... Analysis Of 4 Film Stills ... x

Analysing different camera angles and their effects.

Rush Hour ...

In this still image from Rush Hour, a medium shot is used, to show the audience the use of the characters actions and also parts of the mise-en-scene.
The medium shot helps the audience see a lot of things in the shot.
Firstly the characters facial expressions, the audience know the character must be a police traffic warden due to the clothing the character is wearing. So by the character having a funny facial expression it shows the audience a sign of comedy, as it also looks like the character is dancing in the shot, as he also has earphones in his ear. This connotes to the audience that instead of doing his job properly he is doing it his own way by dancing and signalling at the same time. Also as the medium shot is used the audience can see that the setting is set in a city, so this connotes to the audience that the film is likely to be set in the city.

You Got Served ...

In this still image from You Got Served a medium shot is used.
As the film is a dancing based film, the medium shot plays a massive effect on this still image. As the director is not focused on one character, he is focused on them all, so therefore a medium shot was used to show that everyone in the shot is important.
In addition the medium shot shows the characters actions as they are dancing and also their facial expressions showing that the characters are passionate and trustworthy towards their dancing.

Saw IV ...

In this still image of Saw IV a close up shot has been used.
As the still image is very gruesome a close up shot has been used to show the audience what is going on in the image. Also the audience can see the characters facial expression due to the close up shot showing blood. The close up shot may make the audience feel the same pain as the character is feeling as the blood connotes pain and hurtfulness the audience can see the character is in a lot of pain as his mouth is open he may be screaming for help or painfulness, so this close up shot therefore connotes to the audience he needs help or is getting killed.

Home Alone ...

In this still image of Home Alone again a close up shot is being used.
The close up shot is being used this time to show the characters facial expression and emotion.
As the character is a child, the close up shot used by the child covering his cheeks whilst his mouth is open indicates to the audience that the child may have done something wrong. Also as the child looks like he is in shock this can also connote to the audience that he may be scared or worried. The close up shot makes the audience want to know what the child has done or why he is worried.

... Cinematography ... x

Psycho...
16 June 1960...

And


Home Alone...
7 December 1990...



Psycho is a horror/thriller film that was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and was released on the 16th June 1960.

From the start of the extract the audience can see that close up shots are used through at least four shots of the beginning of the trailer. These close-up shots are: firstly a wet hand being scratched down bathroom tiles, secondly a pair of wet feet in a bath, thirdly a strange hand about to pull the shower curtain and lastly another close up shot of the shower curtain hooks being shaken and breaking.
This gives the impression to the audience straight away that the genre of the film is going to be horror as the close up shots are showing bad things happening, and also the use of the non- diegetic sound causes suspense which shows the genre of the film is horror.

Moreover after the close up shots have been used in the beginning of the extract, a use of long shots have been used to show where the film is set and the places that the events will be happening.
In addition a point of view shot has been used in the early beginning of the extract (just 11 seconds in) to show the audience the film is going to be about suspense. As the voiceover in the extract tells the audience that the house is a scene of crime place, there is a medium shot used of the characters face looking anxiously at the same house.
Also when the characters are having a conversation with each other a use of medium shots has also been used as this creates suspense to the audience, as they are thinking it is a horror film, but why are people so calm and civil towards each other.
Moreover once again close up shots have been used to show important stuff that the audience might need to remember during the film for example, close up shots are used on a envelope of money and a suitcase full of wealthy clothes.
There is also a long shot used in the extract of a old fashioned house, this connotes to the audience that this may be the place in film that the bad things are going to happen in, as the long shot showed the whole house in the shot.
Further on in the extract a high angle shot is used to show man holding a woman in his arms carrying her down the stairs. This high angle shot is used to show the audience the whole shot of the two characters and the setting around them.
Close up shots are mostly used throughout this extract to show the characters facial expressions, so the audience can tell the hero from the villains. And as a result a medium shot is used at the end of the extract to show a characters facial expression as he smiles, this is used so that the audience will remember this character as the villain, as his facial expression connoted to the audience he was the villain.

Home Alone is a family comedy film that was directed by Chris Columbus and was

released on the 7th December 1990.

At the beginning of the extract medium shots are used to show everyone in the shot from the family. This is showed so that the audience can figure out that the genre is going to be comedy family based.
Secondly a low angle shot is used to show the aeroplane taking off so that the audience can feel the same way they are feeling. After this shot is used, a long shot is used to show a wealthy huge house, this may confuse the audience as they just saw an aeroplane take off but now see a house. Throughout the extract medium shots are used, the director may do this because the paste of the trailer is quite fast, so by using medium shots it will show the audience everything in the frame.
Also when something funny or bad happens in the trailer medium shots are used so that everything in the frame is shown to the audience, in addition by the whole trailer having medium shots this creates an enigma for the audience as by no close up shots being used facial expressions are not shown.

Key Differences ...

More close up shots are used throughout the trailer Psycho, however in Home Alone no close up shots are used.

In the Home Alone trailer a low angle shot is used to show the aeroplane taking off, however in Psycho a high angle shot is used to show a character holding another character in his arms down the stairs.