Prisoners Task

Film Studies: Prisoners                                                                                                                   

The first scene shows the light and dark contrast of the car outside in the rain, compared to the bright and white indoors of the diner, which feels safe and not as exposed. Diegetic sound of the heavy rain falling outside, which demonstrates a convention of the crime/thriller genre by creating the surroundings to reflect on the events featured in the film sequence. Also demonstrating pathetic fallacy which is all controlled by mise-en-scene.  The camera slowly dollies in from behind, as a long shot with slowly and gradually becomes closer to the only character in the scene, Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal). The mise-en-scene is also featured and shown through Detective’s clothing as he is wearing dark and black clothing which contrasts the white, bright room. I also got the impression there may be some deeper and more personal reason to why he is alone as the contrasts between light and dark are used quite a lot in this particular sequence. 

A waitress says, “Happy Thanksgiving” serving him a hot drink. From the dialogue, this gave me more of the impression the Detective is alone and isolated away from the people in his life. Typically everyone is together with their friends and families at Thanksgiving and not alone by themselves. This gives more of an insight more into the character of Detective Loki and more in an insight to what the character is like. When there is dialogue between Detective Loki and the waitress, the detective is more prominent and always in focus. The shots are medium and make the feel as if its just a casual conversation. Occasionally long shots, showing more of the surroundings of the diner. The diegetic sound is of ceramic cups chinking against each other, the dialogue between characters and the phone call of the police radio.  The camera changes to a medium-long shot of the Detective getting into the car with the call in the background. Close up of his face as he replies on radio to show the emotion and response to the situation. Extreme close up of his eyes. Introduction of a non diegetic bass sound effect. This made me feel uneasy also by the low key lighting. The shot changes to another man in a vehicle, showing a forest and the focus changing from the background back to the foreground, refocusing on the extreme close up of the eye. This also creates an uneasy atmosphere as the lighting is still low key and the angle to which the camera was shot, gives the impression that you’re looking the this man as if you were sat extremely close to him. 

The scene changes to a car pulling out of a gas station, where the light now changes to high key, however there still is dark undertones and shadows in the shot.  As the car moves towards the stationary camera, the shot gradually becomes dark. The light from the gas station now backlighting the car in the foreground, still showing the contrast between light and dark. The shot changes to the detectives perspective (looking through the window screen of his car) allowing me to see what he is seeing. It puts you in the same situation as the characters, involving you more while watching. This long shot, now showing the camper van, gives information showing that ,in the pervious scene, the man in the vehicle was looking at the trees in the forest. It helps identify who this character is before seeing them. The next shot turns back to the detective to see his initial response and what is action are. This is a medium shot showing him leave the car also the camera following him to the right.  Straight after, he gets out of the car, the angle changes now showing a long shot of the detective, the camper van and other police cars on the scene too showing more information about the situation and what issues the police are dealing with. 

The sound is also diegetic and non diegetic, with the non diegetic sound effect adding tension and an uneasy feel to the overall scene. The diegetic sound being the rainfall and footsteps on the ground. Other police officers slowly start to walk towards the camper van, where the camera shot slowly dollies towards the camper van too. By doing this, it made me feel like someone walking past spectating whats happening. 

The shots frequently switch between the long shot in front and behind of the detective and the man inside the camper van as this also adds tension as the camera angles change to see the quick and initial reaction of the senecio, in this case the police finding the man and the reaction the man has when he realises the police has him surrounded. The non diegetic sound effect is more prominent now, also increasing tension, suspense and unease to watch. While the camera angle is with the man in the camper van, it shows his perspective too of watching the police slowly walking towards him (showing this as if the camera shot was the man’s own view) looking through the left, a medium shot of him changing sides, then the right window screen showing the police have him surrounded. As cars drive round, the light is shone back at the man. The camera not being completely in sharp focus, suggesting he is not under control and is drunk or has taken drugs. Quickly changing the camera angle back to the detective then to the man realising the situation he’s in, then back to the long shot in the perspective of the police detective. 

The diegetic sound of the car engine starts to rev and reverses backwards, showing the man is panicked and therefore guilting, trying to hide something which is why he tried to back out and get away. Eventually, when the police and Detective Loki get the man under arrest, the contrast between light and dark is continuous through the whole sequence also demonstrating low-key lighting, a variety of camera shots to fore fill the purpose to fit the crime/thriller genre conventions.