Understanding Micro Elements in Film Openings

Gianluca Kulczycki

Décor

During the shot there is various objects like lamp shades and child's dolls that are scattered around the room; this could emphasize that the couple have just moved in to their new house. This could also say that these are future props to be used later in the film. The décor helps to give the film a more realistic feel and scare the viewer more than if it were not to be included.

Props

In this scene we can see a paintbrush being used by one of the characters painting a child’s room, this shows that she is just an ordinary woman and therefore making it believable and their paranormal experience unexpected. The blue paint may suggest that she is expecting a baby boy quite soon. A prop can provide additional information about the character itself or the action taking place.

Costume

The character is dressed normally suggesting that she is not of the wealthy background. She is not formally dressed suggesting that she is a stay-at-home wife and looking after her child. Her posture suggests that she is not impressed about something maybe the fact she has had a disturbance, anyone could relate to this because she is an ordinary woman who is stressed out and therefore making it appealing to the audience and much more frightening.

Figure expression

The women featured In this film, her body language is showing that she is happy and cheerful and that she is overjoyed with conceiving a baby boy. This shows that the paranormal events are very much not expected by the family. It almost gives a sense of security to the viewer showing that this could have a happy outcome. A characters figure expression can help show emotion in a scene as well as help make it feel real.

Setting

The picture above shows the first setting in “Paranormal Activity 3”, it is a close up of a nursery located in Carlsbad, CA. This screen shot shows that the nursery is being newly assembled I can infer this by the plastic sheets covering the cot and the blue masking tape covering the skirting boards suggesting that it is also being painted.

Close up:

The close up of the character shows their facial expressions and emotions in detail. Characters are often given a close ups when they are introduced as a way of indicating their importance. In this particular case the character is In disbelief from her husbands teasing.

Extreme close up:

Extreme close up is a tight zoom that shows only the detail of the subject of importance is seen to the viewer. They can also help add a dramatic effect to a shot. We can see that these video tapes play a relevant importance to the plot of the film.

Medium Shot

Medium shot is used for a scene so you can see what kind of expressions they are using it is also used to show an expression of body language. For instance both characters seem to be happy about the unborn child Kristi (left) is debating about what the child will be called.

Long Shot

Long shot shows the whole character and its usually intended to place it in some relation to its surroundings. This scene we can see how cluttered the new house is, this shows that the family has just moved in making it more believable and relatable to the viewer.

Extreme long shot

An extreme long shot is generally used to set a scene or establishing a shot. There's not much detail in a long shot, it is just to give a general impression. I can use this in my film opening to give the viewer a sense of where the scene is starting.

Track

A tracking shot is where the camera is mounted onto a camera dolly this a wheeled platform that is pushed on rails. The camera can follow a subject within the frame such as a moving actor . Paranormal activity 3 did not contain this because it is ‘handheld’ film to add more realism.

Panning Shot

A panning shot is the camera turning horizontally on a vertical axis. This could be used on rails to move the whole camera platform. This was used in the film to keep the audience in a tense state of the unknown as it went side to side keeping the viewer in suspense.

Tilt Shot

Tilt shot moves vertically instead of horizontally, Like the pan shot. Tilt shots are often used to show the vertical significance of something. In this case the significance is Kristi painting her unborn sons room to show that she is just an ordinary women who is not expecting any disturbance of any kind.

Zoom

Zoom shot is where the camera moves closer to, or away from the subject using the lens rather than moving the whole camera in or out. This shows the importance of an object or character and gives the viewer a detailed account of the object/person being zoomed into.

Cut

Cut in editing is when a single unbroken strip of film is taken out and shortened. This is used to cut out any unimportant clips or to shorten the running time. Some clips are cut out of this film because they had no real relevance to the plot and would confuse the viewer hence making the film seem un realistic.

Pace

Pace is the rhythm or tempo. It is the rate of activity or movement. The characters and sequences in Paranormal Activity 3 has a slow tempo throughout the opening clip to give it characteristics of a real life situation. For example the slow moment of the camera in the opening 30 seconds.

High angel shot

Looking down at the main characters as then unload items to show that we are in a more powerful position to their vulnerable position.

Low angle shot

We are slightly lower than eye level here showing we are not on her level. She is important and powerful at this scene. This character has to dominate the scene so far which backs up this point.

Performance

Performance is the physical expression and the vocal delivery that interact between each other. This can tell us a lot about the character and their relationship with others on screen.

Diegetic

Diegetic sound is sound that is recorded at the time of filming the scene.Diegetic sound reinforces the narrative

Most cases sound is added post production but we know the characters are supposed to hear this sound. For example when Katie and Kristi are shuffling the boxes in the hall way in Paranormal Activity 3 this is still classed as diegetic sound. However the sound had not originated from the original clip.

Diegetic sound reinforces the narrative

It helps to set the scene and make the scene more believable. E.g. when you see the camera moving around the basement you expect to hear footsteps of the camera man objects falling and making small noises. If the scene was silent it would not be believable.

Non- Diegetic Non- diegetic sound is generated outside the narrative of the text. Only the audience can hear the sound(s).

This sound helps to create the atmosphere and mood of the film. The background music can completely change the mood of the film and show the emotion that the director wants the character to feel. Non- diegetic sound is not featured in Paranormal Activity 3 because it is filmed in a “home video” camera shot to make it seem as though it has just been found.