Research into Cinematography- Miss Miller

Cinematography is the art of photography and camera work in film-making. It includes lots of camera techniques which help the audience build relationships with the characters to understand how they feel in particular scenes within films.

 

In this sequence from the 2002 physiological thriller film Murder by Numbers, directed by Barbet Schroeder, Gosling is threatening to kill Pitt and make it look like a suicide, however Pitt explains how he would not get away with it due to the science that could identify Gosling as the killer.

There are a variety of different camera angles, movements and positions used to portray the relationship between the two characters. 

For example, when Gosling has power over Pitt when he has the gun held to Pitt's head, a two shot and a low angle is used to show both characters and to indicate the power Gosling has over Pitt; Pitt is looking up at Gosling whilst Gosling is looking down at Pitt. The low angle also illustrates the levels used by the characters. (Pitt on his knees and Gosling standing up). This makes the audience anticipate whether he is going to pull the trigger.


As Pitt stands up, and Gosling is holding the gun under his neck, making Pitt walk backwards, an extreme long shot is used to minimise the two characters and increase the importance of the background. This allows the audience to see the danger of the area they are in; walls haves collapsed and nothing looks stable, so could increase the element of danger dramatically as one of them could seriously injur themselves if they fell. This makes the audience feel uneasy as they do not know what is going to happen; there is a possibility one of them might die.

Shallow focus is used as Pitt stands behind Gosling, however Gosling is shown in full focus whereas Pitt is slightly out of focus and blury. This is done so Gosling's facial expressions are clear to the audience so they focus of his face instead of Pitts. This demonstrates the importance of his expressions.