Research into cinematography - Miss Miller

I am looking at the range of cinematography that is used in the movie The Purge. Looking at a particular scene to understand how the use of different camera shot effects the audience and the overall film. And how it relates to a conventional thriller.

The first camera shot used in the scene was eye level. This was used when the killer is looking through the key hole and the camera is closes up to his eye creating the effect of making this particular scene more engaging and meaningful, this is used to make the audience remember the scene. This is conventional to a thriller film as it makes the scene a lot more intense as the audience do not know who the person is at the door.

Another camera shot used in this scene is a close up. This camera shot was used when it is showing the woman victims face. This camera shot again helps the audience understand the effects that the victim is feeling and emphasise this with a close up shot. This relates to a thriller by the victim usually being focused on  the victim to understand what she is feeling.

Establishing shot is used in the scene when the killers are walking towards the house . Using this establishing shot helps by setting the scene for the audience and defining the area. Using an establishing is conventional to thriller films by helping them understand where the scene is taking place, also it helps by knowing why and what they are their for.

Point of view shot. This is used when the killer is looking through the keyhole, this is effective as it makes the audience feel like they are that person looking through the keyhole making the scene more intense and engaging. This type of shot is used in thrillers by making the scene intense for the audience

Inspirations from other films

Whilst watching thriller films such as Scream and The Strangers, I was inspired by the fact that the killers identity was always a mystery throughout the film. This is conventional to a thriller film as the killer/killers face was never known by the audience creating suspense and anticipation about who is behind the mask and why he is doing this to the victims.
Furthermore, In Scream there is various camera angles used to make the scene have a certain effect. With the use of close up on the victims face which helps the audience to understand how she is feeling. During this particular scene, she was feeling venerable and worried as killer is talking to her on the phone. This then creates tension for the audience.
 

Research into mis-en-scene - MIss Georgiou

The Purge included many features of mis-en-scene.


Mis-en-scene is used in films and is split into 5 sectors; settting & iconography, costume,hair and makeup, facial expressions & body language, lighting, postioning of characters/objects in a scene. I am looking at these elemnts in the film The Purge, and how they effect the scene in terms of the audience and also how they relate to conventional thriller films.

Setting & iconography
At the start of the scene, we see the killers arriving at the house. It then leads onto being at a doorstep. This is a small confined space and it is during the night. This is conventional to a thriller film as it is mysterious and leaves the audience in wonder as to why they are there and who are they. The setting almost sets up the scene as it is mostly on the doorstep and we see him through the CCTV camera for most of the scene. Furthermore the man who is at the doorstep is holding a gun, this tells the audience that he is only there to kill.

Costume,Hair and make up
In this scene the killer is wearing a suit which shows authority. This is conventional to a thriller as the murder/killer, would usually wear a black or dark clothing. This then makes the man look more normal as he is wearing a suit but also prestigious. In addition to this, the woman is wearing a white dress, whilst also wearing a mask. This then contradicts itself as a white dress usually symbolises purity, and the mask shows hidden and unknown. The mask is very common to a thriller as it keeps the killers identity a secret thought the film.

Facial expressions & body language
In this scene we can see that his face is very calm and collective. But from the scene we expect a different reaction (anger) as he is hiding his emotions which makes the scene build suspense by the audience being scared at the unexpected moment. This is conventional to many thrillers as it creates tension by the audience being 'thrown off' by his facial expression.
Also the woman in the white dress is leaning up against the wall as if she is bored or tired of waiting.

Lighting
The key light in this scene is on the man's face. This is because he is the main feature of this scene, and its main focus is on him.
The back-light is being portrayed as a street light in this scene, creating a silhouette of a human figure in the background.
There is also a low key lighting being used on the woman in the white dress behind him as it keeps her in the dark and leaves her as a mysterious character.

Positioning of characters/objects within the frame
In this scene, the characters are positioned all in the house, looking at the CCTV, the family are all confused and scared by the man at the front door. The camera that is usually being used as a CCTV camera is almost making the audience feel like they are in the film looking from the camera. The characters (killers) at the door are all purposely placed in this scene to show that there is more than one person outside, with the two people at the door, with the sword purposely placed in her hand to show that they are their to kill.