Cinematography

Cinematography analysis - Psycho: The Shower Scene

Cinematography is everything to do with the creation of a film, including the camera shots. The camera shots used help the director to create the well known conventions of a film of the thriller genre. They help the audience to understand what the character is feeling, as well as inspiring feelings of fear in the members of the audience.
An example of a camera shot which is commonly used in thriller films is a point of view shot. This is used to show the audience the scene taking place, but as the way the character sees it, putting the audience in their shoes. This may make a scene appear even more dramatic and terrifying, especially during an attack sequence, as the audience will be made to feel trapped, just like the character does. This helps to enforce the convention of escapism, as the audience knows there is no way out of the situation.
Another example is a high angle shot, which are featured a lot in thriller films as they are positioned above a person/object and make the image look smaller. This is commonly used when shooting a scene with the victim, as they are made to seem weak and vulnerable. The vulnerability of the victim is a common convention of thriller films to make the attacker seem even more powerful. 

A wide range of camera shots can be seen in the original slasher film, Psycho, directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1960. Due to the lack of technology at the time, camera shots and editing were vital to making the attack scenes seem as realistic as possible. In the shower scene, during the attack alone, over 100 different camera shots and edits were featured.

During this scene, Hitchcock chose to use a mid shot, focusing on the shower curtain behind the female protagonist Marion Crane. Through the use of this camera shot the audience is able to clearly see the approaching shadow of ‘Mother’ as she walks towards Marion, knife raised. This allows the use of dramatic irony within the scene as the audience knows what is about to take place before the character does. This causes the audience to experience feelings of fear, as they know from the stereotypes of thriller films that there is no hope for the vulnerable female protagonist. Dramatic irony is a commonly used convention of a thriller film, as the audience usually knows what is about to happen before the character has realised, with the killer normally choosing to attack their victim from behind.

In the same scene, Hitchcock also chose to use a close up shot, to focus the audience’s attention on Marion’s facial expressions. Her face fills a large proportion of the screen, leaving a small amount of the tiled background visible. The audience can clearly see the fear on Marion’s face as she screams at her attacker, clearly conveying her fear. The use of close up shots in thriller films is extremely common as the audience is able to empathise with the character, feeling the same fear that she is displaying on screen.

The vulnerability of the female character and the dramatic way in which she meets her demise is a key convention of a thriller film, as the killer is always portrayed as the dominant and powerful character who will easily overpower their helpless female victim. 

A low angle shot is used to focus on the figure of the attacker, her face in full shadow. This low angle conveys the power that the attacker has over Marion, casting her as weak and vulnerable in comparison. This creates empathy for the character as it is clear to the audience that there is nothing she can do to save herself, leaving them with feelings of shock and anxiety. As well as this, the dark shadow connotes darkness and evil surrounding this character, as though they are hiding behind a mask, and the lack of any light on their face highlights the way in which they have been consumed by evil.
This low angle shot is another common convention of a thriller film as it enables the director to show the attacker as powerful and threatening in comparison to the protagonist. The director wants the victim to appear as weak and vulnerable as possible, to make their villain seem as twisted and evil as they can. This is a way in which they are able to increase the fear felt by the audience when watching the film. 

The same scene also features a canted angle shot when the camera focuses on the shadow consumed face of the attacker. Through this type of shot Hitchcock was able to connote the instability of the attackers mind, and provide a covert hint to the audience that they may be mentally unstable. This is another clever convention of a thriller film as the imbalance of the rational mind of the attacker is nearly always called into question when their identity is revealed. The bizarre motives which fuel their actions can only be explained through a mental disorder, and a canted angle is a simple and effective way for Hitchcock to hint this fact to the audience, at this early stage in the film. 

Through the analysis of this scene, I have learnt that low angle shots are a good way of making your attacker seem even more foreboding and intimidating, causing fear for the audience whenever this character is on screen.
I will try to use different camera shots to connote ideas about the characters, hidden meanings which will provide the audience with a better understanding of what may motivate the attacker in my thriller opening. Although the motive will not be revealed, different angles may connote ideas similar to Hitchcock's, about the instability of the killer's mind.
I have also learnt that a mid shot can be valuable in creating dramatic irony giving the audience a hint at what is about to take place before the character knows.
A close up shot is also valuable in conveying the fear and anxiety felt by the character to the audience.
These are all things that I would aim to include in my thriller film as they are powerful techniques used commonly in the creation of thriller films.