Prisoner Clip Analysis

Prisoners Cinematography Analysis – 29/09/18

Oliver Ginifer

The lighting in this scene the majority of the time is lowkey, the only time it isn’t is at the start of the clip, in the cafe. This could be because this is the only time where the character is at ease, or experiencing any emotion other anger or frustration. However the fact that we see the outside of the building first and how the light only illuminates so much of the dark outside leaves us in suspense while the speaking in the cafe is happening, this is because we know that he is going to have to exit into the seemingly dangerous outside at some point.

Whilst the main part of the scene is happening, the confrontation between the officers and the man from the vehicle, the fact that the only visible light in the frame is coming from the police officers suggests that they are the ‘good’ in this scene, similar to how the cafe was; it feels as though that they are the only safe place. When they all shine the torches onto the man not only do they create a powerful interrogation-like feeling, but the sheer amount of the lights in this scene create an overwhelmingly positive feeling, as though that they’ve won in some sort of aspect, as they’ve outnumbered this man to such a large way.

Both the editing and lighting work well together in this clip, in the fifty-six second long cafe scene, there is only three different shots: a long shot, a medium shot and an over the shoulder shot. I think it is edited in this way to mirror the emotions of the characters onto the viewers, a calm before the storm sort if feeling, as the slow shot changes give us time to adjust and take in each one. Going back to the first point; the reason I say the editing and lighting work well together in this scene is because the full view off the diner we gain from the three shots adds the the safe feeling you feel from the high key lighting, as we have the time as well as opportunity to fully see around the building the characters in.

Once the character exits the building, similar to the lighting, it completely changes, in the first fifteen seconds there are three different camera angles: long shot, close up and over the shoulder. This creates a sense of suspense before their is any action at all, almost speeding up the camera angles slightly to get the viewer ready for it. I also think that this comparison identifies the characters emotions and thoughts incredibly well, how in the diner he was able to think something and fully process it in his mind however now that he is close to uncovering something thoughts are flying through his head rapidly.

The weather sets the scene for this clip, this is because its what we expect, when something stereotypical such as a ‘good v evil’ scene is going to happen we expect it to be dull and raining and not the easiest conditions to work or see in, the fact we see this before the clip in the diner works well with the lighting to prepare us for something of this sort. Like the officer in the restaurant, the criminal in the vehicle also contributes a point previously made; whilst the officer was in the diner he not only had high-key lighting (possibly presenting him as ‘reliable’ or a ‘good guy,’) he was also protected from the rain and the outside conditions. While the man sits in his van, he does not have the high-key lighting, this hinting that he is infact a bad guy, however he is shielded from the outside, until the officer removes him from it, this could show that this man is no longer safe, he has now been caught and is no longer on top of it all.

During the entire clip there is no non-diegetic sound, from the radio to the storm the entire scene is filled with diegetic sound, personally I think this is due to how intense this part of the film is, this could be one of the most important scenes and therefore has the potential to pull the viewer right into the film, the fact that there is no non-diegetic sound really helps the film succeed in doing this as we as viewers forget this is a film for a second and are dragged in.