This film does a good job at capturing audiences attention through its subtly introduced depiction of being under the influence of drugs, and the rather fantastical aspects of this depiction really engaged me through otherwise boring scenes (Spuds job interview, Renton visiting the mother superior whilst on probation, etc). My only gripe with the film is that I felt as if Renton was poorly written, and as he is the main character, this disconnected me from sympathising with his situation, which is the driving force of the film.
Favourite Scene: Spud’s Interview
I’ve chosen Spud’s interview as my favourite scene in Trainspotting as I love it’s use of Mise-En-Scene, shot distances, and Ewen Bremner’s performance to illustrate the effects of drugs on the characters in the movie. In this scene, Spud is at a job interview for a leisure centre, and has just taken drugs to calm his nerves. This scene is set in an office, that is extremely long, so that Spud and the interviewers are on separate sides of the room. This subtle set design mimics the effect that the drugs Spud took will have had on his perception, as the unnatural room size matched with the erratic zooming in and out of the different camera shots used in Spud’s speech create a sense of discomfort and slipping control commonly associated with the side effects of drugs. Ewan Bremner’s performance in this scene is stellar, creating a truly memorable and comedic display of character for Spud, and solidifying his personality in this early stage in the movie.
I’ve chosen this shot to talk about close ups as it shows the claustrophobic and suffocating feeling that Chiron has when being bombarded by his addict mother. Chiron is subject from a young age to substance abuse through his mother and this scenes close focus on Chiron’s mothers desperate and deluded facial expressions helps to illustrate how Chiron feels about his mother and her issue.
LS – (Long Shot)
I’ve chosen this shot to talk about long shots as it shows how Chiron is helpless in his situation. As his bullies leave the scene on the left, Chiron tries to subtly make himself big and intimidating, but as the shot type is so wide, it shows that Chiron is out of his field here, and that he is a lot more vulnerable than he would want to be.
M/CU – (Middle to Close Up)
I’ve chosen this shot to talk about middle to close up’s as it shows the audience what Chiron’s situation is, and how it’s framed so personally with the waves washing over the camera makes the audience feel as if we are with Chiron in this moment, but also understand his feeling of being drowned out and lost in his own life, being neglected by his mother and bullied by his fellow students.
Shot Angles
High Angle
I’ve chosen this shot to talk about high angles because it shows the intimate relationship between Chiron and Kevin. This is a moment of calm in the film, with the characters relaxing on the beach smoking a blunt. This calm is subtly broken by both Chiron and Kevin looking directly into the camera from this high angle, creating a sense of compromise and vulnerability.
Eye Level Shot
I’ve chosen this shot to talk about eye level shots because it shows Kevin’s initial reaction to see a grown-up Chiron. This prolonged and level shot with Kevin staring directly into the camera puts us in Chiron’s shoes and lets us feel how Chiron feels when Kevin sees him again for the first time since they were teenagers, and with the contexts we have of their relationship, we can accurately match Chiron’s emotions as an audience. This allows us to really envelop ourselves in these characters dynamics.
Low Angle
I’ve chosen this shot to talk about low angles because it also puts us in Chiron’s shoes, but this time it’s so that the audience can connect with the pain he’s being subject to, both physically and mentally. We’re shown Chiron’s bullies kicking him and beating him up from his perspective and we get to understand that his struggle is a direct cause of Kevin succumbing to peer pressure and we as an audience can connect that this is both a betrayal and a humiliation for Chiron. This allows us to connect with Chiron even more, as we get to feel his pain through the camera angle.
Shot Movement
Handheld Cam
I’ve chosen this shot to talk about handheld camera shots as the disorientating and wobbly shakes that the track has makes us as an audience understand the feeling of being an addict and being under the influence. As Chiron’s mother tries to get Chiron to unlock the house, the camera follows her towards the house with an uneven distance from the camera and her, and an unpredictable shake with each movement, making the audience feel disconnected and confused during the scene. This helps us empathise and understand Chiron’s situation with his mother and her drug problem.
Tracking Shot
I’ve chosen this shot to talk about tracking shots as this extended following shot of Chiron’s journey to his classroom, where he inevitably attacks Terrel with a chair, allows us to visualise Chiron’s emotional process as he approaches his revenge towards his bullies. In moments throughout the fast-paced track, we see Chiron slow down and take a beat to reconsider his intentions, before he starts pushing ahead again, sealing his fate. This long track creates impact by showing us how motivated Chiron is to regain control in his life.
Camera Pan
I’ve chosen this shot to talk about camera pans as it shows us the relationship between Chiron and Juan. As Juan speaks to Chiron, the camera pans diagonally towards Chiron who is staring up at him with focus, showing how he admires Juan as a pseudo-father figure in his life, and how Juan is the only person that Chiron has to look up to in his life, as his mother neglects his well-being frequently across the movie. The pan also helps to tell the audience about how Juan feels in this scene, as he is not focusing on Chiron. This shows Juan’s hesitation to help and nurture Chiron as he knows about his home and personal situation, and knows that even now he’s overstepping a boundary.
Sound editors are responsible for handling the dialogue, sound effects, ADR, foley effects, and music. Simply put, the sound editor decides what you hear in the movies. They aren’t concerned with how they should sound but only what they would like on their own
The sound mixer is responsible for taking all the individual tracks and mixing them to be balanced. The mixing process can be a little tedious depending on the size of the library, but all the little tweaks made benefit the overall sound picture.
Sound editors pick the sounds that the sound mixers perfect.
Joker – Diegetic vs Non-Diegetic Sound
Diegetic: This sound is diegetic as it is the theme playing over Joker’s entrance to the show
Non-Diegetic: While Joker is dancing through this scene, there’s no way for him to hear the music, so it’s non-diegetic
Synchronous/Asynchronous Sound
Synchronous sound is sound that is matched with the action and movements being viewed, and asynchronous sound is not matched with a visible source of the sound on screen.
Needle Drop
A needle drop is when a pre-existing song is used in a film to underscore a particular scene. This can be a powerful tool for filmmakers, as the emotions and associations that we have with a particular song can enhance the emotions and associations that we have with a particular scene.
Sound Effects
Sound effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds that are used in artistic works to emphasize or express an action, mood, or feeling. Sound effects were initially used in radio dramas, but can be observed more often today in podcasts, theatre, films, and television shows
Foley Artists
Foley Artists are tasked with producing realistic sound effects to match what’s happening on screen in post-production. Examples of Foley are the sound of breaking bones, creaking floors, squeaking doors, footsteps, falling bodies, fire, and basically any sound that is not dialogue or music.
Leitmotif
Leitmotifs are musical tracks synonymous with a character, setting, emotion, or character arc. They are used to guide an audience towards understanding the meaning and tone of the thing it represents.
Character: Dewey’s Theme – Scream franchise
Setting: The Shire Theme – Lord Of The Rings franchise
Emotion: Married Life – Up
Character Arc: The Imperial March – Star Wars franchise
Sound Bridges
L-cuts and J-cuts are both examples of sound bridges. Sound bridges are used to seamlessly link 2 unrelated scenes together through sound.
Voice-Over
A voice that narrates over the events of a movie. Usually from the perspective of a character central to the story, or from a “god-like” perspective.
Score/Under-Score
The score for a film is the (theme) music composed especially for it to enhance the mood/themes of the visuals which appear on screen. The underscore is music which is played “under” sequences to enhance mood and this is often mixed with dialogue and/or sound effects.
Sound Perspective
The apparent distance of a sound source, evidenced by its volume, timbre, and pitch.
Film Score
My favourite film score is Scott Pilgrim Vs The World because of how music is incorporated into the film and its story. Almost all of the music in the movie comes from the characters or the settings that each scene is set in, and it really helps to give the film verisimilitude. The score also helps to convey character emotion throughout the film. For example, at the end of the film, Scott goes through the same fight twice, and approaches both differently. In the first fight, Scott approaches with a selfish and entitled approach, and when his band is asked to play before the fight begins, the song they play is less enthusiastic and buried, whereas in the second fight, his selfless and appreciative approach changes the bands feelings towards the fight, causing them to play much more energetically and excitedly.
I’ve selected these scenes and shots from Joker (2019) to show how Mise En Scene can be utilised in film.
Composition
Arthur is shown in the centre of the frame from the third person perspective, taking a moment to enjoy the film being played in the theatre (played by the Loews Jersey Theatre in New Jersey). This scene utilizes the composition aspect of Mise En Scene, with the scene being symmetrically shot with Arthur being placed directly in the centre of the screen, parallel with the film screen and adjacent to Gotham’s film-goers.
Set Design
I chose this shot to show the set design aspect of Mise En Scene, as the cramped and trinket-filled office flooded in dim and dreary lighting helps to illustrate the personality and motives of the clowning companies boss before we even hear him speak, we understand that he is a greedy and personally driven man who doesn’t care for Arthur or his financial status.
Props
I chose this show to show the prop aspect of Mise En Scene, as the items displayed on the bedside table and bedroom floor help to illustrate Arthur’s story throughout the story. The gun and cigarettes are indicative of both his unhealthy relationship with substances and his future suicide attempts, and the newspaper titled “kill the rich, a new movement” is indicative of his arc throughout the movie, becoming the symbol for a rebellion.
Lighting
I chose this shot to show the lighting aspect of Mise En Scene as the lighting in this scene shows us how Arthur feels about this moment in the film. The spotlight on Arthur and the isolation of the background, apart from the 3 sidelights, shows that Arthur is feeling like the metaphorical light is being shone upon him in this moment, and that this is his opportunity to prove himself to his audience, all eyes are on him.
Aspect Ratio
I chose this shot to show the aspect ratio aspect of Mise En Scene, as it shows how alone Arthur feels in this part of the film. The almost square aspect ratio shows how Arthur feels boxed in and isolated after his comedy gig gets mocked and his mother dies, leaving him without any family or friends
Make-up & Costume
I chose this shot to show the Make-up & Costume aspects of Mise En Scene, as this is the first scene where Arthur really adopts the “Joker” persona. The classic clown make-up and green dyed hair shows Arthurs past as a clown-for-hire, and how he has split himself from the more fun and entertaining side of clowning, and his more sophisticated and professional look conveys seriousness to the audience, telling us that he has changed into “the joker”.
Thoughts: In comparison to Joker, Moonlight delivers on all aspects that dragged it down in my initial ranking. Moonlight does a fantastic job of using sound design to drive its story, by having the child and teen parts of the story mostly tonally isolated, illustrating how alone and empty Chiron feels in his adolescence. In his adulthood, sound features a lot more prominently, and his environment feels more lively and cluttered compared to his past, showing how he’s moved on from the struggles of his childhood and he’s gained control of his own narrative. Moonlight does a much better job than Joker in dialogue, as where I found some of the dialogue in Joker to feel artificial and stressful, Moonlight’s dialogue flowed beautifully and enveloped me in the setting of each and every part of Chiron’s story. My biggest gripe with Joker was how it was paced, having a clunky first half and a rushed ending, and Moonlight greatly improved on my pacing issue, spending just enough time on each shot and segment of Chiron’s life. Each shot felt impactful and important to the story because it did not feel as if the scenes were dragging on or even rehashing the thoughts and feelings Chiron had already displayed. Heavy themes were displayed across the entire film, themes of substance abuse, homophobia, peer pressure, and the struggle of being black in America. I think the film masterfully navigates these themes and tackles them tastefully whilst also giving an insightful view into each issue, culminating in a fantastic piece of film that will forever be used as an example of some of the best political storytelling to come out of the 21st century.
Favourite scene: What’s a faggot?
As someone who is LGBTQIA+, This scene resonated deeply with me, as it encapsulates the scared and depressing thoughts that go through the head of a young child having to deal with homophobic attack. This scene really impacted me because of the sudden nature of the conversation, and coupled with the movie’s pre-established use of silence and pauses, really shocks audiences. “Faggot” is such a strongly taboo’d word, and it’s use to break the silence shot right through me when first watching, and it fully engaged me with what Chiron was trying to navigate at that time. Mahershala Ali and Janelle Monae do a fantastic job of playing these authority figures in Chiron’s life, and their performances in this scene act as my highlight of the movie. The nuanced expressions that Juan displays when trying to formulate answers to Chiron’s questions do an amazing job of portraying the relationship between a parent and a child dealing with homophobia.
The spectrum of the arts refers to how art as a concept is so wide that it must be categorised, into the performance, representational, and recording arts. Ancient historians originally recognised art as being divided into 7 different categories; History, poetry, comedy, tragedy, music, dance, and astronomy. In the 1200’s, art had evolved in meaning, going from a way to classify types of study and performance, to a more practical connotation. Art’s meaning changed frequently from the 1200’s to the 1800’s, becoming synonymous with “skills” towards the 1500’s. Eventually, the sub-category fine arts was made, to distinguish sculpture and painting inside the clause of art. In the 1800’s, sciences like astronomy and philosophy were being associated with the sciences instead of the arts, due to the rise in scientific discovery and understanding.
The spectrum of arts were split into performance art, which relates to art that happens in real time; examples of performance art are theatre and dance. Representational arts relate to art that depends on societal contexts and language codes to deliver a message to an audience; examples of representational art are paintings and sculptures. Recording arts relate to art that more directly links itself to its audience; an example of a recording art is music.
Pros: The set design, cinematography, and framing of each scene really grounded me as an audience member in this gritty and cluttered world that Arthur is surrounded by in Gotham, adding to the films depressing and grim tone.
Cons: Poorly paced, with an overdrawn exposition and an excessive amount of characterization that didn’t pay off, as Arthur ends up ditching his prior morals and personality, making the whole first hour of the movie entirely obsolete.
Favourite Scene: Arthur viciously attacking and killing his former co-worker Randall, then sparing his other co-worker Gary for “being the only guy there to be kind to him”
This scene sticks out to me due to it ending with a break from the films painfully drab story, by having a classic slapstick comedy-esque moment where Gary is told to leave by Arthur but can’t as he’s too short to reach the lock. This scene also includes Arthur doing a fake-out lunge towards Gary, and him having to open the door for Gary who spends the entire scene utterly terrified of Arthur. This scene works so well because while it is mostly used to provide a moment of comedy relief, it also relays a message about how a little bit of kindness can go a long way, which is especially impactful when reviewed in tandem with the films collective message.
