Media Narrative film
Extended response
The production element lighting was used in both opening scenes of Snatch and Amelie. The opening scene of Amelie there is warm colour, filter applied, which would have been done in post-production this, communicates the idea that it is afternoon time. It seems to be full light as the first scene is out side with expressive lighting to help communicate the mood of romance and the location of France. During the scenes of Amelie’s childhood they have used a technique to give a old home super eight movie film effect. In this technique there is a number of bright light flashes in-between the clips adding to the effect of a home film. The use of colour and light in the sets of Amelie is a significant unifying compositional element. Greens and reds are predominant as a result of filters and post -production effects. This all contributes to communicate the idea of romance as it it’s a romantic film. In the opening scene of Snatch there is a fade up from black to silhouette of the back of Doug the head. There is also rim lighting where he is lit so only the edges of his head are lit, back lighting subjects create this. Then Turkish and Tommy are reviled, as they are spot lit so as to separate them from the background, which remains black or underlit. This communicates that the characters are of significance and importance. At times we see shadows under the hat of Tommy and shadows to the left hand side of Turkish head. This indicated lighting that’s is both raked down from above and side lit using fairly direct lighting, hence the shadows on one side of Turkish face. All these scenes are quite cold and dark with low and hard lighting this communicates the idea of the theme that it is a dark action/crime film and it will be set most likely in a cold coloured city. Another production element that is used in both opening scenes is rapid editing or staccato editing. In Amelie the scene where she is a child and is getting ‘pay back’ towards a man who had scared her the use of rapid editing is present. Amelie is pulling out the cable for the television as the man is watching the soccer game. In this scene the man is getting mad and is doing angry actions the jerky editing of the actions is a result of rapid editing. In Snatch there too is rapid editing present in the opening scenes. Firstly when the robbery is taking place there is a number of uses of rapid editing which is used to accelerate the pace of the action. This is the use of increasingly shorter duration of clips creating a more powerful climax. Another example again is when they are back in the van and Frankie four fingers is placing the diamond into the case this sequence is disjointed in its actions as a result of rapid editing or staccato editing.
Through out both movies of Snatch and Amelie there is the story element of setting and a number of chain reactions with situations of cause and effect. In Amelie the setting is very important and helps the audience identify the themes of the film. In the opening sequence the setting is out side, and the buildings look very old and tall and look quite French. Then the next shot we can see the Eiffel Tower in the background of the scene and this again tells us the movie is set in France. France is known as ‘the city of love’ this helps contribute to the ides of the romantic film. In Snatch again the setting is very important as it helps create the themes of the film as well. The setting of Snatch is mainly London. London especially in Snatch is seen as a dark cold city this creates the set of action/crime movie. Some of the cause and effect sequences in Amelie are when she would get a check up from her father but the touch of him made her heart race resulting in her being home schooled which then led to her being a loner and a bit odd. Another cause and effect would be Amelie missing the train, which then results to her seeing Nino and then Nino, drops the album which leads to Amelie’s