Goldfarb Production
#1:
Catch Me if You Can
At the beginning of the scene, the clips are not too long. It includes a group of women flight attendants directing the pilot (Abagnale, Leonardo DiCaprio) into the airport. The camera is not stagnant, it moves with the women. When walking from the car into the airport and switching cameras/clips, they continue to walk in the same direction: starting from the right of the screen, moving towards the left, until they are in the building and begin to walk straight down the hall. The camera continues to walk with the women as they huddle around the pilot. The camera moves as if within the huddle, moving with them looking out, portraying their perspective. It the shows a clip of the black heels the women are wearing, walking away; this adds onto the idea that they are a tight-knit group, and
shows their power. As they round the corner, the camera then focuses closely on the Detective (Hanratty, Tom Hanks) as he answers the phone. In the slightly blurry background, one can notice the group of flight attendants and Abagnale walk proudly down the hall, still walking in the same direction as shown earlier: from right side of screen to the left. This part of the scene illustrates the exact moment Abagnale escapes; it also show how close Hanratty was to Abagnale, yet so far away from catching him.
When Hanratty runs outside with his fellow unit, the camera is shaky, as it runs down the street with then, showing a side view of the. At the end of the scene, there is a pan from Hanratty’s disappointed face, looking up at sky, to up at the sky, where a plane takes off. The clip of the plane flying away, allows audience to assume Abagnale is on that plane, and has escaped from police
Jumanji 1995
#2:
The scene is set in a dark attic. This portrays the feeling that it may not be a happy scene. The darkness gives it the feeling that something is about to happen, possibly something scary. As they bring the board game over to a table, it is one shot; they pan over from one side of the room to the other. The camera angle is lower down, as to be on the same level as the two kids that are about to play Jumani. As they begin to play, we are able to see the board when they open it. They allow us to read the side of the board with the rules while the girl reads it aloud. While she is reading, we see the boy beginning to set up the game. As the pieces fall from his hand onto the board, they move around by themselves. The camera takes a shot of the boy being shocked with confusion, then turns to the girl as she tries to figure out how it had happened. We see her eyes move down to the board, then the camera is changed to look at the game as the game piece moves by itself. The camera again moves from the board to look at the boy as he stares down in astonishment. We see his eyes move to look at his sister, and after that the camera is moved back to see both kids. Both kids look down at the board, the camera is then over the board and we are able to see the words form. After they are done reading the board, the camera changes to a higher level and shows big mosquitos flying towards the kids. The camera moves like it would if it were one of the mosquitos. We are then brought back to the camera angle used before, on their angle, lower to the floor as the mosquitos attack them. The camera follows a mosquito around as if it were one of them again. Once the mosquitos are gone, they continue playing the game. Again, they role the dice and read the note that forms on the inside. Monkeys appear in the kitchen and when they are done examining them, they again head back upstairs to the game. As they enter the attic, the camera pans from them to them kneeling down to the game.
#3: Good Will Hunting
My initial thought of the park scene from Good Will Hunting was, “Oh my gosh, this is an amazing scene”. The scene was filled with emotion and was a huge part in developing the plot of the film. This scene sets up the rest of the movie; it is the scene that gives us more information about the characters’ pasts as to help set up for what is to come in the future of the movie. This scene, being so powerful, leaves me speechless. The power builds as the scene progresses, it all hits as Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) gets up and proceeds to walk out of the shot and away from Will Hunting (Matt Damon). There is so much being said in this scene that at some points it is overwhelming, but it all comes together in the end. This scene is the scene that sets up the rest of the movie; it is the scene that shows the beginning of the connection yet to form between Will and Sean. It shows us insight of Sean’s past, and what he has gone through to get to where he is now, to show how much he has lived and experienced compared to Will. This scene also allows us to see a quick glimpse of Will, a side we have not seen before, a vulnerable one, a side that seems to care not only for himself but shows interest and guilt for what he had said previously to Sean. This scene helps develop both Will and Sean’s characters.
While watching this scene again and looking cinematically, I noted that the establishing shot is a shot from far away, looking at the backs of the two sitting on a park bench, peering at the pond in front of them. I talked to Muench as I watched this scene––because this is one of his favorite scenes––and he got me thinking about the set up of this scene. The establishing shot could easily be a different place than where the actual scene was filmed. They could set up, having the pond in the background and creating a beautiful setting while others set up for the other part of the scene, where they will be sitting when they have their discussion.
After the establishing shot is shown, it then changes to a close up of Sean sitting on the bench: the camera is slowly panning towards the right, getting closer and closer to revealing Will’s face further on in the scene. In this scene, there are a total of four different shots being used:
-
Establishing shot: zoomed out shot of their backs sitting on bench Close up of Sean Maguire that continuously slowly pans to the right
-
Close up of Will Hunting with part of Sean Maguire in left side of shot
-
Close up of Will Hunting after Sean Maguire exits the shot
-
Ending shot of Will Hunting’s back as he sits alone on the park bench (same as establishing shot but now without Sean in shot)
Although this scene does not have a lot of movement, Maguire makes slight movements within his speech, which is all that is needed; when he mentions looking up at the Sistine Chapel, he actually looks up to the sky as to portray him looking at the ceiling. Robin Williams does an amazing job of using his eyes and glancing to add more as he talks. When he begins to turn it back to Will Hunting, he turns his head and eyes away from outwards and back to Hunting. These movements portray feelings express emotion. When Maguire begins to talk about his wife and how he lost her due to cancer, the camera, that had been panning right slowly, finally begins to reveal Hunting’s face. When Maguire mentions cancer, we see Hunting’s eyes look down as to show that it all makes sense and to show the guilt he now feels for making jokes about Maguire’s wife leaving him. The shot then changes to the camera on Will Hunting (the same shot as before) as Maguire shifts the conversation back onto him. When Maguire uses the word “you” as he talks to Hunting, the camera is on Hunting.
Towards the end of this scene, they switch between two different angles: the one of Maguire with part of Hunting’s face on right side of screen, and the shot of Hunting with part of Maguire’s face on the left side of screen. They switch back and forth between these two shots; when Maguire focuses the conversation on Hunting, the shot is usually on Hunting (with Maguire on left side). After Maguire is done talking, ending by saying, “your move chief” to Hunting, he exits the shot by walking away, leaving an opening where he used to be. Hunting then takes this space to look into, watching Maguire leave. The scene then ends with a zoomed out shot very similar to the establishing shot, except this time, only Hunting is sitting on the bench.