City of God opening

 The beginning sequence of film is taken from perspective of a chicken running from a street party. It is very untraditional, there are no establishing shots, no traditional opening shots showing setting or character instead the film uses mis en scene and sound to represent the nature of the city of god. The first sound we hear is a knife being sharpened, while seeming innocent at first it is clear foreshadowing of the violent nature of the film as the very first exposure to anything comes from a weapon. We then see and hear a street party with high pace traditional Brazilian music, food being prepared and people celebrating and dancing, the editing is very non traditional almost in a montage style with close up shots and frequent cuts. The way this scene is shot represents the chaotic, fast paced  and almost confusing style of street life in the city. We are then aligned with the chicken as we get our first real look at the city, putting us in the lowest place possible in the city, trapped in looking up at it. We get very little glimpses at the sky and no overhead shots making us feel trapped in the city and representing the desire to escape, a narrative theme throughout the entire film. As the chicken tries to escape we get our first look at lil ze, one of the main antagonist of the film. He is shown in an uncomfortably close up shot shown from a low angle like the rest of the city streets the actors performance comes in with lil ze's sadistic and unsettling laugh. Following the opening mis en scene of the knife, many guns are now shown in focus of the main shots as the street kids chase the chicken. We get one medium overhead shot of the kids as they rush through the streets showing just how many of the kids have guns putting more emphasis on the theme of violence. As the chicken continues to run it leads us forwards narratively leading us towards rocket the main protagonist. Rocket is introduced much more traditionally in stark contrast to lil ze and the city, outlining his character and foreshadowing his as the outlier in the city. We get him walk into frame in a mid shot holding his camera which is a very key item for rockets character, having that as his main figurative weapon instead of the guns seen in the city. Rocket then runs into the chicken and lil ze in the middle of a standoff with the police where a flashback begins. This flashback heavily outlines another underlying theme, the deterioration of the city. As the flashback begins the lighting instantly goes from a harsh cold to a softer warm lighting, the camera is in line with a young rocket bringing us up from the very bottom of the city, we see blue skies and open spaces in the city. This drastic change of mis en scene shows how the city has become much darker and claustrophobic for the citizens over the period the narrative is set. 

Summer term short film progression essay

With less time and budget than feature films, shorts need a more creative use of film form elements to incite response in viewers in the short time they have. Wasp does this permanently to present one of its main themes, internal conflict. The main character has a large internal conflict throughout the film between her pride and need to be a good mother and her anxieties about not being able to protect or provide for her children. This is shown from the very beginning when the film starts in media res as we follow the main character Zoe down the stairs of her block of flats and down the road of an English street. The mis-en-scene immediately establishes the setting and type of people the characters are as the film is shot in a poorer area and the characters are dressed down to the point that Zoe is carrying her baby half naked down the road, this is a perfect example of how short films establish narrative elements in the limited time they have with creative use of film form. The two opening shots establish the type of characters we have and what situation they are in, this skips the need for any establishing dialogue and helps tell more of the story in less time. Zoe continues to storm down the street and knocks on a door to fight another mother for hitting one of her children, this establishes her proud mother side as she is evidently determined to protect her children. Some dialogue from the other mother after winning the fight reveals that Zoe is not doing a good job looking after her kids and social services may intervene. This establishes tension in the relationship between Zoe and her kids and reveals more to Zoe’s character. This uncertainty is played on heavily with film form in the form of the cinematography used in shots of the kids, the shots are always full of jump cuts and shaky blurry camerawork, the creates a sense of anxiety in the viewers especially when used with the context of the children’s current situation, most likely echoing Zoe’s own worries about her ability to look after the children. This worry for the wellbeing of the children is escalated when Zoe agrees  to go on a date with her ex and cannot find a babysitter, this shows her more neglectful side as she brings the kids with her leaving them outside the pub. The mis-en-scene and sound design show the extend of the neglect here, with the scenes turning from day to nigh, the grungy environment that looks unsafe for children to be in create further empathy for the children as we see the dire situation their mother put them in as well as the contrast between loud clear music heard by Zoe and the muffled distorted music the kids hear from outside representing how Zoe is sacrificing the children’s situation for herself, despite constantly being shown as on edge inside the pub enforcing her internal conflict. The short ends with showing Zoe’s conflict be resolved as a wasp crawls into her young babies’ mouth. The cinematography keeps us aligned with her as we hear one of her kids cry for help  and she bolts from the car she was in with her date, the use of shaky cam to build tension again used as we follow her to her kids, where the child ends up fine. The family are then all placed in frame together, huddled up on the floor as her date stands nearby signifying the choice Zoe made for her family and putting a resolve to the internal conflict.

Shaun of the dead equilibrium

Shaun of the dead is a hybrid film between rom-com and zombie horror and effectively uses tropes and conventions of both genres to push the narrative of the film having a rom-com and zombie narrative run alongside and intertwine with each other throughout the film. The film establishes equilibrium in the rom-com narrative immediately upon the opening of the film with many elements of film form including mis-en-scene. The film opens with a conversation between Shaun and Liz, the two main characters of the rom-com narrative, as Liz discusses her discontent with the couple’s current lifestyle. This discontent comes from many things such as Shaun's relationship with Ed seen framed between the couple and interrupting Liz's sentences with vulgar comments. We also see an issue between Shaun and Liz's flatmates Dianna and Dave, shown next to Liz while Dave constantly interrupts to ridicule Shaun on how he is handling the relationship. All this conversation is also being given to an absent Shaun as he appears to barely be listening and is set in the Winchester, the pub the group spends most of their time at. This sets up the equilibrium of the rom-com narrative, a discontent couple with issues and being held back by friends. This is also indirectly the equilibrium of the zombie horror narrative as there are no zombies and society is going on as normal. This is also shown with the scene of Shaun going to the shop in the morning, in an extended pan shot follows him on a very standard routine walk to the corner shop that Shaun seems desensitised to. The slow breaking of equilibrium of the zombie narrative subtlety occurs in the background of the rom-com narrative as that is all that Shaun is focused on. This is entirely done through mis-en-scene While getting flowers for his mum we see a stereotypical zombie across the street that he only focuses on for a second as the florist distracts him. He also sees a newspaper on the counter of the corner shop featuring the zombie genre trope of a virus which he is then distracted by the shopkeeper. There are also 2 scenes on a bus where all the people surrounding Shaun appear ill or zombie like around him. This use of mis-en-scene shows the slow move away from equilibrium in the zombie narrative while Shaun tries to maintain it in the rom-com narrative. During Shaun’s busy day he forgets to keep a promise to Liz as he forgets to book a table for a restaurant. This leads to the main breaking of equilibrium with the rom-com trope of Shaun being dumped by Liz. This is followed up by a bar binge at the Winchester where we see our first real zombie which is still ignored by Shaun. We see a full disruption of equilibrium when Shaun goes on his walk to the corner shop, in a scene mirroring the first one we see society in ruin, which is still ignored by Shaun. The zombie apocalypse is only realised by Shaun when he has to kill a zombie in his back garden. The zombies are actually a catalyst for the new equilibrium as the two narratives intertwine when all the characters have to survive the apocalypse together, resulting in everyone other than Shaun and Liz dead, them as a happy couple and Ed as a pet zombie in the garden.

Cassa Blanca key scene analasis

 Cassa Blanca as a romantic propaganda film uses many classical Hollywood style techniques to inspire the many feelings it needs to in the audience. With many characters serving as microcosms for themes and countries in world war two, when the film was written produced and distributed, trying to make Americans consider the war while balancing the intricate love triangle between Rick, Ilsa and Victor.

The introduction to Ricks bar serves many purposes in the film. From introducing the audience to to atmosphere, themes and undertones of Cassa blanca as well as to enforcing the emotional response from watchers as it makes us feel as though we are really there entering the bar for the first time. The director uses mis en scene and dialogue in an attempt to portray what Ricks cafe and Cassa blanca are like. The cafe is packed full of people of all different lifestyles and ethnicities. One of the main things used to show the type of people found is clothing, contrasting uniforms of soldiers in the cafe create tension as there is a clear rivalry however also creates feelings of pride in viewers and people as they wish to see the allied forces in the cafe overcome the German presence, much like real life. Many people are dressed in formal suits and dresses however the lack of any extra accessories such as watches on men and necklaces on women. This simple lack of jewellery on many people suggests that Cassa blanca is a place of loss and desperation and that previous wealth does not mean anything there. Further showing the general population there is the atmosphere and props, drinks litter tables and smoke is thick in the air, suggesting a general sense of unhappiness and stress amounts the people and leading the audience to believe that Cassa Blanca during the war is not a place people want to be, possibly creating more disliking towards the war. Zooming in on the conversations focused on reveal some of the undertones of Cassa blanca and further show the desperation to get out. Almost everyone sits in pairs despite the business of the cafe, and almost all of those people are speaking in hushed tones sometimes stopping entire sentences as people walk past clearly outlining the deep distrust and secretive nature of people in Cassa Blanca and suggesting the sly nature of people due to the fact that everyone shares the common goal of escaping, but no one is open about their plans. The cinematography is one of the main elements used to make the viewers feel as though their are entering the cafe themselves, this is accompanied by a soundtrack used in a classical Hollywood style, to enforce what is being shown. The scene begins with an establishing shot to help us understand where we are with some non dietetic music, there is then a cut to a surface level shot outside the doors, the music switching to dietetic as we hear a song being played from indoors. The shot holds as we watch other people walking in, increasing the urge to enter then in a continuous shot we are welcomed in as the camera enters and the camera moves through the cafe, the use of classical invisible editing here helps to keep the feeling we are really there and entering the cafe and world of cassa blanca for the first time, this helps emphasise our emotional responses as we are able to emphasise with the people there easier. The techniques used to make us feel as though we are really there is the camera work. During the entire scene the camera moves from the right ( where the door is) to right, further into the cafe. This makes it seem as though we are moving into the cafe. The camera also zooms in on individual conversations without many cuts, to make the audience feel as though they are moving around and eavesdropping.

Focusing more on the romantic emotions and portraying the motivations behind the characters actions. Due to the fact the scene breaks classical style format of all things happening in order, it starts with an obvious transition into the scene to avoid confusion in the viewers. The whole scene contrasts the rest of the film to emphasise the happiness of Rick and Ilsa to convince the audience of their love. Almost all film form elements are used here to show difference from the rest of the film to show the difference in emotion. The first example of this is the music. The soundtrack is much more upbeat and happy to represent their happiness in the scene. On top of this the lighting in the earlier parts of the scene is much brighter with both Rick and Ilsas faces shown in full sunlight, representative of the lack of worries of issues they have when together. As time moves on we see the extent of their love. This continues up until the Germans start to invade. This links back to the propaganda elements of the film as now there is an extra layer to the Germans invade as we see them break up the love between rick and ilsa giving them both reasoning to dislike the Germans. This could be seen as an extra driving force behind ricks actions at the end of the film other than his love for ilsa. Then towards the end of the scene the reasonings behind ricks nature and his driving motivation for the rest of the films events are revealed. Ilsa begins the show signs of doubt about her relationship with rick, cinematography and lighting are used to reinforce this, shadows are often shown across her face representing the contrasting sides between Rick and Victor. There are also many close ups on her face whilst Rick talks about their future showing her reaction as doubtful and reserved and having the light shine in her eyes to show tears forming. All of these elements suggest to the viewer that something is wrong creating suspense as we wait to see if she betrays him and also understanding in ricks reserved nature and hostile actions towards her in the current day. The scene ends with rick on a train, the scene setting in a busy rainy train station representative of his thoughts, busy and negative.

Cassa Blanca was made under the Hollywood studio system, a monopoly held over the film industry from the 20's to the late 50's. Under this system films were churned out in a factory like manor, up to 800 a year from all studios combined, and all films were considered works of the studio. Directors in this system were seen in the same standing as everyone else in the crew. The directors were not seen to be creative influences in films and were thought to give the same input to the film as everyone from the screenwriters to the sound engineers. Casa Blanca made and distributed during world war two, it was produced at the height of the studio system and should theoretically follow all the rules of the era, the director leaving no creative mark and following all the elements of classical style.