By Rav Sharma

RESEARCH FILM: SHOTS

• Gothika is about a Psychiatric doctor who becomes possessed and is later admitted into the very hospital she works at. In the mise-en-scene below we can see, she has a worried, almost deranged expression on her face. This shows that she is suffering, in pain and scared. She has a bandage on her hand with a bit of blood stain. This could suggest that she has been attacked or is self-harming. It appears to be located within an underground basement or tunnel.

• The walls are dull, grey and wet which gives the shot the feeling of disgust yet fear. As the element of darkness gives the viewers anxiety as to be alarmed to what will happen next. Her posture suggests that she is trying to creep through, trying to move without being noticed.

• The shot is a Mid shot.

• The color gray is a timeless and practical color that is often associated with loss or depression.

• The lighting is equally spread out threw the tunnel as there are lights on the wall. It reflects and bounces off the walls gives the walls a wet effect. It also creates more shadows adding to the background a melancholy sense.

GOTHIKA (2003)

• Carrie is about a young girl from a very religious background, who has supernatural powers, is bullied at school because she was not as developed as the other ladies. In this mise-en-scene Carrie is covered in blood with a horrified look upon her face. This may suggest either she has killed someone or a cruel prank from the students. Her facial expression suggest either she may cry due to overload of embarrassment or she is about to scream from the agony and shock.

• Red, the colour of blood and fire represents many traits. In this shot we can see it presents danger, wrath and longing. As Carrie longs to fit in but cannot, and the wrath that she is about to release. The background appears to have greenery, this may mean she is located in a park or outdoors.

• This shot is a medium close up.

• Her body language is closed up with her arms and head pulled into the shot. This implies that all of her emotions are being forced into a corner and she is on the verge on explosion. This goes back to the red signifying danger.

• The scene is trying to communicate to the audience the anxiety, pain and struggle Carrie is going though as she is reaching a breaking point. Allowing the audience to sympathise and empathise with the character. The shot is done very as it clearly presented.

CARRIE (2013)

• An ordinary family move into a new house. One night their son is drawn to the attic due to sounds and a weird shadow, he falls down and next day goes into an unexplainable coma. In the mise-en-scene the woman expresses a shocked face filled with trauma. Her body language is similar as her hand covers her mouth with shoulders up. Adding to the surprised discovery.

• Dark brown is similar to wood or leather. Brown can also be sad and wistful. In the shot she is clearly upset to finding the camera. The camera is the signify that presents the truth as camera always capture the reality. Wistful as regret is written all over her face maybe she has seen something horrible in the camera. This suggests that the overflow of emotion. The background has candles in the corner and seems like she in a house.

• The shot is a medium close up.

• The candles works as one of the sources of lighting. They looks like they may blowout; another classic prop for thrillers. This can be linked with the woman as the lighting is at a distance giving a fading away effect. Almost like the woman has lost something for it is fading off, this explaining her shock.

• The lighting comes from the front, as it gives the woman a paler effect. This extends the shock factor. She has a wedding ring which may suggest her shock on losing someone maybe her husband.

INSIDIOUS (2010)