12 Years a Slave

12 years a slave (2014)

12 Years a Slave by Steve McQueen takes a harsh and realistic look at the horrors of slavery utilizing a stark, realism approach to its cinematography as to properly capture the events as they really were.  Because of its hyper realistic nature, 12 Years a Slave doesn't hold the same artistic liberties as films such as the grand Budapest hotel, which could deliberately subvert reality in order to allow for its vision. Instead, 12 Years a Slave's art comes from its ability to represent its reality inspired story with savage authenticity, presenting the plight of African American slaves as it presumably was, horrific. This realistic approach can be seen in the films introduction, where in two scenes McQueen captures the pain and suffering of the protagonist and his fellow slaves.

The cinematography in 12 years a slaves into is used to subtle effect so as to not distract from the immersive realism, but there are definite subtle cinematic throughout that symbolically enhance the themes on screen. One of these is the low and high angles which are assigned to the slaver and slaves respectively,  classic cinematic angles which as stated in The Film Experience  "...indicate psychological, moral or political meanings in a film (Corrigan, White, 2012). In 12 Years a Slave, the angles are both psychological and political, with the slaver brash and arrogant in his social position whilst the slaves are subdued and subjugated. Another example of the clever cinematography is the parallel framing between Solomon Northup and the slave girl, and Solomon and his wife. In both scene's Solomon and his partner are framed in a two shot face to face, the parallels acting as a reminder to the audience of all Solomon had lost.

The mise en scene of the intro reflects both the time period and the social dynamics of the time. Aspects such as the way the slaves are forced to sleep on the floor in one hut demonstrates visually the dehumanization that the slaves were forced to endure. Likewise, the actions of the characters, such as the slavers sitting in the wagon fanning themselves, again reflects the social dynamics, the scene demonstrating the luxurious afforded to the slavers which the slaves were forced to do without. These elements add authenticity to the film as well as layers of subtext letting the audience figure out for themselves the plight of the slaves without constantly discussing it.


The audio in the introductory sequence is a mixture of diegetic and non-diegetic sound. The set-piece sound of the introduction is the film's non-diegetic score slow and depressing and giving the scenes an air of hopelessness. The score is juxtaposed with the other tune in the intro, the slaves chant as they work the fields. The diegetic work song, calm and methodical, contrasts with the misery of the score and reflects the difference between what the slaves projected to the world vs the pain they felt inside. This relates to the films theme of dignity and Solomon's struggle to retain it despite his situation 

The introduction of 12 years a slave demonstrates how careful use of mise en scene, cinematography and audio elements can add subtext and cinematic elements to a film while still maintaining an air of realism and authenticity.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

For the Grand Budapest Hotel's introduction sequence I have chosen to discuss the first nine and a half minutes, far longer than the introductions in previous posts. This is because the Grand Budapest Hotel, directed by Wes Anderson, allows for three separate introductions each delving deeper into consecutive flashbacks, from present day to the 1930's where a majority of the story takes place. Each of the three introductions demonstrate the unique Wes Anderson style, a tight control over the cinematic and audio aspects, with a special emphasis on the mies en scene of the film. Wes Anderson's artistic vision is distinct, and has over time developed its own specific niche in the cinematic world. 

The cinematography utilized by Wes Anderson in the Grand Budapest hotel showcases the filmmakers meticulous nature as well as his love of symmetry and flat space. Both of these elements are in full display in the films introduction, from the first shot of the girl walking into the cemetery to the long shot of the Grand Budapest's dining hall, everything is often framed in almost perfect symmetry and filmed with a deep focus e.g both the background and foreground are in focus. The effects of these elements is a surreal, storybook feel as if the characters were all 2D illustrations that came to life, an idea also present in the films mies en scene. These storybook cinematic styles fit well with the themes and narrative styling's of the film, which relies heavily on whimsy and tongue in cheek narrative subversion, with ideas like having the three consecutive introductions we're analyzing.

The audio design of the film utilizes diegetic and non-diegetic sound, both to draw emphasis to the visuals and to the sound design itself. The narrative is explained through voice over with a sound bridge transitioning from "The Authors" diegetic speech in  the second introduction to a non-diegetic voice over in intro three. The characters lines are heavily scripted, talking in elaborate, polite and often solemn statements which feel totally unnatural, highlighting that the characters aren't real but just assets of the story. The music is utilized to emphasize the mood, such as the tacky hotel music emphasizing the run down state of the Budapest Hotel in its later years. The music is non-diegetic except for the cemetery singers in the first introduction, which act as a play on the conventions of diegetic sound as the audience assumes their song was part of the films score.

The mise en scene in The Grand Budapest Hotel's introductions again contributes heavily to a storybook feel, both the actors and the environments designed in a deliberately surreal fashion. One of the greatest examples of the mise en scenes surrealism is its animated sections such as when The Author rides the funicular up to the hotel. Even in the non animated sections, the actors often act as if they are 2 dimensional, walking in straight lines, often perpendicular to the camera. The acting itself is often stilted or unnatural such as the patrons of the hotel's acting more like props then people. All these elements are very obviously crafted specifically to subvert reality.

These people and places give no illusion that they are anything more than characters in a carefully crafted story. The Grand Budapest Hotels introduction immediately captures Anderson's style, subverting all aspects of realism that modern filmmakers so often use. The introduction encourages the audience not to forget that its being told a story but to instead revel in its creativity.

The Conversation

The conversation (1974)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlwdpNw1FW8

The Conversations opening scene is a single sequence shot that revels in its ambiguity and the confusion it creates in its audience. Its deliberate lack of clear intention, both in what kind of shot it is as well as where its focus lies, draws in the audience's attention by inviting them to seek out the motivation of the shot. In this way the opening perfectly encapsulates the central themes of the film, building a sense of intrigue and confusion that director Francis Ford Coppola's thriller maintains throughout.

The key element of the success of the opening scene is its cinematography, a single three minute shot that subverts audience expectations multiple times throughout the scene. At the opening the cinematography appears to be a standard establishing shot, set at a zoomed out high angle over a town square

As the camera zooms in however and the characters come into focus, it becomes clear to the audience that the camera is in fact performing a tracking shot, following a mime as he annoys the populace around him.

 Yet again this is misdirection, the camera's true intention of focus being Gene Hackman, with whom the camera follows for the remainder of the shot. The effect of these misdirections is audience engagement, encouraging them to question the cinematography's intentions and setting them up to start questioning the story as well. In a crime thriller, this is never a bad idea.

 For the mies en scene, there isn't anything inherently unique about the setting, except the mime's actions being used directly to draw the eye of the audience. This was clearly so that the misdirect later on would be more powerful, as no one would be looking at the man in the gray coat, another specific choice of mise en scene to allow Hackman to blend into the crowd.

The Conversation's opening is a great example of the creativity that goes into filmmaking, with Coppola opening the movie, introducing the protagonist and cultivating a sense of intrigue, all within the films opening sequence.

Jaws

Jaws (1975)

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/192948/Jaws-Movie-Clip-Opening-Credits.html

Jaws by Steven Spielberg (1975) is a film that became famous through its ability to create tension through its mixture of visual and audio elements. These elements can be seen as early as in its introductory sequence, where the films characteristic tense atmosphere is perfectly introduced through a mixture of what is being shown as well as what isn't. The combination of audio and visual techniques used in the title sequence instantly capture the audience's attention and demonstrate why Spielberg has remained one of Hollywood's most accomplished directors throughout his career.

A key noticeable visual element of the introduction is its cinematography. The entirety of the opening sequence is a single shot, beginning with blackness before fading into a single POV(point of view)  sequence shot along the ocean floor. The visuals serve as a cold open, instantly putting the audience in the shoes of the titular antagonist as it wades through the seabed. The use of POV serves two purposes for the film, the first being the sense of power the shot provides with the camera moving smoothly and stoically through the seabed, pushing aside the flora and never losing momentum. The other purpose is to install a sense of curiosity, as the audience at this point still doesn't know the perspective they're experiencing. Together, the curiosity and power leave the audience in anticipation, dreading what is next to come.

The mise en scene of the introduction sequence also adds to the power of the scene. The ocean floor is tranquil and dense, with little movement other than the currents of the ocean. It gives off a peaceful vibe, one that directly contrasts with the urgency of the music and the stoic pace of the cinematography. The peacefulness of the ocean acts to highlight the dread that the other elements of the film through direct contrast, making them more pronounced in comparison.

Like the cinematography, the audio aspects of Jaws, specifically the music, have been designed specifically to install dread and anticipation in the audience. Even before the visuals fade into view, John Williams score begins, with string instruments slowly drawing out each noise. As the visuals begin the music slowly speeds up, increasing in intensity before abruptly cutting off as the scene ends. As stated in The Film Experience by Corrigan and White, music is used to deepen the emotional resonance of the audience throughout the film. This is especially true in Jaws where the music almost commands the audience to enter a panicked mindset, especially near the end of the title sequence where the music reaches its crescendo both in pitch and tempo.

The combination of visual and audio elements present in Jaws opening sequence set the tone for the rest of the film to follow, working both as an introduction and a riveting scene on its own terms. The tension commanded through the use of audio combined with the sense of dread present in the films cinematography and mise en scene was designed to instantly grip the audience, an especially impressive seeing as little actually happens in the scene( from the story's perspective ). From a filmmaker's perspective, Jaw's title sequence is a gold mine of cinematic techniques at their best.

An introduction

A films introduction is a directors first chance to catch the audiences attention, baiting their interest with an intriguing premise or image and hooking them so they eagerly await more. Its also an excuse for directors to show off their considerable talent, a challenge that the greats like Wes Anderson and Francis Ford Coppola rise to time and time again. Its within a films introduction where we can find filmic conventions and techniques at their best, elements like mise-en-scene and sound design, the films editing and the cinematography all playing an integral part in the creative whole. For this blog I will be scrutinizing the introduction sequences of four films, analyzing the different film technique on display and discussing how these elements come together to welcome us to some of the most defining films in the history of cinema.