This week has been a bit weird, as the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that classes were cancelled for the week; but Robin was able to provide us with some work we could do in our own time.

First, we analysed how choices in coverage can change an otherwise similar scene. We were shown scenes of A Clockwork Orange (Kubrick, S. 1971) and O Lucky Man! (Anderson, L. 1973), which both portrayed scenes of an inmate being released from prison. While the two scenes share a number of similarities, even down to the same actor (Malcolm McDowell), the subtle differences in coverage made each scene feel completely different. Kubrick’s use of wide angles and stationary shots – even when the dialogue and action are distant – makes the viewer feel like they’re within the scene; where the traditional shots used by Anderson – especially when considering his use of zoom, pan and tilt – don’t have that effect.

The use of bright lighting inside the prison in A Clockwork Orange was also an interesting decision, at least to me. It made me wonder if the inside of the prison was actually a better place than the outside world – where the yard and warden’s office had a more sombre tone.

We also learned about the 180º rule, where – in a scene with dialogue – the camera must stay on one side of characters talking. This is mostly used to make sure that viewers are able to keep track of the characters, and that the characters appear to be looking at each other. Robin helped explain it to us with a segment from the TV series, Gossip Girl (2007).

It is not always observed, and while it can be confusing to some viewers, breaking the rule can be used to great effect. This was shown to us in The Fire Within (1963). In this scene, the cinematographer moved around the bar, showing the characters from a number of different shots from different directions. While it was initially unnerving, it made the scene visually interesting, and also complemented the layout of the room – with the round bar.

We also watched a scene from Margaret (2011). The scene starts off distant from the protagonist – as if she was part of the background. We only see wide tracking shots of her as she walks along the road, through shop windows, and as reflections. To me, this is establishing that her role is somewhat passive, in that events happen to her rather than her controlling those events. This is also shown where the bus driver is seen in the foreground welcoming his passengers and closing the door, almost making the viewer assume that he is the protagonist. It isn’t until where she starts asking the driver about the hat where it becomes clear that she is the protagonist. For most of the scene, both characters are framed by the door of the bus, which also helps maintain the distance between the protagonist and the events of the film. This distance is maintained until the lead-up to the accident, where it shows the protagonist running alongside the bus.