Planning cinematography. Miss Miller

Cinematography is important in thriller films as camera angles and movements allow you to control what the audience see and how they feel. Planning is required so we can test and see the best angles for the narrative. The main shots we are using are mid-shot, low angle, handheld, high angle and canted angle. Hopefully these techniques will entice and scare the audience.

The first technique is the high angle shot. This is when the camera is pointing down at me and Lucy as we are walking in the forest. The camera would be placed in the trees. This shot is used to portray a sense of insecurity and apprehension. This is from the start of the scene, so this shot is almost letting the audience know that these characters are in danger or they are unimportant, it is a set up for the next scene. This angle can give the audience a sense of foreboding that they are being watched, in a similar scenario, from above.

The second angle I am analysing is the low angle. This is used when Lucy is looking up at the building.  The camera will be placed on the floor facing the building. The purpose of this technique is to show intimidation, making the viewer feel as through the building is looming over them, adding to the sense of fear and anticipation felt. This connection means that a tension will build when Lucy and I walk up to the building. This is a conventional angle in a thriller, as the tension creates a greater shock.


The next angle that our group are using is the canted angle. This angle uses a tilted camera. We are using this angle when Lucy discovers me dead. The camera will be canted, looking at Lucy from behind. This angle is used to show imbalance. Imbalance can cause confusion and panic within the audience. This can hopefully create a greater reaction to what’s going on, on the screen. This is conventional of a thriller film as most directors don’t want to let the audience know what is going on. They want to keep the sense of anticipation.

Our group also used a handheld point of view shot. This is used when the killer is behind Lucy and me, before hiding behind a tree. A handheld shot is when the camera gives a jerky and gives the viewer a personal feeling of being in the scene. It is shot in the first person. This makes the shot realistic and could make the audience feel that they are there. This is another conventional technique to bring the audience closer to the film and allow them to immerse themselves.

The last camera technique used by us is the mid shot. This is when I and Lucy are walking down to the path. The mid shot technique is when you can see half of the person’s body and the location behind. This allows the audience to get a wider perspective of the whole scene, whilst feeling a connection to the characters. The audience can also understand emotions through facial expressions. This is another traditional angle in a thriller film as a better connected audience will gain more from the viewing experience and leave feeling more shocked.

I feel that by using these shots, our thriller will be very successful in capturing our viewer’s fears and heighten their emotions. These techniques are all regularly used in thriller films are they make the viewer feel involved in the film and build and relationship with the characters. The viewers have an emotional investment and care about what happens to the characters in the film and are therefore left feeling more shocked when the unexpected happens. The planning is very helpful as it ensures that everyone knows what they are doing and achieves the overall end result that everyone was aiming for.