First Analysis- Panic Room

Film Title: Panic Room
Director: David Fincher
Title Designer: ‘The Picture Mill’

Technique
Effect (Analysis)

Camera – distance, angle, movement…

Establishing shot of New York long shot, Birds eye, long shots are used over NY, panning around and over text (titles), also seems to tilt over (up and down text) Low angles used to contrast with birds-eye views, near the end of the opening sequence more low angles used.
Establishes setting of thriller, birds eye shots could suggest that to the ‘villains’ within the thriller normal people are nothing, the tilting over the text gives a shaky effect, low angles looking up contrast heavily with the birds eye views, adding to the ‘shaky’ effect on the audience, further giving hints on what to expect within the text.

Editing – speed, style…

Straight cuts, cuts are quick, however the camera seems to pause on each scene.
This gives a tension building effect to the audience, the pause on each scene shows significance, quick cuts- fast paced, builds on ‘shaky’ effect.

Sound – effects, musical score…

Non diegetic slow music at beginning of opening sequence, speeds up near the end, diegetic sounds of NY, sounds such as ambulances stand out- set a tone for narrative and setting.
The ambient sounds of NY add to the realism (narrative and setting) the crescendo near the end of the opening sequence re-enforces the idea that near the end of the film something extremely dramatic will happen within the thriller.

Mise-en-scene – props, costume, setting, lighting, colour...

‘Face your fears’ flashes across one of the screens (billboards) (1:06). Setting is New York City, Low key lighting, colors are quite dull/ plain.
Billboards show images such as a happy couple (suggesting narrative) setting is typical of NY, yellow cabs etc.
The use of the phrase ‘face your fears’ hints at someone within the text suffering something they fear the most but overcoming it. The low-key lighting is sinister. Dull colors make the text stand out, the audience focuses on that rather than the setting, Billboard images contrast with content of film- happy couples. Yellow cabs are typical of NYC.

Special Effects – CGI, animation…

None, apart from text (actors, director etc.)
Makes the opening sequence, overall more mature- target audience. Text stands out- is the only and main focus. Text seems almost ‘see through’ opaque. Perhaps suggesting the intentions of characters within the text.


Titles – font, color, placement, over black / over clip…

Font color: almost see through (white) placed over clip (images of New York), font is simplistic, easy to read, similar to ‘times new roman’
Easy to read, mature font, placed over images of NY, connecting the two.
Color suggests characters intentions (see through), purity.