Technical Elements in Dystopian Thrillers
Now that I know some major camera elements used in dystopian thrillers, I must learn the other technical elements commonly used in these films. This includes discovering how directors utilize aspects like sound, lighting, and editing techniques to create meaning.
Sound
The Others Arrive scene in The 5th Wave
Voiceovers: A voiceover is when there is an off screen narrator providing the audience with information. It can be used to provide insight on a character's personality as well.
Dialogue: Dialogue is the spoken words within the digests and is usually between two or more characters in a scene. It can be used to signal a characters internal emotions or provide the audience with general information.
Diegetic Sound: Diegetic sound is any sound that happens within the digesis. This can add a sense of realism to films, further immersing audiences into the world of the story.
Discordant Sound: Discordant sound is any sound that is unpleasant to listen to. This can be either digetic or non-digetic and it usually has negative connotations. This can be used to disorient audiences and increase tension within a dystopian thriller.
The clip above from The 5th Wave is a great example of all these sound techniques. It utilizes the techniques to increase the tension of the scene and create a sense of foreboding, or dread.
Lighting
in The Dark Knight
Low-Key Lighting: Low-key lighting is when a light is used to create shadows. This creates a sense of mystery or foreboding in regards to a character or object in the scene.
in The Godfather
Chiaroscuro Lighting: Chiaroscuro lighting utilizes stark contrasts between light and dark to create harsh shadows. This results in a more dramatic version of the effect you'd get from low-key lighting.
in Divergent
Cold Lighting: Cold lighting is the use of cooler colours such as blues, greens, whites, and greys. Cold lighting is commonly used in dystopian thrillers to portray isolation, apathy, and emotional distance.
Editing
Jump Cuts: Jump cuts are used to create an illusion of jumping through time, similar to a time skip. In dystopian thrillers, this can be used to heighten tension and stir unease in the audience.
Parallel Editing: Parallel editing is a cut between two different scenes of action that are occurring at the same time to create tension and urgency. It can also be used to build suspense and speed up the pacing of a film.
Graphic Match: A graphic match is a cut between two similarly shaped objects. It's used to show a passage in time or change in location, aiding in a film's continuity.
Reflection
Upon doing this research, I think I want to minimize the amount of dialogue in my film. I think the absence of dialogue will build suspense for the audience. Additionally, I want to utilize jump cuts and chiaroscuro lighting a lot to give my opening a mysterious and suspenseful feel. I think this will help me make my film opening truly resemble a dystopian thriller.
In my next blog post, I will begin researching the conventions of film openings as a whole so that I can get a clearer idea of what is expected of me. I can't wait to see how this can relate to my ideas for a dystopian thriller.
Until then, farewell!
Sources (Editing, Sound, Lighting):
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