One Night the Moon - Opening Scene – 2020 Student Analysis

Shots / angles / sound / lighting / colour / camera movement and EFFECT:

Shot – bird’s eye view / overhead shot Effect: looking down on the subject indicates his powerlessness – he appears defeated; this combined with the dull lighting and leeched palette with melancholy colours creates a dark mood. The inclusion of the empty beer bottle in the shot further indicates his mood: he has turned to alcohol to deal with an as yet unknown problem.

Sound – diegetic sound of wind whistling Effect: establishing the scene and introducing the theme of isolation that is set in a desolate, empty, harsh landscape

Movement: jump cut from first shot to this one above.

Eye-level shot (without character looking at camera) Effect: Builds the dark mood established in the opening shot.

Continuation of dim low-key lighting and muted colours.

Sound: scraping of tin / doors / windows off-screen. Effect: adds to the setting of the scene, the noises suggest the house is potentially falling apart or not faring well in the harsh Australian setting. The surrounds of the house (dinged cupboard, handmade table, dirty character) all suggest the family has worked hard for their meagre possessions.

Elouise & Sara

Shot- Close up. EFFECT: Demonstrates the raw emotions that the character is feeling.

Sound- A song starts to slowly emerge into the scene. EFFECT: The dismal tone played by a solo acoustic guitar, with only one instrument creates the build up of being alone and isolated.

Dim lighting and colours still continue

Lewis & Riley

shot- front on/ close up shot. Effect: The use of this type of shot allows the audience to get a good look at his facial expressions, the expression on his face can be seen as, disappointed, sad and in deep thought about something.Angle: The camera is positioned slightly below the eye level of the actor. Effect: the use of a lower camera angle signifies his power, and also shows the seriousness of the situation. colour- lighter background than the opening scene, the subject is still heavily saturated. Effect: further sets mood.sound- non-diegetic sound of the guitar playing combined with a diegetic sound of the actor singing. “Once I knew how the world works” Effect: The use of the non-diegetic sound, sets the tone and mood of the following scene, the diegetic sound of the actor singing, “Once I knew how the world works” further reinstates the mood of the current scene and also sets the tone for the rest of the movie plot. camera movement- follows the actors eyes/ position as he goes from the head in hands position to the current. Effect: This movement, draws the attention of the viewer, and encourages to understand his identity through reading his facial expressions.

Long shot - effect: shows substantial amount of background highlighting the meagre possessions he owns, also reenforces the middle class/working class household along with exposing another beer bottle which again hints to alcoholism as a mechanism for diverting pain/emotions. Seeing a full-shot of most of his body shows his poor posture and depressed vibe

Georgia & Elise

High angle close up shotEffect: emphasises the power of the bullet, what it means to the character, the role of the bulletColours: continuation of muted tones, shine on bullet pulls in focusSong: ‘Once I knew what was wrong and right’ Once is past tense, indicating he can’t distinguish right and wrong, panicking to a man who desires control —>> suicide. The only thing in his hands (power) is the bulletSong; ‘God was good’ no faith in God any longer, choosing to sin, and commit suicide, doesn’t trust religion after Daughter GONE.

Jess & Brit

Angle: High Angle

Effect: Creates a dramatic effect as the character looks down on the bed. Viewers can assume that something bad has happened in relation to a child; as the bed is clearly that of a child’s, as there are toys placed on the pillow and nightstand. The room is still set up neatly as if someone is expected to come home.Colours: Dull and morbid colours in the room reflect the feeling of loss however, the sliver of light on the left side of the frame portrays the small amount of hope that still remains in regards to the characters missing child.Sound: Non-diegetic and pleonastic banjo music

Effect: The soundtrack adds to the dramatically depressing scene as it mirrors the visuals and mood of the character.

close up shot of the guneffect- emphasises the danger and force behind the weapondiegetic sound of gun reloadingeffect- once again emphasises the danger within the weapon

Liam

shot- just below eye level from outside a window shows what he is looking at, large open landscape reiterating this vast expanse of isolated land.

sound- song ‘i see her face everywhere, i hear her voice across the air’ shows he is reminiscing while he looks out the window of his daughter setting the mood that he is missing something. This reflection is shown through the lost expression on his face as he stares into nothing

Hannah

Shot: Close up shot

Camera Movement: The camera slow ly zooms in on the wife’s face.

Sound: The man singing states as the camera moves to the wife ‘I don’t have anything anymore’, expresses that he lost his child through death and also lost his wife due to the loss of their child.

Effect: The lyrics of the song and the wife’s saddened face highlight the loss both characters are experiencing.

Lewis & Riley

shot- mid shot of the father walking outside. Effect: suggests that he is walking away from his previous problems, hinting that he thinks there is a better alternative to his current lifestyle.angle- side angle. Effect: The camera angle continues to follow him out to his gate, showing the house in the background. this angle follows him and hints at him walking away from everything that he has. Colour- still very dull only becomes light when he walks out into the sun showing the barren land. Effect: maybe shows that he is walking out into a better future, resembles that he is walking/ going into the light, so maybe into heaven. sound- The non-diegetic sound of the guitar is just finishing up, and the diegetic sound of him singing is finishing as well and it finishes with him saying “I don’t know anything anymore”. Effect: these final words of the song hint at what he is about to do next, it also shows and gives insight to his mental state. Camera movement- The camera pans with him and follows him while he walks to the gate. Effect: this creates a smooth oneping shot as it pans to him walking out into the barren landscape with the rifle.

Harry & Jag

Long shot

Character is the centre frame and all alone further enforcing the theme of isolation. Character is still not acknowledging the camera further highlighting his feeling of defeat.The red dirt combined with the endless blue sky shows the harsh, dry, arid setting.

Shots / angles / sound / camera movement and EFFECTS

Katie

Shot: long shot showing a great deal of the surrounding landscape and background. Effect: by showing the character in the completely barren landscape through the use of a long shot, the complete isolation of this character is fully perceived. There is no surrounding nature, no close neighbours, no other animals or humans.

Colour and lighting: the scene is mostly brown, other than the blue sky which fades into a darker shade as it turns to night. Effect: the complete lack of colour (other than blue) further emphasises the complete isolation experienced. There are also no clouds in the sky which further proves this.

Katie

The scene is the same, except for the character who fades away. With this, the shot transitions from a long shot to an extreme long shot, without movement of the camera. Effect: fading away usually has connotations of death, and loss. With this character fading away, considering the previous scene, it gives the approach that they have either left their old life due to shame or depression, or being taken by the harsh landscape he walks into to escape.