Analysis of Our Opening Scene

AB - 13/01/13

Analysis of Our Opening Scene

 

 

Mise-en-scene	Camera Work
Differences in costume – represents different personalities. Different settings/locations – represents different moods. Lighting Sammy’s room made pink – childish, safe, happy. Elizabeth – candlelight, warm, old fashioned (fireplace). Scott – natural, cold daylight. May – artificial lighting (compared to Scott).	Close up on eyes to switch scenes – shows that she is the same person, even if her personality is different. Hand-held camera for Scott – shaky movements connote aggressiveness? Fear/determination as he is running after someone. Dolly used – Smooth and calm movements
Editing	Sound
Flashbacks. Fading into different scenes.	Scott – Different accent Sammy – laughing, crying Slow, sad background music to signify her misery with the DID

 

Our opening scene represents disability through the use of mise-en-scene, camera work, editing and sound. Firstly, the fact that each ‘personality’ uses a different costume shows how different they really are, and that DID can be quite extreme in some cases when it comes to the separate personalities. This is emphasised through the different locations and settings – used to represent the moods of each character. The mood is also shown through the use of lighting, with Sammy’s room being made pink to connote safety, happiness and childhood. Elizabeth’s scene is made to look warm and old-fashioned with the fireplace and dim lighting. Scott is filmed outside, and so the lighting is natural and more cold compared to the others. Similarly, May’s scenes are presented in a more natural light, but can appear more artificial compared to Scott. All of this mise-en-scene helps to portray disability in quite a harsh way with the different lights, costumes and settings, showing how difficult and confusing this person’s life can be because of DID. The camera work is used in multiple ways to show disability. To switch scenes from May to Sammy, there is a close up on the actor’s eyes and the scene changes although the eyes stay in the same place. This close up is used to show how, although the personality is different, it is still the same person. The hand-held camera for Scott is shaky and creates a more realistic feel, perhaps connoting aggressiveness as he is chasing someone and makes the scene feel argent. This camera work is completely different from the other scenes, once again showing how dramatically the personalities change. Dolly shots are used for the other scenes, making the movements calm and smooth (as the other characters are less active than Scott). Reaction shots of the therapist are used to show how other people respond to this character’s DID and constantly reminds the audience that this disability is so great that she needs to see a therapist regularly.

Flashbacks are used in the editing to switch scenes and to show how May is remembering her week. Fading will also be used to establish continuity editing. The background music for May while she is speaking with her therapist will be slow and calm connoting sadness and how she is miserable with her DID. Scott is presented with a different accent than the other personalities and Sammy is heard giggling and crying – both of these different sounds are used to separate the different personalities, once again reminding the audience about May’s disability and how serious it really is. Therefore, the mise-en-scene, camera work, editing and sound are used to present the character’s disability and shows the audience what kind of life-changing affect it can have on someone.    

 

We have not finished our opening scene yet, and therefore our final analysis is not finished. This is the reason for the lack in editing and sound.