EC: Technical Analysis: Psycho (Kubrick, 1980)

Duration of Shot (seconds)	Camera distance, angle, and movement/editing	Mise-en-scene	Sound	Connotation
0:00-0:07	Mid shot showing upper body. Tracking shot.	Character centred in frame. Limped walk. Holding axe. Extreme facial expressions.	Non-diegetic harsh sounds. Builds tension. Crescendo	The character is a psychopathic murderer, and a significant event is about to occur.
0:07-0:11	Static shot	Female character centred in frame. She fails to climb out of a window	Soundtrack continues	Female character is in danger
0:11-0:13	Mid-shot	Young boy is shown safely outside the house. Facial expressions show fear	Soundtrack continues	The boy feels that he is in danger, and is worried for someone’s safety
0:13-0:19	Walking shot from behind	Character shows no expression. Still holding the axe	Soundtrack continues Dialogue: “Come out, come out wherever you are”	Character is on a psychotic rampage
0:19-0:22	Mid-shot. Static, from behind	Camera inside. Woman still trying to escape. Frantic and fearful body language	Soundtrack continues	The woman is now panicking, and fearful for her life
0:22-0:26	Camera is positioned outside. Shows window from a low shot	Woman is trying to escape through the window	Soundtrack continues Woman’s breathing is selected in sound mix	The woman is under extreme pressure, and is willing to take extreme measures to escape
0:26-0:41	Medium close up	Psychopathic character side on to door. Aggressive facial expressions	Soundtrack is faded to selectively highlight the character trying to open the door	The psychopath is getting excited as he gets closer to the woman
0:41-0:44	Medium close up. Upper body of female character	Woman has stopped trying to escape through the window	Soundtrack continues Dialogue: “I can’t get out”	The woman is desperate for any help as she is out of options
0:44-0:54	Long shot	Child leaves mother and runs out of shot	Soundtrack continues Dialogue: “Run! Quick!”	Dangerous situation Panic
0:54-1:00	Medium close up	Male character centred. Facial expressions shown. Creepy smile	Soundtrack continues Dialogue: “Little pigs, little pigs, let me come in”	Psychopathic dark humour is employed to show the character’s mental instability
1:00-1:05	Tracking shot	Female character shown to be panicking. She finds a knife and holds it tightly	Soundtrack continues Sound mix highlights knife being picked up	The female character is now choosing to stop hopelessly trying to escape and call for help, and is now ready to resist
1:05-1:15	Repeated medium close up of male character’s face	Disturbing facial expressions as before	Soundtrack continues Dialogue: “Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin… Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff”	Psychopathic dark humour extended as the fairy-tale reference is repeated
1:15-1:16	Mid-shot from behind	Male psychopath starts to swing the axe into the bathroom door	Soundtrack continues Dialogue: “And I’ll blow your house in!”	Dark humour continued themed around destroying the house, which he is doing
1:16-1:24	Mid-shot side on	The axe is shown hitting the door, causing it to crack	Soundtrack continues Sound of axe hitting the door is highlighted in sound mix	The psychopath is closing in on the female target
1:24-1:47	Mid-shot. Static frame	Woman’s facial expressions show fear and desperation	Soundtrack continues Sound of axe hitting the door is highlighted in sound mix The woman screams	The woman is fearing her life, and is desperate for any way to stop it
1:47-1:54	Hole in the door is centred in frame	Male character is shown to be aggressive and showing emotion - anger	Soundtrack continues Sound of axe hitting the door is highlighted in sound mix	The psychopath is now angry that he has not reached his victim yet
1:54-2:00	Repeated mid-shot of male character swinging the axe at the bathroom door	The hole in the door has been enlarged. He is still winging the axe at the door	Soundtrack continues Sound of axe hitting the door is highlighted in sound mix The woman is screaming and begging	The woman has lost all hope and is now completely out of options and ideas. She is no longer spirited.

HS - Shot by Shot analysis

HS - Shot by Shot analysis

 

Summary:

The clips from the film ‘Mama’ (Muschietti, 2013), uses a variety of camera angles, framing and movements as well as conventional mise-en-scene to create an effective horror scene. The variety of shots used varies from POV shots to create a present feel and more visceral pleasure for the viewer, to medium close-up jib shots to reveal one of the antagonists standing behind the protagonist. In general, the shots in this scene are relatively close-up, which helps to convey the facial expressions and feelings of the characters in the scene. The amount of movement is limited, with no fast , movements such as whip pans involved, only slow, subtle movements to help reveal the set and keep the audience focused on the character and not what is going on around him. The setting for this clip is conventional to the horror genre, but also effective. A ‘Cabin in the woods’ creates a sense of isolation and vulnerability, creating more of a sense of visceral pleasure for the audience. The costume in this clip was also conventional. With the antagonists, being little female creatures, having rags or old nighties on, which are iconic to the horror genre.

Duration of Shot	Camera	Mise-en-scene
0:00 – 0:07	A mid-shot shows the character opening the door into the building and looking into it. It is shot from the inside of the building.	The character is an old man, so that audience see him as vulnerable. The location of a “cabin in the woods” is conventional for the horror genre, as it is an isolated location increasing the vulnerability of any character who enters.
0:08 – 0:11	POV shot from the POV of the protagonist walking into the cabin. Present technique.	Long Corridors in houses are often used in Horror films.
0:20 – 0:24	Slow tracking medium-long shot as protagonist walks into a large room in the cabin.	The room is poorly lighted, with rays of sun coming in through the blinds, creates a sense of unknown.
0:24 – 0:28	Medium Close up of protagonist holding torch, shows scared and confused facial expressions.	Torches are conventional to horror films as they limit the visibility of the character, creating a sense of unknown and jeopardy.
0:28 – 0:30	POV Shot of flashlight being shined on children’s drawings.	The use of children is iconic in horror films, as they are not commonly perceived as scary, so when they are made out to be scary there is a sense of insecurity and confusion with the audience.
0:54 – 1:03	A medium close-up shot which appears to be created on a Jib. The camera moves upwards and looks over the protagonists shoulder, revealing a mysterious being behind him.	The use of lighting in this clip is very effective. The creature behind the protagonist is very poorly lit, so you cannot see it well, creating a sense of mysteriousness.
1:07 – 1:19	This over-the-shoulder shot shows one of the protagonists looking down the corridor In the house. There is also a pull focus to show where the character is looking. It is a long take as after the protagonist has moved on, a creature appears at the end of the corridor.	Lighting is also used effectively in this clip. A single small window is used to light the corridor, meaning there is not much light available, and creating a sense of unknown in the location
1:27 – 1:30	A continuation of the shot that finishes at 1:03, the camera is looking over the shoulder and behind the protagonist to show a small creature. The creature then moves and the camera pans to follow it, however keeps the face of the protagonist framed in a Medium close-up.	In this clip we begin to see more of the appearance of the creature and its costume seems to be conventional to a horror genre. It appears to be a little girl, with long messy hair covering her face, and wearing rags.
1:45 – 1:47	This very short close –up shows the scared and confused facial expressions of the protagonists once they have finally seen the antagonist creatures.	The lead protagonist is an old man. The dominant ideology for older people is that they are more vulnerable and helpless, so it creates more of a sense of jeopardy and more visceral pleasure.