☒

David Fincher’s 2007 film Zodiac, employs a range of classic cinematographic techniques to manipulate the film’s tonality and reflect the tale’s mysterious and often sinister nature.

The first sequence in the film serves to set this tone up for the entire film. It is shot predominantly using medium close ups, allowing relatively subtle changes in emotion to be conveyed by the characters, as it is possible to notice changes in breathing and demeanor, thereby allowing suspense to be built gradually throughout. To enhance this, the camera is often positioned in a voyeuristic manner around the car, enhancing the film’s eerie nature as the characters seem as though they are being watched, followed, stalked.

Low-key lighting reminiscent of film noir is also used in this first sequence, as well as at numerous other points throughout the film. This contributes to the mystery of the sequence, as it is used to conceal the Zodiac’s identity. This is mirrored in the way his victims have been lit, as their eyes are in darkness whilst attention is drawn to their mouths to highlight their reactions to the imminent danger. In combination with this, and to similar effect, the film uses a shallow depth of field when the Zodiac is shown in this scene, as the gun is in focus, whilst his body is concealed by both the shot’s shallow depth of field and its dark exposure; a combination that works to create mystery and alludes to the challenge that is to come.

Due to the importance of the deaths in this scene in establishing narrative, and ultimately directing its resolution, the film employs a change in the speed of motion here. The sequence is portrayed in slow motion, ensuring that additional poignance is placed upon these first murders. Ultimately, this opening scene is paramount in establishing tone and orienting the film’s narrative, aspects that are largely tasked to the subtleties in Zodiac’s detailed cinematography.