lighting in films, if used correctly can add to themes, storyline or even help in character development. Lighting can also help foreshadow in whats happening next, conceal secrets as well as to just help build some sort of feeling in the audience like suspense.
Lights out- This uses lighting very effectively by putting extra lights in the forefront to take the focus off the protagonist and make the audience recognise the dark figure in the front. The scene could be considered as low key lighting and because of this it makes the audience assume something dangerous is about to happen. The room being empty and with one of the figures being completely blacked out and in the shadows adds to the enigma effect of the scene.
12 years a slave- The use of lighting in this scene may seem vey basic but through utilising the lighting for a focal point and to cast shade on an empty space, it creates a focal point for the scene and makes the audience focus on the chained man even more then he would if the whole room was lit this helps us focus on the protagonist more so his emotions, feelings as well as physical state can be fully analysed by the audience.
Se7en: The intro music for Se7en consists of a metallic scratchy sound as well as a sound that is similar to that of a shaver. The irregular beat pattern, oddly used sounds and constant sound of what appears to be a heart beat was used to create discomfort within the audience as well as an irritating combination of sounds which make a paralysed beat which gets under the skin of the audience letting them know that they're watching a thriller before they've seen anything else which I think was achieved perfectly.
Dexter: The title sequence of dexter is different from Se7en due to the use of the upbeat banjo rather then a sinister approach, the use of the banjo gives of a upbeat vibe however it is juxtaposed with the overlapping sound of a bell as well as other awkward and eerie non diegetic sounds, this makes the normal banjo sound irregular, this combination helps build some sort of suspense as if something isn't quite right helping build a mystery of some sort separate from the actual show.
Typography is the text used in a film or tv program and is based around the font and style of text as well as what it does e.g. fades or being distorted.
Se7en: seven's typography is very efficient as it straight away lets you know that its going to be a thriller by the use of the gritty, distorted font that is made more striking due to the quick bright appearances on the screen as well as it being enlarged at the same time. This with the combination of the rough sketchy font and quick and unexpected combinations on the screen make the audience have some sort of uneasy and awkward feeling when seeing it.
Psycho: Another great example of where there is good typography is in psycho, the plain black and white help add to the suspense of the film as its bold and is easily identifiable, as well as this the chopped and cracked letters let the audience know that it isn't the usual film and that there is something else unnerving about it.
Memento: The typography in Memento is very basic is it simply fades in and out while overlaying the footage of someone waiting for their photo to develop, the calmness of the vibrant blue text lets the audience know that the developing photo may be an important part of the film and helps build suspense as well as anticipation within the audience.
set in a south London estate, the protagonist is handed a bag from the front of a flat and told "they will come for you" with the person giving the bag kept in the darkness to add to the enigma, the protagonist will then leave the the front door and proceed to walk with the bag through the dark estate, but he is then chased throughout the estate by a group of masked youths (masked to add to mystery) the scene will then end with a phone call where someone is letting the protagonist know he "wont make it"
set, in a forest, a group of friends just want to have more fun coming home from a party, however they soon find that hey are not alone, one by one they start to go missing but at the same time trying to find out who or what is after them and why as well as trying to escape.
The protagonist wakes up in the middle of the car park, however cant remember what happened to him the night before or how to get home, he then receives a phone call saying" you have 48 hours to get back all of it", the rest of the scene is about the protagonist trying to find out where he is, what happened the night before, who the man is that called him and what he took.
The opening to Dredd starts with heavy base non-diegetic sound and a screen is black, however the screen then fades into a long shot of the city in the foreground and is made clear to the audience that outside the city is abandoned due to the plain died land that lays before the city, as well as this the sun is also shining directly at the camera to show to the audience the intensity of the heat from the sun. At this point there is still the heavy base non- diegetic sound but it becomes more quiet as the voice of the narrator (Karl Urban) explains to the audience the questions they have created from just watching the first couple of seconds of the scene and the rest of the plot of the film.
There is then a moving Birds eye shot which slowly moves from the barren desert to the "mega city". It is then made clear due to the audience that the setting of the film is one of a dystopia due to the appearance of the city and the help of the narrator which describes the city as "cursed". The moving birds eye view continues to capture the landscape of the "wasteland" that is America.
The scene then cuts to another shot of the city and acts as an establishing shot for the audience it then makes it extra clear that the film is also a science fiction since within the shot a drone is flying past and behind it there are several housing blocks known as "mega blocks" which one holds the equivalent amount of people as one city.
Next, there is a transition to Dredd wrapping up his hand which makes the audience anticipate something and the director uses this to create suspense and keep the audience engaged in whats going on. To further grip the audience there is the use of a news report which incorporates long shots and a low angle shot of rioters, the director uses this to add to the realism of the film. There is then a transition to the hall of justice building which then pans up to show how big it is as well as the logo at the top of it. It then cuts and continues to show Dredd putting on his bullet proof vest to a close up shot showing the side of his gun where it shows his I.D. , to another close up of him putting on his helmet, however his face isn't shown and the director uses this to create an enigma and keep the audience interested in watching in the hope that his face will eventually be revealed this is then followed by a medium shot of Dredd in his full outfit.
The Non-diegetic music then stops being base underneath the narrator to loud fast paced upbeat music and the 3D effect of the title "DREDD" on the screen. This is then followed with a fast cut transition of the camera moving inside a tunel towards the right side of the screen until the scene is then concluded with Dredd speeding into the distance on a bike.
12 years a slave- The use of lighting in this scene may seem vey basic but through utilising the lighting for a focal point and to cast shade on an empty space, it creates a focal point for the scene and makes the audience focus on the chained man even more then he would if the whole room was lit this helps us focus on the protagonist more so his emotions, feelings as well as physical state can be fully analysed by the audience.
