Let's Talk Movies!
This chapter talks about cinematic language and the different tools and techniques directors use to convey their message to their audience. Cinematic language is something we see all the time, but we usually aren’t conscious of it. So much more goes into making a film than a script, some actors, and a camera. It’s an art with many intricate pieces, and this chapter highlights said details. For example, camera placement is a lot more critical than people are led to believe. When we watch a film and see a camera hover around the characters or the event occurring, that is known as a high-angle shot. It is intended to make the audience feel god-like, looking down upon all that is happening underneath them. A low-angle shot, however, is meant to give the audience a sense of inferiority and give the character the illusion of dominance. These small choices significantly impact how we perceive the film or situation.
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For example, in this screen grab/small clip from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, two different perspectives are shown within minutes: a low-angle and a high-angle. Both had distinct intentional effects. The high-angle is used when Draco looks up at the luggage, curious as to what he saw moving up there mere seconds ago. We, as the audience, are put in a position where we are all-knowing. We know that Harry is hiding, but we also know Draco is suspicious and might also know that Harry is hiding. This fact, combined with the high-camera angle, makes the audience feel like they are about to see what’s coming, as they are the only people with the complete picture.
The next noticeable angle we see is low. This standpoint is shown when we see Draco standing on top of us (from Harry’s perspective) as we lie there frozen, unable to do anything. The directors did this intentionally. They could’ve easily set the angle from above, like the scene before, or had shot it from a medium distance at a more ground-level view. Both would’ve shown the same action, but the angle gives a different “feeling.”
Sometimes, the audience doesn’t agree with the directors’ choices. In any film, I hate when dogs are killed for any reason, but I especially hate when it’s shown on camera. It makes me upset and quite literally ruins my week. I find it unnecessary and randomly cruel. If I were a producer, I would change all of those scenes so the audience would never see the dog could hurt but would know about it.
Is there any particular angle scene(s) in a movie/Tv show you wish you could change? If yes, why? Do you think changing this angle would change the intention of the scene? Answer in the comments below!
Speaking of feeling, let’s talk about jump scares. While this is not mentioned in chapter 2 of our reading, I felt that the science and reasoning behind jumpscares intrigue me immensely and have many more cinematic qualities than one might expect. Jumpscares are one of the main elements in my favorite genre of movies: horror. Horror tends to be a genre that is either hated or loved; rarely does it feel there is an in-between. This phenomenon is most likely attributed to the fact that horror movies are carefully crafted to make every moment have underlying fear and tension, even when you don’t realize it. Directors will spend time researching, and testing which sounds will evoke what reaction, how scared the audience will feel, and how long they will feel that fear. In the movie Hereditary, the director added heavy reverberation to the accompaniment to give “the aural impression that a scene is taking place within a large enclosure in which the participants are trapped” (Kattelman, 2019). The knowledge that directors do this knowingly with the full intention just by using simple sounds is incredible to me. However, many people don’t realize that horror movies hardly rely on the actual “scare” itself. It’s the build-up or breadcrumbs, as some might say. Like Alfred Hitchcock said, “There is no fear in the bang, only the anticipation of it.”
This ideology couldn’t be more accurate. After all, the scare is the release of those feelings of anxiety. In most cases, the scare isn’t even scary at all! Filmmakers often put “fake” jump scares that make you uneasy but have no purpose. Like books being slammed down, a door being shut, or a microwave dinging. All of these have been used as jumpscares, yet as they stand on their own, they aren’t commonly associated with fear.
Out of everything I’ve learned about film, the science and reasoning behind jumpscares have to be the most intriguing I’ve seen thus far. Perhaps, in an alternate universe, I might’ve dedicated myself to such a craft. But, for now, it seems more likely to enjoy it as a consumer and watch professionals create films with elegance and hard work.
