Film Still Evaluation

Shot Description:

This is a two shot, close up with a tilted frame, depicting a teenage boy hiding behind a row of lockers from a mysterious and strange hooded oppressor, who is slightly out of focus on the right hand side. The genre I intended to depict was that of a thriller however there are many signefiers in this shot connoting possibly a horror or drama. Signefiers of a thriller are that the frame is tilted which indicates discomfort of the subject in the situation and connotes that things may not be as they seem as well as adding to the effect of anticipation which is also why this still could also represent a horror film.

The blur of the hooded figure and the fact that we can see very little of his face also make this still seem like that from a horror or thriller as it connotes mysteriousness and that something is abnormal about this character which is also shown by his body position which is somewhat zombie like. In this shot there are also a few binary opposite for example the light on the subject character and dark on the hooded figure. This helps to separate the two characters more than just the distance between them however more could have been done when taking the shot to make this difference in lighting more obvious, giving the mysterious figure a more gloomy look with less light.

How did I achieve the effect:

Firstly location was key but also limited by the fact we were in school and there were classes going on. I intended to find a location where you could get a good sense of perspective and this corridor seemed to match my needs however there was a lot of natural light which I couldn't do much about so used it to help add effect to the shot. To achieve the effect I wanted I also tilted the camera and positioned the characters so I could get both a close up of the subject and a long shot of the oppressor, making sure that the distance between them was enough to give an effect whilst ensuring both characters were in shot. Lastly I took the photograph quickly so that the camera was unable to autofocus on the background (which happens if you half press the shutter button)

What was successful about my shot?:

My team mates and I agreed that this particular shot best achieved the effect I wished to present and my intended genre, having many aspects that represented my chosen genre. The composition, characters, camera effects and mise-en-scene indicate that the still is from a thriller/horror (possibly a teenage slasher) however many of the class, on seeing the still said that it could have represented a drama which I can completely understand with conflicting characters and the lighting which seems a little too gentile for a horror or thriller.

What would I have done differently in hindsight?:

As I've already stated, lighting was an issue when trying to represent my genre, being to natural and bright for a horror or thriller. If I was given the opportunity to take the shot again I would find a location with lighting that I could adapt to connote my chosen genre, with more shadow and less natural light. I would also have looked for a location which was more rustic, such as an urban ally way with rubbish all around, or play on conventions and choose a location such as a rural village to make the shot seem way out of place.