Dead Silence Deconstruction

Camera:

• Leading up to the first time you hear the doll speak, the camera zooms in, causing the framing to become tighter as Jamie becomes less safe, also enabling the camera to receive a reaction shot from the character.

• The camera pans around the room, acting as a point of view shot to enable the audience to experience the scene as Jamie would, intending them to feel the same fear.

Lighting:

• Bright red flashes of light co-incide with transitions between shots, with the doll to move forward using stop motion creating the illusion that as each time the light flickers, it moves closer to the victim, allowing the audience to view it as he does, increasing fear. (A similar technique would be useful to use in our coursework as it can easily be achieved using basic editing software)
• The lighting used within the motel room is dark and causes the room to fade into darkness around the protagonist, not only symbolising no escape from the evil around him but also to increase his visible, re-enforcing that him and his reactions are the focus of the plot.

Sound:

• The diegetic silence used to begin contrasts with the loud high pitch crescendo, creating the separation between reality and the supernatural.
• As the crescendo fades it represents the inability for normality and the realisation that evil has crossed over into 'real life'. 

 

Mise en Scene:

• The use of red lighting refers to the shady motel location to remind the audience of the isolated, unusual surroundings that the victim is accustomed to at the time the scene takes place.

• The choice of red for the flashing light also acts as a foreshadowing device as the red connotes blood and danger and is used to cause the audience to consider what the consequences of the evil may be.
• Although the room is dark and low lit, the protagonist is clearly in a blue shirt. Due to being pale blue, it depicts his understated masculinity, representing to the audience the own personal struggles the character will overcome and also refers to his calm nature revealing a lot about the victim causing the audience to form a fondness for him.
• Mary Shaw's eyes are shown to be an unnatural lime green colour due to highlight her evil and to show the audience that she is not human and not to be empathised with despite being a lonely character, due to the evil within her.

Editing:

• The cut aways between shots are used to represent Jamie's frantic thoughts and his reaction towards what is happening, it highlights the unnaturality of the situation. The intended effect is to cause the audience the same disorientation and confusion that the victim onscreen feels. 
• Switching between three shots (using the flashes of light to transition) of Mary Shaw as Jamie realises she is in the room from a public distance middle shot to a close up of her face followed by an extreme close up of her eyes acts as stop motion, creating fear as both the audience and the victim have no certainty of how close to the evil they will come.