Practice Essay from extract 24

   In every piece of film, whether it's just a scene or a movie in its entirety, has a vision from the author behind it. A theme if you will. Including the extract entitled “24”. The theme of this extract is all pertaining to the idea of building suspense and tension. There is extreme tight tension that is obvious between the two main characters that is shown throughout these few minutes in numerous ways through numerous techniques. The creator of this sequence was really trying to convey those two feelings and how it affects the two characters action’s in order to get what they want over to the audience. Which was accomplished through camera angles/movements, editing, sound used, and mis-en-scene.
  This feel of suspense and tension starts off in the very beginning of this extract. It commences with a shot reverse shot of the main man and woman in the interrogation room where they are both enclosed in. Within these few seconds the audience can see the characters facial expressions and body language toward one another as soon as they’re in contact. They seem uneasy and anxious with each other creating an overall tense mood. During these first few shots and multiple other occasions, there is also incidental music playing in the background, this was used to give off an apprehensive feeling to the scene as the music rises with build of suspension that is created. Not only that but the dialogue being spoken between the man and woman all throughout the extract whether it be the low quiet conversations at the starting point or higher-level screams later on, adds to the uncertainty of what will happen next, we don’t know which one of them will take lead control, which enhances the manufacturing of suspense in this film. The establishment of suspense is also subtly made through small camera movements like a zoom. In the first 45 seconds after the man has walked into the room his head turns to face the clock on the wall and it then zooms into the image of the clock ticking the time away. The awareness of their crucial time getting more and more limited is stressful to them and contributes to the anxiety the characters are experiencing during this time.
   Evidently, both are in a tense environment with a great deal of suspense that is gradually rising, which leads to the man snapping out of frustration. The audiences see this through an action match that leads into a two shot. The man, who at this point stands a few away from the woman, throws the desk separating them aggressively to the side showing how he reacts in this sort of situation while the woman had remained overall calm yet still uneasy. This brings them into a two shot where the man intensely screams in the women's face demanding his wants. This again, shows their tense interactions with each other that could cause the viewers to be startled and experience even more suspension since the scene just drastically escalated. Following shortly after this, the digetic sound of the furniture in the room screeching adds intensity to the scene and could symbolize the suspense being built because it is one alarming thing happening after another. What could be considered the most alarming action of all is displayed next through a high angle of the man strangling the woman which shows that after the elongated time spent of being through high tension causes him to attack her in order to assert his dominance and the high angle could be used to demonstrate his current power over her.
    Immediately after this happens a split screen is utilized. The split screen shows two other worker’s reaction to the man’s attack while they had been observing the two main characters conversation through live security camera footage. The audience being able to see their actions during this time of peak suspense adds to their concern or jitter levels which assists the viewers into recognizing all of the suspense that has been building up the whole time. Indirect approaches surrounding mis-en-scene were also incorporated to develop the theme. Lighting for instance in the beginning, middle, and end was dark, unclear, and low, adding to the uncertainty of the predicament the characters are in and emphasizes the fact that it is unknown what is to come next. The selection of characters is a part of bringing the creator’s vision to life in this extract. Only two characters, the man and woman, are primarily focused on during the whole piece, they are the ones who show the tension and build the suspense in the scene from the way they speak, move, and act.
     All in all, the theme or meaning behind the extract 24 is the buildup of tension and suspense between the two main characters. This is exemplified through quite a few ways. The combined production of camera shots, movements, angles, editing strategies, and sound all make up to fit this theme and accentuate it to the audience.