Brick(Johnson,2005,US)

Mise en scene

Settings and props

The setting seems as though it is set close to a dirty bridge, because as the camera shows an establishing shot there is a huge tunnel with a path way above it. There is also slanted walls going from up down to up that would make it difficult for the character to get out of it. In this scene it also appears to be miles from anything because the camera allows the audience to see above the bridge and as the audience all we can see is a field of grass. Then the camera uses cross cutting to take the audience to what seems like a school. As the audience i think this because of the school lockers. Both of the scenes seem to be deserted, which allows to make the audience wonder why it is. In the scene of the school the director uses the prop of a piece of paper with written places on it to make the audience see that the boy has some where to go. 

Costume, hair and make-up

The boys clothes seem to be casual clothes which indicates that he had a usual day in till something serious happened to the girl he is looking at. His hair seems to be the same as he would have had it, which suggest that he hasn't done anything abnormal. The girl on the floor also seems to be dressed in everyday clothes which makes the audience wonder why she is the way she is. her hair is covering her face which hides her identity to allow the audience wonder who she is. it also allows the audience to see that she is dead. her skin is a lighter color which also allows the audience to see that she has been dead and has been there for a while. one piece of clothing that stands out in the scene is the bracelet the girl is wearing, the reason for this is because it is used in the scene when it cross cuts to the school. this is used to allow the audience to make a connection between the girl on the floor and the girl at the lockers. 

Positioning within the frame

When the scene first starts it starts off with the guys foot in the center of the camera, this allows the audience to understand that the foot who it belongs to is about to be of a great importance within the film, it also helps identity him later on in the film. Then slowly the camera begins to move up his body and close to the face. then we see as the audience a boy that is staring at something in the middle of the scene. This close up is used to let the audience see the boys face to see his reaction toward what is has happened. The camera then goes to what looks like a girls arm that is in the middle of the screen, this allows the audience to realize what the boy is looking at. Then the camera later on cross sections to a hand that was in the exact same place of the hand that was laying on the floor, this is so that the audience can see who it is.

Facial expressions and body language

By the way boy is kneeling with his hands over his face the audience immediately assumes that something wrong has happened. His face expressions also illustrates that he is devastated and angry why it has happened. By the way the girl is laying down it looks as though she had fallen from the bridge above because of the way her legs are facing the bridge. This allows the view to question weather she fell or she was forced of the bridge. By the face of the boy makes me think that he feels responsible but didn't want to do it as he looks worried. 

Lighting and color

The lighting is low key as there is only the light coming from light of the sun. This adds a certain gloom to the situation and allows the weather relate to what has happened. The colors used are quite dark and dingy which makes the male character come across dark and secretive. If the colors used were bright and light it would take away the reality of what had happened. When the boy is at school it is also low key lighting as there is only the light coming from the light outside. Even in this scene the colors used are still quite dark which transfers the questionable about what is about to happen.

Camerawork

The Camera work is constantly changing throughout the scene. At the start it starts of on a close up of a wall. It then slowly moves left close to the pavement to a blurred vision of a foot. It then slowly fades out and into a blurred extreme close up of a male face. the camera then does an establishing shot of the seen and the two characters, this is so that the audience can understand what has happened and start to think of what will happen next. Then the camera goes to the male of a medium shot of him kneeling down. Then the camera the goes to a close up of the woman's legs that are still. Then back to the male where it starts to track him. After that it goes to a close up of the girls face. This is so that the audience can identify her. the director made more tension between the character by constantly tracking them. Then the last shot of that scene is the one with her bracelet on. Then it cross cuts to a close up of a girl with the same bracelet on. Then there is a blurred vision of the lockers with shoes walking closer to the screen, in this the camera is lowered slightly each time. There is then another establishing shot to allow the audience to realize that it is another place. The camera then goes to a close up of a hand opening a piece of paper. This is used to make it the main focus. 

Editing

At the start fade is used to go into the beginning of the film, this is used to help build tension and leave the audience asking questions. One of the first editing techniques is fade into a blurred vision. This is so that it leave the audience wanting to know more instantly  Then between the different shots crosscutting is used, so that the audience have an understanding of what he is looking at and how he is responding to what has happened. Tracking is also used so that it lets the audience focus on that one point that the camera is focusing on, it also adds tension as it makes the audience wonder if the character is about to start moving.

Sound techniques

The use of silence is used allot within the scene as it allow to help build mystery and tension. However, in the second scene the use of foot steps is used to high light someone getting closer.