Cinematography: moonlight 

Extreme close up, this shot affects viewers as it makes the scene feel more intimate and as if we are there as the subject is shown so close. Additionally, the use of this close-up shot makes this scene more emotive as we feel the character is speaking to us as an audience directly which establishes emotional links between the audience and character leading them to feel more invested into the film. The close shot also draws the audiences’ attention. 

This long shot reflects how small Chiro is compared to Quan also showing how small he feels compared to others around him. The small size of Chiro shown in this shot also connotates innocence and is child-like causing the audience to feel sympathetic towards him. 

Close ups give comparison to long shots, as well as making the characters appear smaller reflecting how small Chiro and Kevin feel compared to everyone else in their society. This also causes the audience to be more observant as there is more to look at compared to a long shot.  

Camera angles 

This low angle makes young Chiro appear larger while opposed to reality where he is very small also making him look vulnerable.  

High angles are taken when the camera is looking down on the actors and setting while being above. They make the scene more dramatic as well as making the characters appear smaller and more venerable, which can show the audience how the characters feel in this scene. 

Birds eye shots are taken directly above the character, they affect the audience by giving them a clear view of Chiro as well as highlighting his changes from adolescence. 

Camera movements 

In this shot the camera pans down. The effect of this is that it highlights the extend of Chiros injury’s and his mother’s drug addiction causing the audience to feel sympathetic towards Chiro and additionally helps us to build an emotional connection to the film. 

The camera moves to the right in this shot and transfers from an image of the cleaner cleaning the floor and then Chiro sleeping rough in the station. This camera movement reflects the emptiness of the train station telling the audience how everyone has gone home after their work, but Chiro is unable too also highlighting his bad home life again making the audience feel sympathetic.  

Here the camera is freely tracking Quan and Chiro. The effect of this is it makes the scene more immersive and makes the audience feel like they are there, not just watching them on a screen. It also adds an element of peace and tranquillity.

Medium long shot (MLS): I think this camera shot was used to create tension as the shots after this one keep getting closer and closer to the actor to create a sense of suspense for the audience as they’re awaiting to see what happens next or how close the camera is going to get to the character before something happens. 

Big close-up (BCU): I believe that this camera shot was very powerful especially at this point in the film as the camera is very close to the actor’s face making the audience feel as if they’re almost there, interacting with the characters themselves which creates a bond with the audience which is very important especially because of all the heavy social issues discussed and brought up.  

Long shot (LS): I think this shot was used to present the character to the audience fully, meaning that the viewer can see all different elements of the character such as his outfit, movements etc. Making the viewer connect with Chiron as we can see and almost feel what he is seeing and feeling. This also creates almost an anticipating shot as we don’t know what he is planning on doing until it happens in the next scene.  

Camera Shot Types/Distances 

This is a BCU shot (big close up shot) 

I think the director did this to make the audience feel as if they are seeing directly from Chiron’s point of view, which helps them feel more emotionally involved as you can see the exact emotions that run through his mother’s face. It feels like she is talking directly to you, the viewer. The shot that was also used out of nowhere during the middle of the film, and the vivid change was successful in really making the audience feel like they had to truly focus and listen to the words she has to say. It’s emotionally fantastic and compelling.  

This is a long shot (LS) and also a back shot.  

The use of these shots really ties in with the coming-of-age genre as it seems like a reflective scene, with the characters back to the camera as he overlooks the sea. It not only adds depth and is a visually beautiful shot, but it creates an emotional impact without the audience even having to see Chiron’s facial expressions. The audience feel like they are seeing from afar as Chiron progresses through his life and learns lessons, making the audience feel connected to him.  

This is an MCU shot (Medium close-up) 

This shot is used in this particular scene so that both the character and the background can be seen with an equal presence, which is important because we need to see the emotions that Chiron is feeling after this very tense moment but we also need to see the setting that he is sitting in: the school office/nurse environment, which can highlight Chiron’s vulnerability.  

Camera Angles  

There are two examples of camera angles in this picture: on the top there is a lower angle, and on the bottom, there is a higher angle. Despite this being two different examples, they work together in the same scene to create a significant meaning- it not only shows the power-imbalance between mother and son but in the higher angle when Chiron is staring back at his mother, we can feel a sense of a little fear and alienation. It feels as if Chiron is completely disassociating while his mother screams and belittles him. 

This is a low camera angle.  

The director’s choice of using this angle in this particular shot is helpful to portray to the audience Juan’s disdain for Chiron’s mother as he looks down at her. It also makes her character seem a lot more inferior to his.  

These are eye-level shots. 

Used within the same scene, this type of angle while Chiron and Kevin stare at each other feels intimate. It feels, to the viewers, as if we are looking deeply into these characters as their emotions clearly run through their faces- Chiron’s perseverance mixed with Kevin’s guilt/fear. This can make the audience feel sympathy for them both. It also demonstrates how they are both fully focused on each other, as they sort of communicate silently.   

Camera Movements  

In this scene the camera freely tracks the characters. 

This scene was filmed from a half-submerged perspective. The camera freely moves around Chiron and Juan while it dips and splashes in the water. This makes it feel as if we aren’t just watching the scene but actively participating in it; it feels intimate and it feels like we are there due to the tracking of the camera. Additionally, it is amidst a highly emotional and pivotal moment where Chiron is starting to finally trust this adult as he battles internal conflicts, and the waves that bounce through the camera are a direct portrayal of that journey.  

In this screen the camera slowly pans to the right. 

This is used so that the area where Chiron and his mother sit can slowly come into focus as we feel like an outsider to this private conversation. It sets up the location and shows how isolated the characters are.  

In this scene the camera tracks out. 

After his bully pushes him, the camera slowly starts to track out, in sync with the other students as they walk forwards, as Chiron stays back and starts to disappear from the frame. It’s a visual metaphor for the way Chiron is being treated at school, and in life in general, that tells the audience the conflict inside of him.  

Moonlight (Barry Jenkins, 2016)

Critical Score:  7/10   I think this was a beautiful film that touched upon a lot of deep and thought-provoking topics. I felt like the three actors throughout the film (showcasing the different stages of Chiron’s life) did a really good job at making the character feel like the same one, and each actor portrayed a different stage of Chiron’s life in a slightly different yet impactful way. The colouring of the movie was also so nice.

Memorable Scene:   For me a memorable scene was the fight scene between Kevin and Chiron. Before any violence happens, there’s a shot where the camera tracks Terrell as he circles Chiron menacingly, and then right after it centres on Kevin as he is being peer-pressured into punching Chiron. It’s an impactful scene, and it uses a lot of interesting shots to portray the deep feelings on the characters’ faces.

CU – Close up shot 

This affects the viewer by making us feel connected to Chiron, the proximity can also create an unease. This was done because the director wants the audience to feel how the character feels, the betrayal and anxiety. 

TS – Two shot 

This scene makes the viewer feel calm, the shot captures both characters in the scene, showing their interactions from an invisible 3^rd point of view (us), conveying the fact that they’re in their own world, confiding with each other about their sexuality. 

MLS – medium long shot 

The framing and distance of this shot makes the viewer feel like a spectator, watching Chiron take care of himself as his mother is incapable of it due to drug addiction, making this scene still and harsh. 

Birds eye angle 

This angle choice is designed to convey Chiron’s point of view after running away from a group of boys, hiding out in an empty apartment (?), peering out through the cracks in the window. This helps the viewer understand Chiron’s need to hide himself from threats, this is a common and important theme throughout the film. 

Eye level angle 

Using the eye level angle allows the scene to feel intimate for the viewer, this is because this angle is how we usually perceive others around us every day, giving this scene good verisimilitude as it feels realistic. 

Low angle 

The low angle is effective in this scene particularly because of how Juan feels towards Paula (Chiron’s mother), it’s intense and uncomfortable. For context, Juan is a drug dealer and is selling to Paula, yet Juan is conflicted as he also cares for her son, Chiron, hence why the low angle successfully conveys the discomfort.

Arch Shot 

In this opening scene, the arch shot was smartly utilised to portray the intense environment to the viewer as well as showcasing the environment in an efficient way. It gives the audience an immediate introduction to the world the film is set in, a real one, and how the Miami drug scene is so prevalent out in broad daylight. 

Pan Left 

This scene starts with Chiron walking home, but then suddenly whips to the left to show his mother rushing towards him in an erratic fashion. This builds suspense for the audience as we don’t know what she’s going to do, especially since up until this point she has proven to be unpredictable. 

Ped Up 

In this montage of Kevin cooking for Chiron, it moves from his hands plating up the meal to his face, consistently drawing our attention back to him. This keeps the audience intrigued into what he’s making, what he’s potentially thinking/feeling whilst cooking. 

Shot Distances

CU – (Close Up)

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. 

I decided to give this film an 8/10 because I thought it was a powerful film which delt with serious social issues such as drug usage and addiction, discrimination, bullying and sexuality. I feel like this film was great at showcasing what all those issues really look like, giving the film a deeper sense of verisimilitude and creating an emotional bond with the audience. The 3 different actors who played Chiron at different stages in his life felt very connected with one another, giving the audience the impression that it was the same person all the way throughout the movie. 

Memorable scene: the most memorable scene in my opinion was the very last scene of the movie where young Chiron is on the same Miami beach as teenager and adult Chiron were also at. This for me was memorable as it symbolizes a “full-circle moment” meaning something symbolic in the movie takes place usually at the end or beginning of a movie which then has an important correlation with something leading to the same point in the movie. I think this was great as it made the audience much more interested in the overall plot as it is left up to the viewer to make their own assumptions and theories about the movie, hence why it is at its peak interest point.

Moonlight Shot Distances:

This scene has a wide aspect ratio to show the entire hallway, and the subject in the shot continues to retreat into the hallway. It begins as a close up before she backs away and the shot becomes a long shot as she walks into the next room. Additionally, this shot is first person from the perspective of Chiron, and makes the viewer feel as if they are in the room with Chiron’s mother.

This medium close up shot of the main character, Chiron as he looks towards the camera, as if he is breaking the 4^th wall. I think this gives an insight into how Chiron’s feelings in this scene – hurt as his mother is looking ill and sickly from her substance abuse.

 I like how this long shot of Chiron comes at the end of the film, with him looking out over the sea. I think that while an abrupt ending, it’s fitting for the end of a drama/slice of life style of film.

Moonlight Camera Angles:

I like this low shot of Chiron’s mother as she scolds him for not coming home that night. It makes the viewer feels as if they are in Chiron’s perspective and makes them feel more connected to the character as it is about his life.

This scene is also shot at a low angle, but it is from water height, so some of the waves come in the shot which I think makes this a really effective shot. Having the camera move with the waves gives the effect of the viewer being in the scene and swimming with Chiron.

This high angle over Chiron almost gives the viewer a sense of superiority over him, as he is low on the ground and almost cowering away from the teacher attempting to help him. However, I also think that this makes us feel sympathy for him.

Moonlight Camera Movement:

The camera pans from right to left in this scene to follow the movement of Chiron’s mother. This allows the viewer to see the entirety of her face as she scolds her son.

The camera zooms in on the children in this scene as they are dancing. The movement is slow to focus on them dancing, which I feel almost acts as a happy scene to interrupt the dark storyline, though it is still focused on Chiron and his friend Kevin.

The camera in this scene tracks Juan as he gets closer to Chiron’s mother in the car. This gives the effect that the viewer is in the scene with him, as it isn’t revealed where he is going until he confronts her in the car.

  This shot from moonlight is a closeup. The effect this scene has on the audience is unique. From this point of view, we can truly experience Chiron’s life with an addict mother, no personal space, his feelings being disregarded, and his mother coming to him for money to purchase more drugs. This POV makes it look like Chiron’s mother is trying to sympathise with us, the audience.  

This low angle shot represents Kevin as an aggressor, making him look bigger and his presence more demanding. This technique is used to show that in this moment he has the power over Chiron and is using it against him.  

I have chosen this scene to represent camera movement. In this scene the camera is moving in a corkscrew like fashion around this character. This technique creates a sense of foreboding and tells us that something bad is going to happen. This is like a personified version of someone” spiralling”  

Cu/bcu (close up/ big close up) 

I feel that this type of shot was chosen for this scene because it gives you an insight to how Chiron could have been feeling. By having the camera this close, it almost puts the viewer in the Pov of Chiron, therefore getting the audience more attached to him as a character and his story. This shot is effective in being able to capture the stress Chiron would have been in every day from how his mother acted, the way she would change depending on if she wants something from him. 

Mcu (middle to close up) 

A lot of the shots in this movie are very effective in putting the viewer in Chiron’s position. By having this shot almost at eye level, it once again puts the viewer in Chiron’s Pov. In this scene, there are a lot of shots like his, or ones that are close ups of characters looking down the camera lense, which in a tense and emotional scene like this is very effective.  

Xls (extreme long shot) 

By having an extreme long shot here, it emphasizes Chiron’s loneliness and his isolation from his peers. The way that he is separated from the people his age emphasizes the fact that he is separated from them.  

Slight high angle

The way that the camera is slightly looking down on Paula Could be Replicating how Jaun feels about her. The way he slightly looks down on her because of how badly she treats her son. But throughout the scene, the shot becomes more of an eye level shot, which could be replicating the way that Paula scolds Jaun because he is disappointed in the way she treats her son, but he is the one who is selling her drugs. 

High angle shot 

The high angle shot in this scene could represent how Chiron feels less than people. It could also represent his innocence while asking these serious questions to Juan, the camera making him look smaller and more venerable.  

High angle/Bird’s Eye

The way that this shot is placed high above the pair makes the audience feel like they’re almost intruding on a private conversation. By having the camera in amongst the trees, it adds to the feeling of the audience knowing something private and since it makes it more private, it makes the audience feel more invested. 

Pan down

In this shot, it pans down from Jain to Chiron. This happens as Juan is telling Chiron a story, this movement of the camera could be a visual representation of Chiron taking this story he’s being told to heart. 

Handheld cam

The camera in this scene is handheld, letting the waves move it around. The jerky movements of the camera coupled with the waves submerging more than half the lense at some points, makes for a powerful scene. the way i view this scene, the shakiness of the camera is meant to mirror chiron’s nerves. 

Dolly shot 

The camera seems to be on a track during this scene, following Chiron as he walks through the corridors of his school. Shots like this are great at building suspense as the audience cannot see the characters face, making them unaware of and unable to read a characters facial expressions to try and predict what they will do next.