spielberg, orson techniques.pdf

8/20/2019 spielberg, orson techniques.pdf

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Steven Spielberg lm techniques – With pretty pictures!

I have been admiring and studying Steven Spielberg’s filmmakingtechniques for some years now and in this post I will share some of myfindings. No written description can ever do justice to an artist ofSteven Spielberg’s magnitude, but I do hope that you will find thispost inspiring and instructive.

1. Track-in shotsIn this type of shot the camera physically moves in on the subject,typically going from a mediumclose-up to a tighter close-up. Themovement is smooth, the background is blurred, and it is typicallyused to draw attention to a significant moment in a character’s story.This track-in shot uses a lens of moderate focal length — it looks like85mm or 100mm. You can infer the approximate focal length of a lens in a track-in shotby looking at how the background changes in the frame and howquickly the main subject increases in size as the camera moves in.The more gradually the foreground subject increases in size, the longerthe focal length of the lens used; the more quickly the backgroundmoves in the frame, the longer the focal length.

2. Sideways tracking shotsMoving the camera sideways is one of the classic filmmakingtechniques, but Steven Spielberg always adds tremendous value to itand makes his tracking shots look absolutely distinct from everyoneelse’s. His sideways tracking shots can be very long, typically trackingwith two characters who are walking and talking. Spielberg addsconsiderable visual texture to the shots by putting all manner ofobjects and extras between the camera and the two main subjects, to

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enhance the richness of the frame and the visual perception ofmovement.Again, there are numerous examples of this shot in Steven Spielberg’sfilms. The example below is from “Saving Private Ryan”:

3. Sideways tracking shot with actors approaching camera at theendThis is a variant of the sideways tracking shot and is an absolutelyclassic example of a Steven Spielberg film technique. The camera tracks

sideways with two actors walking and talking. The actors then stopand the camera also stops, at which point the actors move towardsthe camera, ending up in a tight close-up of both actors facing eachother up close.This shot is typically used by Spielberg to cover scenesin which one character is attempting to persuade another character.There are two great examples of this shot in Steven Spielberg’s films:one is in “The Sugarland Express” (in the scene with Goldie Hawn andWilliam Atherton at the halfway house) and the other is in “Jaws” (inthe scene in which chief Martin Brody and his wife walk and talk beforehe boards the boat).4. Dramatic over-the-shoulder shotsLike the other film techniques in this list, over-the-shoulder shots arevery common, but the over-the-shoulder shots filmed by Steven

Spielberg are truly something else. He typically films a character overthe shoulder of the protagonist using a wide lens, which makes theprotagonist in the foreground look much bigger than the othercharacter, conveying a feeling of dominance. It works like a charm.There are lots of these over-the-shoulder shots in all of StevenSpielberg’s films. The example below is from “Amistad”:

6. Claustrophobic over-the-shoulder shots2


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These are over-the-shoulder shots in which the foreground shoulderoccupies an unusually large portion of the screen, cramming the mainsubject against the side of the frame.Spielberg uses this technique to emphasise a moment of particularsignificance and he uses it very sparingly — never more than once in afilm. These arenot standard over-the-shoulder shots; they have specialsignificance.They are a perfect example of breaking tried-and-tested framing rulesto achieve a particular effect.

Ample from “Catch Me if You Can”:

7. Wide lensesSteven Spielberg loves wide lenses, and he uses them to film trackingshots, over-the-shoulder shots, close-ups, and any other shot in whichhe wants to make the foreground subject dominate the background.He can be very bold in his use of wide lenses, much bolder than mostother filmmakers, which is sweetly ironic, given that he is so frequently(and unfairly) accused of always playing it safe. I think you will findthat Steven Spielberg is actually one of the most ambitious, risk-takingfilmmakers in the whole history of cinema.

Finally, while Steven Spielberg has a clear predilection for wide lenses,

he does also use medium and long lenses in several shots in everyfilm. The still below is from Schindler’s List – a long lens was used toframe the large number of people boarding the train:

8. Framing characters through rich foreground objectsSteven Spielberg loves to frame characters through openings createdby all sorts of objects.Some of my favourite examples of this film technique:

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– In the opening sequence of “Minority Report”, a young boy is framedthrough a chair in the foreground. It gives the shot an extremelyintimate feel, as if you were spying from a hiding place.But there ismore to it than that – this technique is made powerful by the factthat framing a character through an opening created by foregroundobjects really tends to focus our attention on that character.It ismuch more visually compelling than using a “clean” frame with noforeground objects.

– In the dinner scene of “A.I.,” David (the young boy/robot) is framedthrough a circular light hanging from the ceiling. The circularfluorescent light is in the middle of the frame and David is framedthrough this circular object. Coincidentally, the character being filmedthrough an object is a young boy, just as in the scene in “MinorityReport”.

– Again in the opening scene of “Minority Report,” when Marks istaken away by the pre-crime officers, he is framed through a halo in theforeground, held by another character. The officer holds a halo andapproaches Marks, and the camera is right behind the halo, framingMarks in the middle of the circular object. As with the other instances

of this technique, framing a character through a circular object reallyfocuses our attention on that character and adds tremendous value tothe shot. Pure Steven Spielberg; pure cinematic bliss!

– In “The Color Purple”, there is a shot in which Danny Glover is framedthrough a clean circular patch on a window that is otherwise covered

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with frost. Celie is indoors and watches Albert (played by DannyGlover) through this circular clearing in the frosted window.

ing through circles is an interesting subset of the more generalforeground object compositions:9. Track-in 2-shotIn this shot the camera frames two characters in a medium 2-shot andvery slowly moves in to end on a tighter 2-shot. This technique istypically used to cover a scene in which to characters are discussing a

topic of special importance. This is another film technique that iscovered in detail in my free subscriber-only Filmmaking Tips.10. Hand-held cameraworkAgain, there is nothing new about hand-held camerawork, but StevenSpielberg is one of the few filmmakers who can truly pull it off.Spielberg used plenty of hand-held camerawork in “Schindler’s List” aspart of a conscious stylistic choice, but it wasn’t the first time that heused hand-held camerawork (there is a hand-held shot in “TheSugarland Express”, when William Atherton and Goldie Hawn go intothe men’s WC at the halfway house). He has used hand-heldcamerawork with some frequency ever since “Schindler’s List.”There are some beautiful hand-held shots in “Catch me if you can.”Spielberg does these hand-held shots so well and uses them to such

great effect that one cannot imagine those scenes being filmed withanything other than a hand-held camera. Another recent Spielberg filmthat features plenty of outstanding hand-held shots is “Munich.”

11. Mirror entry shotsIn this technique the camera frames a character reflected in a mirror ina wide shot; the character then enters the frame, resulting in a closeup.It is a very effective way to shift from awide shot to atighter shot of

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the same character, all in one uncut shot. The following example isfrom Spielberg’s “Minority Report”:

12. Use of mirrors to emphasise a character13. Match cutsSpielberg uses match cuts to great effect. As the name implies, in amatch cut an element in the second shot matches an element in thefirst shot. The example below is taken from Minority Report:14. Dark Silhouettes Against Backlight

Spielberg frames characters as dark silhouettes against a brightbacklight in scenes of intense, quiet drama. Notice how he used thistechnique in his 1968 short film Amblin’ , when he was only 21,showing how advanced his skills were long before he was paid todirect professionally.15. Uncut master shots with varied shot compositionsThe last film technique in this list is absolutelythe hallmark of StevenSpielberg and I have never seen any other filmmaker even come closeto using it so well (or at all).

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Steven Spielberg sometimes covers multiple-character scenes witha single, uncut shot in which the camera and the actors move insuch a way that the shot goes from a wide shot to a close-up to anover-the-shoulder back to a wide shot, ending on a close-up – all in asingle uncut shot while the actors move, talk and do things.

The following example is from Catch Me If You Can:I cannot say enough good things about this film technique: it issmooth, it saves a lot of production time because it covers quite a bit of

material in a single setup and, despite being a single uncut shot, itinvolvesmultiple shot compositions as a result of the camera’smovement. It is the height of directorial brilliance.Of course this type of shot needs the right scene – you cannot go outand force it onto a scene that doesn’t need it – that’s not howfilmmaking works! I still have not had the opportunity to use thistechnique, but I know that sooner or later I will come across a scenethat can really benefit from this technique and, having used it, I’llknow exactly from whom I learned it!

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DIRECTORS' TRADEMARKS: STANLEY KUBRICK

At least once a month, Cinelinx will chose one director for an in-depthexamination of the “signatures” that they leave behind in their work.This week we’re examining the trademark style and calling signs ofStanley Kubrick as director. Kubrick’s interest in visual arts began with photography before hebecame interested in filmmaking. He enjoyed making short films and

became very proficient at doing so. Eventually he made his first featurefilmThe Killing Fields (1953) as an exercise in low-budget filmmaking.That film was not a commercial success, and he had to work hard to getfunding to keep working as a filmmaker. His next film, Killer’s Kiss(1955) involved a lot of experimentation, so much that it ended upeating into the budget and costing Kubrick a profit. As a result, hedecided to work with a professional crew on his next film, The Killing(1956), which also did not become commercially successful, yet itreceived good reviews and caught the eye of major production studios.1957’s Paths of Glory was his first commercially and criticallysuccessful film, which established Kubrick as an up-and-comingdirector.

His next opportunity was the big-budget Spartacus (1960), which wasa critical and commercial success and showcased the bigger things thatwere to come in Kubrick’s future. Now that he had proven himself,Kubrick chose Lolita (1962) as his next film, a controversial blackcomedy that showed Kubrick’s ambition, but didn’t end up as acommercial success and received mixed reviews. His next film was1964’s Dr. Strangelovewhich has since become a classic satire film, but

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upon its release, it received mixed reviews. Kubrick then worked withArthur C. Clarke to develop the script of his next film, 1968’s 2001: ASpace Odyssey, which became a benchmark film in terms ofproduction and direction even though it did not initially receive goodreviews from critics. After 2001, Kubrick started working on two filmsthat never made it to production as intended, Napoleon and A.I.:Artificial Intelligence. His next film was the low-budget A ClockworkOrange (1971), which despite its controversy, has become well lovedby critics and audiences alike. In 1975 Kubrick completed Barry

Lyndon which was not a commercial hit but was appreciated for itstechnical achievements. His next film was 1980’s The Shining, whichbecame a rare commercial success for Kubrick. It was 7 years before hereleased his next film, Full Metal Jacket, which critics enjoyed. His lastfilm was 1999’s Eyes Wide Shut, which Kubrick finished editing onlydays before his death. That film remained true to his legacy of highlytechnical production revolving around controversial subject matter.

So the question posed is, if you are watching a Stanley Kubrick lmand you don’t know it, what are the things to look for that wouldidentify it as such? Here are ve of Kubrick’s trademarks as director,in no particular order:

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One-Point Perspective

Kubrick’s most famous trademark is his use of symmetry in many ofthe most important shots of his films. He places the camera so thatthere is a “horizon” that spans the middle of the screen. He uses thevery center of the picture as a point of perspective, with everythingelse in the shot leading to that singular point. This is not unlike thetechnique of creating perspective in a painting, where an artist creates

a horizon and several lines to draw the viewer’s eyes to the center.Often Kubrick’s one-point perspective shots are looking down ahallway or corridor, but they can also be outdoors where the sceneryaligns to create the illusion. Paths of Glory was the first film where herelied on this technique heavily, with the climactic firing squadsequence shown in focused perspective. In A Clockwork Orange, theopening shot of the film is a long tracking shot pulling away from Alexat the milk bar in one-point perspective. 2001 features the techniqueheavily, including the space travelling scene towards the end. BarryLyndon uses the shot for the final climactic duel scene, and TheShining is famous for the shot of the boy riding around the hotelhallways on his big wheels, which is shot in one-point perspective.

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Beginning, Middle, End

Kubrick likes to structure his films so that they have three acts. Theseacts are almost always separated by a major event that influences themain character heavily. Each “act” of the film typically has its own tone,and because of this, Kubrick’s films are more engaging despite theoften slow pace. Each part of the film feels new and unique, even if thecharacters or setting are familiar. Kubrick uses this technique in almost

all of his films. In Dr Strangelove, the film doesn’t have “beginning,middle, end” acts as much as it is telling three stories at the same time.2001 also has three stories to tell (evolution, discovery, exploration)but these stories are told chronologically. In A Clockwork Orange thesituation of the main character is broken up into three acts. FIrst, he isthe leader of a gang, second he is imprisoned, third he is freed andeverything has changed. Full Metal Jacket has a similar structure; firsttraining, then graduation, and then war. Even inPaths of Glory, thistechnique is used. First, we are introduced to the generals as theydiscuss army politics and inspect the troops, then we meet thecommander and follow him as he leads his men to battle, and thenfinally we have a more intimate encounter with the troops as they faceexecution for cowardice.

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Movies = MusicKubrick understood that a film could be much more than just a liveaction version of a story. He recognized that film had many benefitsover radio and play in order to captivate and entertain audiences. Assuch, he was one of the first directors to put a lot of effort into makingthe sensory impact of his films as great as possible. Music, inparticular, could be just as effective at creating a tone and influencingthe viewer as a wonderfully narrated story. This meant that he put a lotof work into visuals and sound, including forming one of the very first

“special effects” departments in film production for Dr Strangelove.2001 is the best example of his skills at blending sound and vision.The film featured cutting-edge hyper-realistic special effects, so realthat they still look good today. On top of the visuals, the film boastsone of the most influential soundtracks of all time. The visuals andBeethoven-fueled music of 2001: A Space Odyssey are so monumentaland impressive that the story is somewhat pushed aside in retrospect,yet the film is still a masterpiece. A Clockwork Orange has a moretypical plot, but the emphasis on music is still strong (again, the greatBeethoven) and ultimately very important to the film. Barry Lyndonalso uses its music and visuals to create a unique experience that is just as important as the story.

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Protracted Sequences

Kubrick is an auteur of film, meaning that he does more than justdirect his films. He has a say in almost every aspect of the production,including writing the script. Many of his films are adaptations of books,and Kubrick has a special ability to translate them to the big screen.Because he understands all aspects of filmmaking so well, his filmsdon’t rely on non-stop action, suspense, or tension to be entertaining.

Instead, Kubrick is a master of the slow scenes. With or withoutdialogue, many of the most important scenes in his films are all aboutslowing it down. In Spartacus, the climactic moment when Spartacus isidentified features a slow paced dialogue where the titular character just stares at his accuser without saying a word, which causes the manto strike him. In Lolita, the opening dialogue scene between Humbertand Quilty is purposefully drawn out and indirect in order to heightenthe audience’s curiosity. In Barry Lyndon, the famous seductionsequence features the main character and his future wife flashinglooks at each other over a game of cards. Finally, there’s thememorable sequence in The Shining of the crazed Jack Torrencewalking through the empty hotel halls before arriving at the ballroomfor an extended dialogue sequence with the bartender.

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Complicated Tracking Shots

Kubrick followed in the footsteps of Orson Welles a generation earlierby making heavy use of the tracking shot, but he took that generalidea to another level. Like Welles, Kubrick’s tracking shots at timeslasted entire minutes, often to introduce a scene or a character,travelling through walls, and were completed with cranes or camerason rollers for smooth effect. Unlike Welles, Kubrick devoted a lot of

time to determine where the camera would be located and how itwould move, even constructing sets to allow for these interesting andcomplicated shots. One of his most famous techniques is the “reverse”tracking shot where the camera travels backwards for an extendedperiod of time. If anything, Kubrick’s tracking shots impart a somewhatforced perspective on his films. The Shining is probably the bestexample of this. Kubrick uses tracking shots to create an unsettlingmood in the film. The perspectives that he uses feel slightly unnatural,such as the quintessential shot of the boy riding his big wheelsthrough the empty hallways. In 2001 Kubrick uses a tracking shotinside the rotating wheel of the Discovery, following behind his actorto demonstrate a scientific principle as well as amaze his audience. Animportant sequence in Paths of Glory features a “reverse tracking shot”

as the camera snakes through the trenches in one continuous shot inorder to introduce the audience to the conditions of war.

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1. Slow, protracted scenes One of the hallmarks of Stanley Kubrick’s films were his protracted,uncompromisingly slow scenes. With any other filmmaker I woulddismiss such scenes as tedious and self-indulgent, and I do generallyprefer breezy pacing, but I must admit that these slow scenes inStanley Kubrick’s films have really grown on me and have anundeniable charm of their own.

2001: A Space Odyssey – The scene in which Bowman disconnects HAL(the computer). There is no montage here, no time-compressingcutting techniques: instead, Kubrick shows us Bowman disconnectingthe computer one module at a time, with absolutely no shortcuts tomake the scene more palatable. If you don’t warm to this scene thefirst time you watch it, don’t worry: it is quite likely that you will like iteventually — and this comes from someone who really likes fastpacing! It is of enormous credit to Stanley Kubrick that he successfullyseduced people who normally like a cinematic style that is completelythe opposite of his, and I can assure you that his fame makesabsolutely no difference to my assessment. He really did have anintangible talent.The Shining – the scene with Jack Nicholson and thebutler in the bathroom:

2. Extreme camera anglesI remember watching the scene in “The Shining” in which ShelleyDuvall locks Jack Nicholson in the pantry and he does his best topersuade her to let him out. At one point he is framed from directlybelow, in a camera angle that is almost perfectly vertical, and I felt sodisorientated that it took me several seconds to work out preciselywhat I was seeing. It is not self-indulgent: this particular extreme angle

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in this scene really works, being fully consistent with the character andthe tone of the scene.3. Extreme wide-angle lenses Stanley Kubrick was one of the first filmmakers (perhapsthe first) tomake a very bold use of extreme wide-angle lenses — so extreme thatthey cause barrel distortion. The first example that comes to mind is AClockwork Orange, in which he used extreme wide-angle lenses inboth dolly shots and handheld shots.Again, the use of wide-angle lenses was not pointless and self-

indulgent: rather, it was absolutely consistent with the tone of the filmas a whole. Can you imagine “A Clockwork Orange” filmed with blandcamerawork? Impressive camerawork has undeniable merits,particularly when it really serves to enhance the effect of a particularstory. Stanley Kubrick’s use of lenses in “A Clockwork Orange” is a fineexample of this:4. Long tracking shots Every single one of Stanley Kubrick’s films has at least one long, uncuttracking shot, usually with the camera “pulling” the character (thismeans that the camera moves backwards, with the actor walking facingthe camera).Examples:“A Clockwork Orange” — the record shop scene (see above), in which the

camera pulls Alex as he walks around the shop (this is also a fineexample of the use of extreme wide-angle lenses described above).“The Shining” — very long Steadicam shots of Danny riding his tricyclealong the corridors in the hotel (in this case we call it “pushing”,because the camera is moving forwards, following the charactermoving away).“Full Metal Jacket” — long Steadicam shots pulling Sgt. Hartman as hemarches around the dormitory.

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“Paths of Glory” — long dolly shots in the trench.5. Extreme coldness I will end with what is perhaps Stanley Kubrick’s most famedcharacteristic: the legendary coldness of his films. Every film StanleyKubrick made after “Spartacus” has characters that we are simply notsupposed to warm to, and the coldness extends to the overall tone andexecution of his films. This was of course entirely deliberate.Speculation abounds on the reason behind the coldness of Kubrick’sfilms. Some have argued that Kubrick had a deep contempt for

humans; others argue that he simply cared a lot about making theviewers think instead of ingratiating himself with them and givingthem easy answers. Whatever the truth is, I think we can all agree thatnobody did cinematic coldness better than Kubrick.

Just like his interminable scenes, the coldness of his films does notimmediately appeal to my cinematic tastes, but his films have grownon me, and here I am writing about them — a clear sign that they haveaffected me on some level.

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1. Introduction to Xanadu.

Visual symbolism, fence, signCamera movementMise-en-scene: foreground vs. background elementsEditing: dissolves, each one we get closer to the castleVisual metaphor: window in the castle, visible in each shotLow angle (of Xanadu)Lighting (low key)

2. Kane's Death.

Reverse angle (we gain entry to Kane's bedroom)Visual symbolism (snow on screen)Closeups (glass ball and Kane's lips)Slow motion (glass ball rolls down the steps)Low angle and oblique angle (through shard of glass) when nurse

enters room

3. News on the March.

a. Parody of "The March of Time" theatrical newsreels from

the1930s.b. "Public" version of complex private life: main themes fame,politics, social life.

c. Functions as exposition: introduces us to main character andsurveys life events.

d. Upbeat, pro-Kane editorializing.e. Fascination for "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" for

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f. Mythology: Kane lived the "American Dream."g. Appeals to Patriotism--"I'm an American!"h. Documentary realism: Thatcher testifying before Senate

committee and Kane in wheelchair at Xanadu.i. Pompous narrator (voice of "truth") and predictable music.

Shortcomings of this segment--a. Mr. Bernstein and Jed Leland are not featured.b. Susan Alexander portrayed only as a "singer"

c. Kane's marriage to Emily Norton, then divorce, is not explained.d. No information about his childhood, his work experience, his

relationship to Thatcher, his old age, life inXanadu. . . .

3. Introduction to Susan Alexander.

Camera movementHigh angle shot of SusanMise-en-scene: division of frame

4. Kane's childhood

a. Action primarily inside the Kane's house in Colorado

MusicEditing: Dissolve to scene from pastMise-en-scene: Foreground, midground, background

elementsCamera movement and character movementComposition: division of the frame

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Deep focusStaging positionsVisual metaphor (young boy within window)Proxemics

b. Action outside in the snow

Mise-en-scene: foreground vs. background elementsProxemics

Staging positions (all focused on the boy)Mise-en-scene: Division of the frame (mother and son vs.

Father and Thatcher)Editing: closeup of Mother and son, then of sonDissolve: Closeup of son yields to closeup of abandoned

sledVisual metaphor: abandoned sledSound: Train whistle

c. Christmas at Thatcher's

Visual symbolism: new sled to replace old oneLow angle vs. high angle shots (old men stand above little

boy)

5. Kane Buys his First Newspaper.

Montage (trust busting on Kane's part--Thatcher's frustration)Introduction to Kane: staging positions in confrontation between

Kane and ThatcherSound montage: Kane introduces Mr. Bernstein and Jed Leland

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6. Introduction to Mr. Bernstein

Visual symbolism: Mr. Bernstein's image reflected in tableVisual symbolism: Mr. Bernstein stands beneath painting of Kane

7. The Early Days, the Happy Days.

Sound montage (overlapping dialogue)

8. Declaration of Principles Scene.

Low angle shots of Kane and Jed at the windowLow key lightingLighting and visual metaphor: Kane in the darkCloseup of Jedidiah as he refers to childhoodReaction shot of Kane

9. Kane Celebrates Birth of His Newspaper Empire.

Deep focusMovement of characters

Mise-en-scene: Foreground (Jed Leland and Mr. Bernstein) vs.background (Kane dancing)Visual symbolism: reflection of Kane in the windowCloseup of Jed Leland suggests imbalanceRhythm of scenes: energetic earlier scenes contrast with quiet,

reflective, scene with Mr. Bernstein afterwards

10. Kane Returns from Paris with Wedding Engagement. 21


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Character dress (Kane dressed in white)Movement of charactersMusic

11. Leland Recalls the Breakdown of Kane's Marriage to EmilyNorton.

Character dress

ActingParallel EditingSet decorationProxemicsEditing (swish pans)SoundCamera movement (to establish last shot in scene)

12. Kane Meets Susan Alexander.

Music (when they go into her apartment)--should remind you ofmusic from earlier in the film)

Set decoration and visual symbolism (special object amid the

clutter on her dresser)ProxemicsLightingStaging positions (characters face each other)Closeups of Kane and SusanActingSymbolic action (Susan performs for him--private audience)

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Editing: Dissolve (connects scene in her apt. to scene at his apt.--note foreground vs. background elements)

13. Gettys Springs His Trap.

Staging positions: Kane and Gettys face off outside the roomVisual symbolism: both men in the darkProxemicsSymbolic actions (Susan always being cut off by the others--she

doesn't have a voice in this matter)Proxemics (Kane stands alone in background)Point of view shot (from Kane to the other three)Reverse angle shots--show Kane from others' point of viewStaging positions--confrontation between Kane and GettysPoint of view shot (from Kane) as he watches them respondHigh angle--as Kane chases GettysLow angle--combined with closeup as Gettys moves down the

stairs--ironic use as Kane yells at empty airPoint of view shots (from Gettys, Susan, Emily) as they wait for

Kane to make up his mindReaction shot (of Kane) as he defies them (also proxemics)

14. Kane Marries Susan Alexander; Her Opening Night at the New Opera House.

Closeup of Susan, terrifiedMovement of charactersCamera movement upward, toward symbolic action in the rafters

15. The Missing Review. 23


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Mise-en-scene: foreground (bottle of alcohol), foreground,

Leland, drunk, asleep over his typewriter, andbackground, Mr. Bernstein looking on

ActingCloseup, word "weak" on the paper in the typewriterStaging positions (Mr. Bernstein confronts Mr. Leland)Mise-en-scene: foreground, Kane in closeup working on review,

background, Leland looking on

16. Susan Alexander at the El Rancho.

Camera movementHigh angle shot of SusanLighting change at end of sceneDissolve, links shot of Susan to rehearsal scene following

17. Susan Alexander Rehearses for Opening Night.

Mise-en-scene: Kane enters from background to comment onforeground action

Movement of character; Kane intimidates the others

Staging positionsActing

18. Susan Alexander's Opening Night at the New Opera House. (NOTE: A shorter version of this scene was shown in nr. 14 above.)

Closeup of Susan, terrifiedMovement of characters

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Staging position, Susan alone on stageMontageLightingCloseups of Kane and SusanPoint of view shots, from KaneHigh angle shotsReaction shots of audience, particularly Mr. Bernstein and Jed

LelandReaction shots of Matisti, Susan's teacher

Low key lighting on Kane at end of sceneHigh angle shot, of Susan picking up rosesSound (audience politely clapping vs. Kane's clapping)Low angle shot of Kane

19. Argument over the Bad Reviews.

ProxemicsActingParallel editingHigh angle shots, of SusanPoint of view shot, from Kane, as he towers over SusanSymbolic lighting

20. Susan Alexander on Tour.

MontageCloseups of Kane and SusanVisual metaphor: the light goes out on Susan

21. After Susan's Suicide Attempt. 25


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Mise-en-scene: bottle of poison in foreground, Susan in a stupor

in the midground, Kane pounding on the door in backgroundEditing: dissolves of Kane sitting at her bedsidePoint of view shot, from Kane, as he talks to SusanLighting (light vs. dark)Music (do you recognize the melody playing lightly in the

background?)

22. Life is Boring in Xanadu.

ProxemicsSet decorationStaging positionsVisual symbolism: Susan putting puzzles together.

23. Susan Leaves Kane.

Staging positions, as Susan confronts KanePoint of view shot, from Susan, as Kane pleads with her

Reaction shot, as Susan realizes Kane just doesn't get itPoint of view shot, from Kane, watching Susan walks down longcorridors and out of his life

Staging position, Susan walking away from cameraVisual symbolism, Susan walking out of his life

24. Kane's Rampage After Susan Leaves

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Point of view shot, from Raymond, the butler, as he sees Kanestanding at end of long corridor

ActingEditing, rampage scene cut in five shotsMovement of characterSymbolic action, Kane picks up the glass ballSymbolic dialogue, Kane says "Rosebud"Rhythm of movement: compare movement of Kane in rampage to

his slow walk down the corridor past the staff

Visual metaphor: Kane's reflections in the mirrors

25. Answer to the Riddle of "Rosebud."

Low key lightingMovement of charactersCamera movementHigh angle shots of reportersCloseup of sled in the fireMusicLighting, smoke goes up the chimneyVisual symbolism, fence, No Trespassing SignMise-en-scene: K sign in fence in foreground, Xanadu looming

in the background

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