Research in Cinematography - Miss Miller

Cinematography

Cinematography is the art of photography and camerawork in film-making is and the science of motion picture photography. It is the technique of film photography, including both the shooting and development of the film. The cinematographer could also be referred to as the film director's main visual collaborator. Within this essay I am going to be analyzing the cinematography used in the clip of "Scream" which is a film categorized in the thriller genre.

The "Scream" clip I have selected begins with the use of a close up shot of protagonists face, this is used when the unidentified killer rings the innocent victim. A close up shows a smaller part of the scene to emphasize something. In this scene a close up is used to emphasize Sidneys emotions and how terrified she is from receiving a threatening phone call from a known murderer when she is home alone. This begins to build suspense and creates a sense of foreboding for Sidney, the audience now empathize for Sidney as she is alone in an isolated setting trying to also escape from the antagonist.

Specifically at point 0:23 we see the use of a low angle shot, this is where the camera is positioned below an object to make it appear larger. In this case, the camera is positioned below the killer, making the killer seem higher up and larger. This could also be a portrayal of the dominance. As the killerappears larger this could symbolize how much power the killer has whereas the protagonist is the weaker of the two. As the tension builds the audience will begin to fear more for Sidneys safety as the continue to watch defenseless victim escape from the killer.

My second choice of cinematography I have used in this clip at point 0:25 of the clip is the use of a high angled shot were we see the protagonist laying of the floor held down by the antagonist. The camera in a high angled shot is oppositely positioned above an object making it appear smaller. In this case the camera is positioned above Sidney, making her appear smaller which could also signify her dominance within this scene. As she is the weaker character in this scene this also creates a sense of foreboding as the audience cant see her escaping from the killer.

Furthermore, at point 1:07 of the clip a shallow focus is used as the protagonist attempts to call the police for help, whilst the antagonist is attempting to enter the room yet is slightly blurred in the background. This scene focuses on Sidneys desperate attempt to escape to safety yet the killer outside her room foreshadows her thoughts constantly. I think this makes the scene gripping for the audience as they desperately want to see Sidney escape from the killer yet still empathize for her as she is in a terrifying situation.

My fifth choice of cinematography I have selected to use is an extreme close up, which also is a point of view shot. This is where the protagonist is attempting to type to the emergency services for help. In this clip, the camera zooms very closely to the phrase "What is your emergency?" which emphasizes the urgency of the protagonists situation, yet we can also see this shot from Sidneys point of view, which is the words her eyes must be focusing on. The audience will begin to sense Sidneys fear as the tension begins to build as it is unknown how long Sidney has to reach out for help. 

The shots and angle movements used in this clip of "Scream" are all conventional to the thriller genre as the clip gives the audience a high level of anticipation, uncertainty, surprise and terror. These techniques are used to create the thriller genre as without them the audience wouldn't feel scared or sympathetic for the character's involved. An example of this is a point i stated earlier within my essay, where the protagonist is laying vulnerably on the floor facing death. This creates tension and the audience begins to empathize for Sidney as they can see how fearful she is.

The clip I have chosen from "Scream" has inspired me for my own opening to a thriller sequence as it contains typical thriller conventions that are used in order to make a successful thriller. I think that if i use some of these techniques in my thriller opening sequence it will make the opening more interesting and will hopefully will fit the criteria of the typical thriller genre.