Continuity Sequence Analysis: Sunshine

This is an incredibly emotional sequence from the film Sunshine. There are a lot of special effects in this sequence however continuity to create narrative plays a predominant part in this scene. This is the scene (spoiler alert) of the death of Keneda and I think that the continuity here really helps to covey the emotion of the sequence.

We firstly see the golden space suit in a mid close up where the man in the suit (Cappa) is turning to look at the light coming behind him, then we have a match on action to an extreme long shot of Cappa continuing this action (matched cut). This shot could also be thought as an establishing shot of the environment he is in. We hear a voice over a radio in this shot of communication with Cappa and the captain which leads into the next shot where the conversation (shot reverse shot) continues in a close up from inside Cappa's space suit which is eye-line matched. We can see that he's looking at something or someone and in the next shot we see another character Keneda who is repairing something in a long shot. The radio transmission continues but more muffled in this shot, indicating that they are a distance away from each other.

It then returns to the close up on Cappa who is urging him to leave what he is doing. In this shot Cappa is to the left of the screen in the suit and the next shot is the exact same shot of Keneda (focusing) on the right to indicate conversation even though they may not be looking at each other or even that near to each other. We then see a long shot continuation of the repairing shot where Keneda is leaving the thing he's been fixing. We then see another inside space suit left close up of Cappa shouting at him and then a cut back to Keneda in suit CU on the right (which indicated they are looking at each other, once again eye-lined matched)who is speechless with Cappa's shouting continuing through the radio (shot reverse shot).

We then completely leave the setting from a shot presumably inside the space ship. We can tell that there is parallel cutting here as the man in the space ship is commenting on the action unfolding outside. We then see another shot of who we can presume is Keneda as he looks in a spot of bother with a little explosion. This a mid shot, low angle tilt, to show the action of the cosmic rays behind him. We can tell that he is looking at Cappa as in the next extreme long shot of Cappa the rays are moving in the right direction.  

We then go back to a shot inside the space ship showing more crew members who seem to be also surveying the action happening outside, with worried looks on thier faces and the fact that on we of them says 'its too far'. The continuity is good in the next shot as Cappa is looking in the same direction as he was in the extreme long shot 2 shots before. He is sweating and shaking in his suit. We then see a tilt up zoom in long shot of Keneda turning away from looking at Kappa towards the cosmic rays. In the next shot the action is continued (30 degree rule can be applied) but with a shot inside the space suit where we can see the light on Keneda's eyes. The next shot is quite interesting with a reflection of  Keneda's face on his visor which shows shock and emotion and also helps the narrative flow.

We one again get a parallel shot to the ship with a shot reverse shot from the last 'reflection' shot, however the setting is slightly different with a different character in a mid shot on a radio mic talking to Keneda. We then get a mid over the shoulder shot of Keneda looking at the cosmic rays and then back to a slightly more zoomed in shot of the man on the radio mic (CU) which adds effect and drama. He says 'Keneda, what do you see' and in the following shot we see the same suit shot but on the right hand side where the main focus is on Keneda's eyes and the light coming through the visor.

The next shot is an extreme long shot with Keneda looking in the same direction at the cosmic rays that look like huge waves. We then see an over the shoulder shot, back on the ship of someone watching a monitor and on that monitor the inside suit cameras are reveal to be actual footage being taken of the even (helmet cam). The is then a shot of the person on the mic who is watching the screen within the 180 degree rule who reacts with a desperate shout. We then go back to the shot of Keneda and the wave at the same angle but in less extreme long shot and then an extreme close up on his eyes. There are then many short cuts of the light and his eyes which picks up the tempo a lot and indicates a lot of action in a short space of time with Keneda's screams in the background. In the same long shot as before Keneda is swallowed  by the wave which is a match on action and then once again an extreme close up of Keneda's eyes and a very shaky shot indeed which incredibly intense light.

Returning to the man on the radio we then see monitors of the helmet cams which show a shot reverse shot between them but in the right the screen turns white and flickers, indicating Keneda's death. There is then a reaction shot of the crew members, one in particular begins to cry so we can see that she has been observing the entire event unfold. There is then an extreme long shot tilt correction on the camera moving with the light towards Cappa. The an exact 180 degree tilt up shot is used to show Cappa is looking at the light (shot reverse shot) and he turns away from it. In the helmet cam again he screams and in the next shot Cappa jumps down, out of the way which is a match on action. The cutting is very quick as the light moves over Cappa which then leads to a very extreme shot of the situation to show how big it actually is. Then we go back to Cappa in a long shot who is facing right as the light passes over and then a helmet cam shot of his reaction to the event also facing the right. He is breathing extremely heavily and sweating.

In this sequence i can deduce that the cutting between shots and the variety of shots really helps to establish narrative and drama in the scene, which helps to convey emotion and gain a complete understanding by the audience. This is a great film and I highly recommend it .