Pound
Analyzed by Jeri Campbell
Pound is a very short film based on the inner city streets where graffiti art is sprayed over the walls of the city and a large majority of the businesses are locked up at night for safety. This film is about a couple of young guys who run into each other on the street and say hello by using a hip hop style handshake that is more like a dance than a greeting.
The photography for this movie was kept to a minimum due to the shortness of the film itself. The long shot was used in the beginning to send a message to the audience that the movie takes place in a low income area that is somewhat dilapidated. Close ups were used to emphasize the movement of the handshakes and eye-level shots were used to bring the audience into the scene as if they are a part of it. These shots together bring this piece together making it a total film.
The opening scene begins with a long shot focusing on the main character walking down the street. This street happens to be an inner city, low income area. The long shot in this scene shows the audience all of the graffiti painted on the businesses as the main character walks down the street to meet his friend . Giannetti argues that the long shot has many angles including the full shot as one version (11). This long shot includes a full shot of the area surrounding the main character.
The second scene begins as two guys run into each other and say hello with a hip hop style handshake that moves like a dance. The photographer adds dimension to the scene by using close ups and full shots in varying sequences to allow the scene to move continuously without looking edited. All shots were taken in the light of day, so there was no evidence of any special lighting used to enhance the scene, just variations in angles.
The final camera angle used in the film Pound is the eye-level camera angle. This is used to establish a feeling of being close to the action. Giannetti explains that eye-level shots are used by all directors at one time or another to establish routine exposition scenes (14). The two main characters finish their hand shake and continue to go about their day in different directions. At this time, the angle switches back to the long shot, as well as the full shot. They both work the same way by showing a large area.
All of these camera angles worked together to bring this very short movie together. The story, Pound showed us the inner city, and emphasized the catchy hand shakes some kids share with one another in passing. The different camera angles that were used in this film kept the story moving smoothly from start to finish. Each shot continued on from the last. From the long shot to the close up, the different angles brought the inner city, street to life.
References
Giannetti, Louis. Understanding Movies. 11th ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008.
|
