OTF Reflection 6
I have begun to consider what aspect of the cinematic frame my project will focus on. I will explore how the components of the frame and the elements of mise-en-scene work together to illicit subjectivity from viewers. This idea came from watching Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead and how he sets up the character of Shaun, where he is in life and his trajectory through the rest of the film with the opening shot.
A slow zoom out as the world moves on around him, Shaun is not paying attention to what is right in front of him. The zoom out reveals his signature red tie and the colour is matched by the red liquid in the glass on the bar behind him. This shows that he feels trapped in his current life and the event that will lead him out of his doldrums and force him to grow as a person is about to happen. The colour red has connotations with love and blood and this plays on the audience’s knowledge of genre. They know this is a zombie film and by placing red around Shaun’s neck, the audience are unknowingly informed how the events of the film will change the character.
For my project I will attempt to emulate this shot but add additions to explore how colour influences subjectivity. I will film the same shot numerous times but change the colour of a piece of clothing and an object in the background and see how it effects how the viewer reacts to the character on screen.
References
Wright, Edgar (2004) Shaun of the Dead, Universal Pictures