Deconstruction - Trapped ( A Level Film Opening.)

Deconstruction - Trapped.

This week I have chosen to deconstruct another A Level piece in which was filmed at the same location that we are going to be setting ours at. I have chosen to deconstruct this piece, as it will give us some ideas on the lighting, how another group have incorperated the location into their own film opening and how it will be percieved on camera. It also gives us a chance to look at the Mise En Scene of the tunnel, to see how effective the underlying design is, and how clear the features stand out on camera - defining how seeable the wall texture in the tunnel is. Although this was filmed 2 years ago, I still feel that it is relevant to our filming, as we can see how other people have adapted and used the enviroment to their own benifits and strengths.

Camera Angles/ Shot. 

• There was not a wide range of camera angles, within this piece of filming, just mainly full body shots, establishing the tunnel location around them, and establishing the stalker into the scene. 

• I liked the use of the close up shot on the face, which to me demonstrated to the audience that the girl was trapped within this tunnel, and that she was still yet unaware of what is going on, it also to me felt like a type of CCTV that you would see within a reality TV show such as big brother, as she is clearly being watched, but has no idea that the camera is this close to her, or that she is even being watched. 

• By following her walking down the alley with the camera, a tracking is being used, through the point of view of the stalker, which I feel is quite a good concept, as we get to see exactly through their perspective. 

• There was no a variety of different camera angles used, which made the scene opening quite repetitive, and in my view quite boring, as we already knew what was coming up, which is the reason why I would have liked to have seen quite a few more camera angles included as the opening was quite basic. 

• I felt that the tracking of the subject was quite good, as it paned from right to left to reveal the protagonist running down the tunnel a countless amount of times, but due to it being over used, in the end it became boring and predictable. 

Mise En Scene

• The tunnel linked in with the title, as she was trapped, with the underlying designs also indicating that she was trapped within, by the use of the parallel walls, which would usually create a sense of security, these created a sense of confinement, showing that she really was trapped, with not a lot in which she could do to stop/escape from it. 
• The editing in of the antagonist was good, and showed that he was a figure of the imagination, that he was not from this world and was not real, but when it was repeated many times.
• The use of the red sign on the wall within the shot connotes the danger in which the protagonist is in , although it was placed in the tunnel already, I feel that it was a smart decision including it into the camera shot, as it is the only thing that stands out in colour within the whole piece. 

Lighting

• 

  The lighting in the tunnel is artificial, which adds to the suspense of the filming. It is also reflects off of the side of the wall, in which darkens the edges of the tunnel, which creates a perfect lighting scheme for this location.
• A dark circle is shown at the top of the tunnel, in which could be foreshadowing her being followed, and also builds effect and tension within the scene.
• There is no way of altering the tunnel lights, as they are one set brightness, and are connected to the electricity mains. This means the only way of altering the lighting would be to use additional lights, which were not used in this film opening, which could have been quite useful, as they could show the harsh reality of what is happening to the protagonist.
  
  

Sound. 

• I really like the sound at the start of this film opening, as it is what you would expect within the tunnel, but with the sound of silence echoing around the tunnel, and being maximised, it creates tension within the audience, as we are expecting something/someone to jump out from within the tunnel as this is in the horror genre. 
• With the use of a little irregular beat put in, which sounds alike a scale in which would be used at a part of tension in a unexpected occurrence in a horror movie, I feel this sound works incredibly well for the genre and the piece.
• The sharp, almost screeching sound at the end, is used to make the audience jolt/jump, in which it did successfully the first time for me, but I do not feel it was effective enough to fully startle a audience on a large scale. 

  

General Comments.

• I did not think that the acting was strong enough, especialy at the end, as you could tell that the girl was not scared at all, and did not react enough to what had just happened. She would not have been that calm. Also when running through the tunnel and the facial close ups, she did not look as scared as I would have expected from a protagonist within a film opening.
• There were elements that I did like, such as the editing, and a few of the camera angles, but they were over used, which took away the effect in which was the sole reason they were created, which then dampened the effect at the next time.