Monday 16th September 2013 Ben ThompsonMedia Studies – Film Clip Analysis

Film: TakenGenre: Action, Thriller

A medium close-up is used to show the main protagonist’s facial expressions and body language. For example, the character turns his head around the room repetitively whilst talking to his daughter on the phone; this shows that the character is apprehensive and rather confused about how to help his daughter. As this scene is the bridge between the equilibrium and the main plot of the film, these shots show the audience that the character is desperate to help his daughter.

A close-up of the daughter looking out of the window shows that she is scared and ‘lost’. When her expression changes during the same shot, we see how the character is surprised to see something unexpected. Two shots later, a medium shot shows the character’s surprise and cautiousness as we she her whole body suddenly move away from the wall she was originally rested upon. This makes us aware that she is worried and likely to make a move soon.

Between the two shots mentioned above, a wide shot of two men moving around in another part of the hotel. We know that the girl can see these people because the shot is taken form her point of view (apparent through the window frame in the foreground of the shot.) This makes the audience aware that something drastic is going to happen…

A few shots later we see the girl’s expressions of fear through an extreme close-up of he face. We also know that she is helpless because she moves franticly and shakes her head as if she is in denial. Similar shots are integrated into a selection of wide shots of the two men on the other side of the window kidnapping a young girl and the main protagonist hastily preparing several devices (such as a brief case with passports and some sort of electrical device). These shots are show in quick succession creating a sense of emergency and fear; this could foreshadow the idea that everything is happing so fast for the girl. By showing the audience this, we experience her emotions but are also drawn by this technique used to generate suspense.

A shot of the approaching men from the waist down is used to create a sense of suspense. This shot also highlights for the audience how the character moves with purpose and in a dominant manor. This makes the audience feel negative emotions towards the man and also fear for the girl. This shot also give the character more involvement in the scene whist keeping their identity hidden from the audience.