Online Film Analysis Assignment

1. Ocean's 11

Throughout this four minute clip many different camera and framing shots are taken. First off, a straight-on angle is used several times showing the participants in the poker game. Also, it is used again to show the connection between George Clooney and Brad Pitt at the end of the game. Secondly, a close-up is taken of Brad Pitt's hand when he is dealing the cards to all  of the players. Also, a medium shot is used to show several players at the same time. A long shot is used as well to show the setting at the casino. I noticed that the camera is always on one subject at a time and doesn't gradually move to the next. Instead it jumps to the following subject quickly.

2. Silence of the Lambs

The scene starts off right away with a close up shot of him holding a bug, then followed by a long shot showing the swat team around the house. The scene also starts off extremely quiet so you can hear the dog whimper and the girl scream at him. The silence gives the scene a mysterious and sort of creepy feel to it. Also, throughout the scene we see two perspectives of a house. One being surrounded by a swat team, and the other in the basement holding a women hostage. At the end of the scene we learn that they are two different house, and that the swat team has found the wrong house.

3. Magnolia

During the two minute clip the whole scene is shot with a steadicam following each subject throughout the building. What I really like about it is that it does not follow the same subject the whole time. It focuses mainly on the older man (father?) and the son with his mother, but not at the same it. It switched between the two. Also, it follows other people too, for example the elderly women about to enter the conference room. There is also non diegetic sound in the background that gives it almost an odd feel.

4. Amadeus

The scene begins with both of them sitting down talking to each other with a medium shot. While sitting there, the camera switched between long shot, showing both of them sitting, and a medium shot when it focuses on the speaker. Then it is followed by crosscutting, bringing him back to his earlier days when he composed music. When this flashback begins there is coordination, where there is only music playing and no sound.