In this blog I am going to be analysing the cinematography in the Insidious Clip - The Smiling Family. This involves the many types of camera angles, positions and movements.
Put the clip of Insidious here
Here we have a long shot camera angle which connotes that the characters and the background sets the scene for the audience. This particular camera angle is used to establish the scene so that the audience can start to imagine what might come next. The connotation behind the shot is to create suspicion amongst the audience, and make us feel on the edge of our seat.
Another camera angle used is a high angle. This is used in the clip, so we can feel empathy for the character in the tense situation. The high camera angle connotes the mans vulnerability, as the angle makes him look very small and timid, against a large dark background. We see him here at his most vulnerable, which makes us as the audience immediately see him as the victim.
Picture of smiling woman and man in background.
This shot has many different camera angles within. They mainly focus on the on characters facial expressions. One camera angle used is a Shallow focus; this focuses on the main character whilst the rest of the shot is unfocused and blurry. This creates a relationship with the audience as we now feel a sudden feeling of suspense, as we can only see the lady and at this particular time nothing else around her. We are so focused on this particular character we don't know what is going to happen next. We seem to focus on this character in the shot, as she is a clue of what is to come within the film. Her constant smile make us think about the next scene to whether she is hinting any sort of danger or clues on what is about to happen. The shallow camera angle really points out the puppets emotions which then generate through the screen and become our own sense of emotions including fear and suspense.
Another camera angle used her is Two Shot, where it focuses on the two characters. This camera angle makes us as the audience, feel a sense of reality as they look like a normal family (despite their odd smiles and whistling). Little do we know, that these people are nothing of normality, yet human. The scene being called the 'Smiling Family' makes a great connotation for the film. Their facial expressions add meaning to the scene, as they are statuesque, they do not move, so we as the audience start to over think and start to imagine different types of scenarios. Although we are focussing me on the female character, the male character has a distinct thrilling feel about him, even though he is blurred out. The camera angle makes him blurred so we can't see his identity, which makes us believe he is somebody mysterious and that maybe he links in with the thriller later on in the movie. Both shots are used so that we see that this is no ordinary family.
Picture of man with light to his face
The camera angle used here is a close up, focused on the actors face. This camera angle is used to showcase his fear and his confusion, as he isn't quite sure why this family seem to constantly be smiling. This camera angle creates a very different relationship with the audience, as we feel inside the film, like its reality, and that we are infant the character themselves. It makes us feel anxious and nervous towards him and his situation because we get a great insight of his feelings from his facial expressions.
Secondly, this shot is used to the side of hi face to emphasise his frailty, as they want it to be evidently clear that he is now in a serious situation. This all creates uncertaincy in the scene as we are now worried for the actor as we do not have any idea what this family are capable of.
Pic with three people on sofa
The camera movement used here is called tracking. It slowly moves towards the characters sitting in the sofa whilst the focus remained constant. We start to create a relationship with this scene as the more characters that are revealed, the more we feel uneasy and reluctant to find out what is going to happen next, due to such a great ordeal of suspense. We start to ponder and it makes us believe that something bad is going to happen as their facial expressions are blank yet threatening and confusing at the same time; which makes us fearful for the next scene.
The slow movements of the camera, create suspense and tension which makes the scene more interesting and dramatic, which is needed in a thriller film to make the audience relate to it better..
The distance being created connotes a sudden realisation of how alone the main character is in this situation. He has nobody to help him if he finds himself in any sort of danger. Where he has nobody to help him, we as the audience immediately want tot ry and help him, even though we can't save him from what is going to happen. The distance also makes us believe that as he is so far away from humanity and from everything, but for all we know he is yet closer than anybody thinks to finding out this mysterious thriller.
Picture of him in darkness
There are a few camera angles used in this shot, they include, Eye-Level angle, Steadicam and Close Up. The eye level camera angle is used to make us as the audience feel more engaged with the scene and the actor, as we see the fear in his eyes which are directed at us and the sudden realisation of danger on his face, which creates suspense and drama.
Steadicam on the other hand, is used as the camera is remained perfectly still, again so the relationship with the audience is dramatised, and we feel like we are in the danger position like the actor. This is because we are allowed to focus on the emotions of the actor and everything becomes more dramatised as we can start to relate to his feelings of fear and desperation, so this makes this scene more believeable.
Finally, the close up creates a realistic approach with the audience as we can really see the emotions on the actors face, which we then feel empathy for him as his eyes look like they are flooding with tears. The camera angle is being emphasised on him to make the emotions more realistic and obvious. I believe that he is the focus of this shot as the film creators are trying to make us relate to the man and feel what he is going through, which can make the scene more scary and more entertaining.
Picture of smiling woman and man in background.
This shot has many different camera angles within. They mainly focus on the on characters facial expressions. One camera angle used is a Shallow focus; this focuses on the main character whilst the rest of the shot is unfocused and blurry. This creates a relationship with the audience as we now feel a sudden feeling of suspense, as we can only see the lady and at this particular time nothing else around her. We are so focused on this particular character we don't know what is going to happen next. We seem to focus on this character in the shot, as she is a clue of what is to come within the film. Her constant smile make us think about the next scene to whether she is hinting any sort of danger or clues on what is about to happen. The shallow camera angle really points out the puppets emotions which then generate through the screen and become our own sense of emotions including fear and suspense.
Another camera angle used her is Two Shot, where it focuses on the two characters. This camera angle makes us as the audience, feel a sense of reality as they look like a normal family (despite their odd smiles and whistling). Little do we know, that these people are nothing of normality, yet human. The scene being called the 'Smiling Family' makes a great connotation for the film. Their facial expressions add meaning to the scene, as they are statuesque, they do not move, so we as the audience start to over think and start to imagine different types of scenarios. Although we are focussing me on the female character, the male character has a distinct thrilling feel about him, even though he is blurred out. The camera angle makes him blurred so we can't see his identity, which makes us believe he is somebody mysterious and that maybe he links in with the thriller later on in the movie. Both shots are used so that we see that this is no ordinary family.
Picture of man with light to his face
The camera angle used here is a close up, focused on the actors face. This camera angle is used to showcase his fear and his confusion, as he isn't quite sure why this family seem to constantly be smiling. This camera angle creates a very different relationship with the audience, as we feel inside the film, like its reality, and that we are infant the character themselves. It makes us feel anxious and nervous towards him and his situation because we get a great insight of his feelings from his facial expressions.
Secondly, this shot is used to the side of hi face to emphasise his frailty, as they want it to be evidently clear that he is now in a serious situation. This all creates uncertaincy in the scene as we are now worried for the actor as we do not have any idea what this family are capable of.
Pic with three people on sofa
The camera movement used here is called tracking. It slowly moves towards the characters sitting in the sofa whilst the focus remained constant. We start to create a relationship with this scene as the more characters that are revealed, the more we feel uneasy and reluctant to find out what is going to happen next, due to such a great ordeal of suspense. We start to ponder and it makes us believe that something bad is going to happen as their facial expressions are blank yet threatening and confusing at the same time; which makes us fearful for the next scene.
The slow movements of the camera, create suspense and tension which makes the scene more interesting and dramatic, which is needed in a thriller film to make the audience relate to it better..
The distance being created connotes a sudden realisation of how alone the main character is in this situation. He has nobody to help him if he finds himself in any sort of danger. Where he has nobody to help him, we as the audience immediately want tot ry and help him, even though we can't save him from what is going to happen. The distance also makes us believe that as he is so far away from humanity and from everything, but for all we know he is yet closer than anybody thinks to finding out this mysterious thriller.
Picture of him in darkness
There are a few camera angles used in this shot, they include, Eye-Level angle, Steadicam and Close Up. The eye level camera angle is used to make us as the audience feel more engaged with the scene and the actor, as we see the fear in his eyes which are directed at us and the sudden realisation of danger on his face, which creates suspense and drama.
Steadicam on the other hand, is used as the camera is remained perfectly still, again so the relationship with the audience is dramatised, and we feel like we are in the danger position like the actor. This is because we are allowed to focus on the emotions of the actor and everything becomes more dramatised as we can start to relate to his feelings of fear and desperation, so this makes this scene more believeable.
Finally, the close up creates a realistic approach with the audience as we can really see the emotions on the actors face, which we then feel empathy for him as his eyes look like they are flooding with tears. The camera angle is being emphasised on him to make the emotions more realistic and obvious. I believe that he is the focus of this shot as the film creators are trying to make us relate to the man and feel what he is going through, which can make the scene more scary and more entertaining.
You have shown a good understanding of the different camera angles used and the effect they create. You have explained your points in depth, but need to make sure you stay on track and don't drift into other elements.
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