Pre-historic
This is used as an example in Essex boys as Jason is dominated by his primative instincts.
Opening Scene
Contains Noir Lighting to establish the genre straight away.
First scene is set in a garage which symbolises the thriller because it is a clostrophobic space.
We also have the shot of Sean Bean character through the dirty window which portrays to use he is a dodgy, detached and cold character as we look through the dirty smerted screen.
Second Scene
In this scene we have the wet shiny streets which help to show the thriller as this is a classic technique when showing whether or not a film is a thriller or not.
Another way is the vanishing point which is used through the tunnel which symbolises a scope on a gun which can also show that he is driving towards trouble. It also shows us the moral darkness of the scene with the tunnel.
The chiaroscuro lighting is used when the main character Billy Reyonlds driving Sean Bean's character to his destination with the white stripes which symbolise he has only just got out of prison.
The film also uses a voiceover which helps to build a relationship with the audience and to help us to know what he is thinking.

The use of a white van is used in classic thrillers. It makes us what to know what is in it; we see that something terrible is kept in them so we want to know what is in it and creates the classic suspence.

How the landscape reflects characters and their morality.
As we can see in the film that Jason is isolated with his detached personality from the way he tries to keep himself to himself. He also doesn't have any moral boundries which helps us to understand that his world is considered as dangerous.

Case Study - Once Upon a Time In America

Lighting

Sergio Leone uses Noir lighting with the Chiaroscuro effect in the very first scene of 'Once Upon a Time In America'. This symbolises the dark lighting and also light on dark as well. The Noir lighting is used with an artifical effect as in scene one, Eve walks into the bedroom with light on her whereas the rest of the room is dark which shows she has the spotlight on her.  Another example is this still picture of the three police in search of Noodles which as we can see the light is on the police and the background is dark, again suggesting that chiaroscuro effect. This shows the chiaroscuro lighting to be a thriller signifier and shows danger and to cast a small sense of mystery.

Camera angles 

In his use of camera angles, Sergio Leone uses a large number of close ups in his films as an essential signifier for the genre of thriller films. This picture we can see here is the victim Eve, as she has been killed by the police as she refused to co-operate in their inquests. This image is such an important image due to the fact that from this we can get out a number of things.

Firstly we can see the rule of thirds being portrayed. This may not be as obvious as other examples but we can see the policemen on the right and the middle and Eve on the left; which in turns shows she is the main feature as she has been killed.

Secondly the close of Eve here helps to allow us as the

audience to identify the characters emotions; despite the fact she

is dead she shows a blank face to indicate the vulnerbility of her.

The pearls she is wearing also signifies 'tears' which is where

the 'Femme Fatale' comes in as well. This has all led to the tragic

death of her in this opening scene to this thriller.

Sound

In Once Upon a Time In America we have a classic opening to the film from the early nineteen hundreds as the credits at the beginning enlighting us on who is present in the film and the production of it, is met with a simple noir background. However the first example of sound which is used is around fifty seconds in where 'God Bless America' is being used; remembering also it is supposed to be suggesting a more loving America and also the end of prohibition. This then is supported by a soundbridge. This soundbridge is of the footsteps of our 'Femme Fatale' Eve. These footsteps help to anticipate the next scene of the film.

This is a still picture from the second scene of Once Upon a Time In America showing again the importance of close ups although this time shows the effect to police brutality. The sound which is used during this scene in Diegetic sound. This means that the sound being used is natural and from the environment and characters respectively. While also showing the 'Mise en Scene' as well.

Lastly, if we look at scene three as a final example, we can recall seeing Noodles for the first time as he is being cared for due to the fact he is unwell. Suddenly we hear a phone ring, and Noodles hears it too. However despite the fact he is able to hear it the sound which is used in non-ambient. This is because the ringing of the phone is inside his head which in turns ends up leading to a flashback. The use of non-ambient sound helps to create a sense of mystery in the scene.

Location

In Thriller films, especially noir thrillers we have the location which can play a major part in making it a thriller or not.

 My example for this is in scene three where as you can see we have the classic shiny streets. This shows the utilisation of the noir lighting used by Leone. The rain and wet weather here are used to indicate nightmare on these shiny streets. And also we have the bodies on the floor which shows again the brutality of the police force and also sends out a sense of danger as well.

Costume
Lastly we have the costume in thriller films. This is used to help establish the character in the film.

This picture which can also come back to the lighting of Once Upon a Time In America having the chiaroscuro effect to back up the 'Femme Fatale' of her character.
However in the terms of costume we can establish instantly the pearls she has around her neck. These can help the 'Femme Fatale' aspect of her character but also symbolises tears. These peals can help to show the fact the symbolised tears can show that they are being held within the person and when the pearls break for instance they symbolise tears being shed, however in this case her death could also show the sadness ending.

The pearls can also show a sense of purity and innocence towards Eve. We can see this due to the fact she is killed at the beginning of the film which is supported through the idea of innocence because we don't know much about her so have to think the police murdered her for no reason.

Once Upon A Time In America + Snakes On A Plane research; Femme Fatale

Thriller is a broad genre of literature, film, and television programming that uses suspense, tension and excitement as the main elements. Thrillers heavily stimulate the viewer's moods giving them a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety and/or terror. Thriller films tend to be adrenaline-rushing, gritty, rousing and fast-paced. Literary devices such as red herrings, plot twists and cliffhangers are used extensively. A thriller is a villain-driven plot, whereby he or she presents obstacles that the protagonist must overcome and these two films are example of the Thriller genre.

Once Upon A Time In America

A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to Brooklyn over 30 years later, where he once again must confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.

This film is of the 'Thriller' genre because it is a film that consists of 'egde of the seat' moments and also means there is never a monotonous moment in the film. By watching this trailer we can see that it makes you want to watch more of it and it would also make you go out and watch it as part of an audience at a cinema. Despite the fact this trailer is the 'old' one, we can establish that it still makes you want to watch on to find out what would happen during the film.

'Once Upon A Time In America' is set in 1930's Brooklyn and is based on the prohibition period between 1920 and 1933.
The aim for a thriller like this is to keep the audience alert and on the edge of their seats. The protagonist in these films is set against a problem – an escape, a mission, or a mystery. No matter what sub-genre a thriller film falls into, it will emphasize the danger that the protagonist faces. The tension with the main problem is built on throughout the film and leads to a highly stressful climax. The cover-up of important information from the viewer, and fight and chase scenes are common methods in all of the thriller subgenres, although each subgenre has its own unique characteristics and methods and these are shown in 'Once Upon A Time In America'.
For example, the beginning of this film starts with the 'Dim Lighting' of a room which creates a sense of uncertainty which can also be known as 'Noir Lighting'

Snakes On A Plane
In this film, an FBI agent takes on a plane full of deadly and poisonous snakes, deliberately released to kill a witness being flown from Honolulu to Los Angeles to testify against a mob boss. This introduction instantly appeals to the genre of 'Thriller' and makes you want to know more about this film and want to watch it once it has been released to public viewing and we can see the 'edge of the seat' moments from this trailor. 'Snakes On A Plane' takes place on a Aeroplane on it's way to the LA. Instantly the fact the setting is in a confined space; makes it more believeable and gives the actors/actresses 'No where to hide'. It has something happening at every given moment which makes you 'glued' to your television and wanting the characters to survive so we are always on the edge of our seats.
'Femme Fatale'
In other words 'Fatal female' or 'devient female' which symbolises a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms and ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. It is also common for the 'Femme Fatale' to be with the enemy; for example the 'Femme Fatale' and the gangstar, as seen in Gilda' and this clip:

This shows she has a sense of deviousness about her as she attempts to charm and seduce to viewing crowd using her 'Femme Fatale'.

Sergio Leone (Once Upon a Time In America)

How does Sergio Leone establish the genre of 'Once Upon a Time In America'

He uses sound signifiers in the opening to 'Once Upon a Time In America'. For example he uses the 'aural' sound through 'God Bless America'. This symbolises that the use of this music has been used ironically due to the fact that Eve dies which contrasts to the music which is supposed to show America to be great.

Sound: Diegetic - Natural sound from the actor. EG. 'Mise en Scene'
          : Non Diegetic - Sound added through the edit process.

'Once Upon a Time In America' could be seen as a non diegetic as it has most probobly been put onto the film through editing.

Intertextuality
Referencing another film
To make the audience feel clever

Emphasise meaning

Pay tribute to another film

The Deer Hunter - 1978 = Intertextual link to 'Once Upon a Time In America'

'Mise en Scene'
Mise en scene  is an expression used to describe the design aspects of a theatre or film production, which essentially means "visual theme" or "telling a story"—both in visually artful ways through storyboarding, cinematography and stage design, and in poetically artful ways through direction. This 'black on white' effect is mostly used when applied to the cinema, mise-en-scène refers to everything that appears before the camera and its arrangement—composition, sets, props, actors, costumes, and lighting. Mise-en-scène also includes the positioning and movement of actors on the set, which is called blocking. Here is an example of the 'Mise on scene' effect used in Merlin with analysis around it.

In analysing Mise en Scene,  is not just identifying the components of the shot, but explaining the meaning or significance behind those components and connecting the shot to the themes of the film. Here are 14 key points of Mise en Scene.

In black and white movies, the dominant contrast is generally achieved through a juxtaposition of lights and darks. In color films, the dominant is often achieved by having one color stand out from the others. Placing one object in sharper focus than the rest of the shot can also create a dominant.

The lighting key in this shot is moderate. The scene is not brightly lit, but there isn't a lot of shadows either. Also, there isn't a great contrast between lights and darks in the shot. Moderate lighting fits the genre, a character-based comedy/drama. It's not as bright as a light comedy, as dark as a thriller, or as dramatic as a tragedy or melodrama.

Next is shot and camera proxemics with six basic catagories:

1. Extreme long shot--taken from a great distance, showing much of the locale. If people are included in these shots, they usually appear as mere specks.
2. Long shot--corresponds to the space between the audience and the stage in a live theater. The long shots show the characters and some of the locale.
3. Full shot--range with just enough space to contain the human body in full. The full shot shows the character and a minimal amount of the locale.
4. Medium shot--shows the human figure from the knees or waist up.
5. Close-up--concentrates on a relatively small object and show very little if any locale.
6. Extreme close-up--focuses on an unnaturally small portion of an object, giving that part great detail and symbolic significance.

There are five basic angles in film.

1. Bird's-eye view--the shot is photographed directly from above. This type of shot can be disorienting, and the people photographed seem insignificant.
2. High angle--this angle reduces the size of the objects photographed. A person photographed from this angle seems harmless and insignificant, but to a lesser extent than with the bird's-eye view.
3. Eye-level shot--the clearest view of an object, but seldom intrinsically dramatic, because it tends to be the norm.
4. Low angle--this angle increases high and a sense of verticality, heightening the importance of the object photographed. A person shot from this angle is given a sense of power and respect.
5. Oblique angle--for this angle, the camera is tilted laterally, giving the image a slanted appearance. Oblique angles suggest tension, transition, a impending movement. They are also called canted or dutch angles.

Common lenses and stocks:

• Telephoto lens--A lens that draws objects closer but also diminishes the illusion of depth.
• Wide-angle lens--A lens that takes in a broad area and increases the illusion of depth but sometimes distorts the edges of the image.
• Fast film stock--highly sensitive to light, it can register an image with little illumination. However, the final product tends to be grainy.
• Slow film stock--relatively insensitive to light, it requires a great deal of illumination. The final product tends to look polished.

The main subsidiary contrast in ome shots is one character. For example, he doesn't stand out as much as the other because his clothes may blend in with the background and he also may not have as much light on him as th second character does. However, size can besignificant, and his size is the focus. The other subsidiary contrast can be something in front of them as it's the only other object in focus.

Density

Although there may be a lot of objects in some backgrounds, an image may not very dense because the focus limits the viewer to taking in only three main objects: character one, character two and perhaps a last object in front of them.

Composition

The objects in the frame can be placed to suggest underlying designs or shapes.

• Horizontal--compositions based on horizontal lines seem visually at rest and suggest placidity or peacefulness.
• Vertical--compositions based on vertical lines seem visually at rest and suggest strength.
• Diagonal--compositions based on diagonal, or oblique, lines seem dynamic and suggest tension or anxiety.
• Binary--binary structures emphasize parallelism.
• Triangle--triadic compositions stress the dynamic interplay among three main elements.
• Circle--circular compositions suggest security and enclosure.

Form
The most nebulous of all the categories of mise en scene, the type of form is determined by how consciously structured the mise en scene is. Open forms stress apparently simple techniques, because with these unself-conscious methods the filmmaker is able to emphasize the immediate, the familiar, the intimate aspects of reality. In open-form images, the frame tends to be deemphasized. In closed form images, all the necessary information is carefully structured within the confines of the frame. Space seems enclosed and self-contained rather than continuous.

Framing

• Shots where the characters are placed at the edges of the frame and have little room to move around within the frame are considered tight.
• Longer shots, in which characters have room to move around within the frame, are considered loose and tend to suggest freedom.

Depth of the shots
Deep-focus shots allow all planes to be in focus at the same time. More commonly, only one or two frames are in focus.

Character placement of a shot

The area near the top of the frame can suggest ideas dealing with power, authority, and aspiration.

The areas near the bottom of the frame tend to suggest meanings opposite from the top: subservience, vulnerability, and powerlessness.

The left and right edges of the frame tend to suggest insignificance because these are the areas farthest removed from the center of the screen.

Staging positions
An actor can be photographed in any of five basic positions, each conveying different psychological overtones.

1. Full-front (facing the camera): the position with the most intimacy. The character is looking in our direction, inviting our complicity.
2. Quarter Turn: the favored position of most filmmakers. This position offers a high degree of intimacy but with less emotional involvement than the full-front position.
3. Profile (looking of the frame left or right): More remote than the quarter turn, the character in profile seems unaware of being observed, lost in his or her own thoughts.
4. Three-quarter Turn: More anonymous than the profile, this position is useful for conveying a character's unfriendly or antisocial feelings, for in effect, the character is partially turning his or her back on us, rejecting our interest.
5. Back to Camera: The most anonymous of all positions, this position is often used to suggest a character's alienation from the world. When a character has his or her back to the camera, we can only guess what's taking place internally, conveying a sense of concealment, or mystery.

Character proxemics
The way people use space can be divided into four proxemic patterns.

1. Intimate distances: the intimate distance ranges from skin contact to about eighteen inches away. This is the distance of physical involvement--of love, comfort, and tenderness between individuals.
2. Personal distances: the personal distance ranges roughly from eighteen inches away to about four feet away. These distances tend to be reserved for friends and acquaintances. Personal distances preserve the privacy between individuals, yet these rages don't necessarily suggest exclusion, as intimate distances often do.
3. Social distances: the social distance rages from four feet to about twelve feet. These distances are usually reserved for impersonal business and casual social gatherings. It's a friendly range in most cases, yet somewhat more formal than the personal distance.
4. Public distances: The public distance extends from twelve feet to twenty-five feet or more. This range tends to be formal and rather detached.