In-depth shot-by-by analysis of French short film The Stairway.

1. The opening scene of “The Stairway” is composed with a wide shot which pans
down the frame and then tracks the man to the right on the frame as he walks
around the colour. The colours in the frame are all very co-ordinated and you
can see that the walls and doors match the colours of the suit, creating a
cohesive visual for the viewer. The dark the lighting in the shot produces the
impression of a mysterious situation but also suggests that the man is tired and
rigid due to the setup of the corridor. I feel that it represents a very ordered and
schedule ruled life which could also be referenced from the suit and tie.
The 2nd shot is an extreme mid shot framing the man’s upper body as he passes
the camera in a slow yet swiftly across the screen. The frame shows his facial
expressions to be solemn and borderline emotionless. The camera follows him
as he passes panning to the right of the shot still in dark lighting particularly on
the left side of his face that gets darker as he walks past. The darkness to be
suggests a shadow has been cast upon this man which could be a symbol for his
state of mind and feelings.
The next shot is also an mid shot but instead of a man in the frame this shot
captures the sign informing residents of the building the elevator is out of order.
The shot contains subtitles as this is a French film and the all the dialogue is in
French too. This proves that although the in film is in another language it still
tells the same story despite the language barrier even though only a small
amount of dialogue and written speech in the film. The help of subtitles does
make this much clearer though and I find that this is an important factor of
making this understandable. I feel that it is an important factor of the film that
you can use minimal or even no language if the storyline and production is of a
good enough quality. This short film is a good example of this and something for
me to aspired to in my own short film. This shot then fades to black to a short
but effect title sequence where the title is shown in a Serif font giving an
impression of professionalism, artistic style and connotes a French origin
through the eloquent and sophisticated typography chosen.
This is an extremely simple but effective title sequence, uncomplicated and
quick means the film makers hasn’t wasted time on anything particularly fancy
or unnecessarily audacious. This is a feature I should consider in my coursework
as I don’t want to waste time and take away from the actual film or make the
title sequence the best part either.
This shot on the left is a mid shot at a high angle looking down at the male in the
centre of the frame. The background of the shot it’s light and bright due to the
light fitting shinning against the set. This has made the man in the foreground
nearly a silhouette but not quite as you can still clearly make out his features
and the colours of his clothing. This shot shows the man trying to open the door
what is assumed to be his front door, this is also where the narrative takes a
turn and becomes much darker. The next screenshot is of the next shot which
opens quickly after a fast cut to a blackout and then proceeds to the next shot
which creates a juxtaposition with the new unfamiliar location. This feature
repeats throughout the film and builds up the main plot. This editing technique
is called a motif, although it becomes evident after the first couple uses but
subconsciously it prepares the audience for this movement thus they know
what’s going to happen. This technique has been used in both short film sand
features most famously in films such as Jaws and The Sixth Sense.

2. Thisreaction-shotisafollow up to the black frame, as you can the man is in
exactly the same and the shots before. This creates the illusion that he has
shifted through a dimension into an alternate reality. The eerie fades and
burst of soundtrack in this scene presents a scary setting but also
uncertainty subsequently creating fears among the viewers. This is so
intense because of how the soundtrack has bridged over from the previous
shotsand thenquicklyendsinthisone; this technique creates a mysterious
undertone to the scene and leaves the audience waiting in suspense for
what will happen now as result of this disturbance.
The close up in this shot allows the audiences to really see how the man is
feeling but due to the dramatic underline tone a close up gives makes this
shotreally intense. This is effective as the audience aren’t sure of the plot
nowand it couldinany direction,soseeingthe confusion on the man’s face
further displayed this idea.
In this screenshot you can see how they have used an extreme close up
successfullytocontinuethe dramaandsuspense intothisshot. The ECU has
actually made the lighting on the man’s face similar to a silhouette but not
as solidasyou can still clearlymake out the different elements of the facial
featuresandwhere hisface endsandhairbegins. I think this is supposed to
signify that the man is also in the dark (mentally) of what’s going on now.
Thisuse of visual imagerytoshow the internal thoughts is really clever as it
shows the audience his feelings without having to really say it. This
technique has been used again in the following shot as the camera pans
followingthe man’s movement across to the staircase. The camera stops at
the stairs as the man continues to ascend up and around to the next flight.
The dank and gloomysettingof the 2nd
staircase builds scary and dangerous
atmosphere. This is then highlighted more as the man is alone and it is
normally a convention of Horror and Thriller films that bad things happen
when people are unaccompanied or in the dark.
This shot with the staircase is much brighter and has higher key lighting in
comparison to the shot before, which I believe is supposed to be the same
stairwell.Thisconfusedme asyoucan see the lightingismuch darker on the
previouslevel;whichleadme tobelieve thatthe two shots could have been
filmedata differenttime orevenadifferentday.However,itis possible that
not all of the available lights have been switch on to create a scary
atmosphere forthe firstscene withthe disturbance. The diegetic sounds of
the footsteps can be heard echoing in the scene which illustrates to the
audience how bigthis settingisaswell asthe echoadditionallyemphasizing
his isolation in this scene.
Afterwalkingupthe stairsinthe previousscene,thisscreenshot shows how
he has yet again moved onto another flight of stairs in a different location,
after the black frame motif. This is when it becomes apparent to the
audience that this will be a running motif. The camera is looking up at the
man from a low canted angle and creates a sense of imbalance, transition
and instability within the shot.

3. After a fast cut the camera then changes position to a high canted angle
withthe camera placedinfrontof the banisters poles of the stairs crafting
the deceptionthatthe manis behind bars and that he is being watched by
someone. Thisshotalsoallows ustosee a closerlookat the man’s clothing
again which is much more worn and messy than from looking at the shots
in the first couple scenes.
Thisbird-eye’sshotisone of myfavourite shotsfromthe all of the footage
as I feel it have a gravitas and drama despite the simplicity of the shot.
Unlike othershotsinthe footage Ifeel itextremelypleasingtolook at from
a viewer’s perspective but when looking deeper into this shot I feel it is
almosta visual metaphorillustratingthe man’slife spiralling out of control
and taking deeper and darker turns. This is then further heightens by the
use of the ever increasing volume on the intense soundtrack played over
the top of this shot.
The couple shots basically show a series of shots from different angles all
transitioning through fast cuts. The fast cuts demonstrate a frantic and
scared and unforeseeable outlook for this scene. This is then further
impliedthroughthe use of dramaticyetgrippingmusic.The even changing
tempo generates a strange but rhythmic beat to the soundtrack which
follows the conventions of this short thriller. With each fast cut you can
notice as well how the musicpeaksandfallswithnotesasthe shotsquickly
change.
Thisshot isextremely similar to one I have looked at previous, I think this
has been included in the film to simulate repletion and a never cycle of
tormentforthe character. The representationof the stairways plays a key
part inthe narrative of the storydespite the fact this has been highlighted
by the title – The Stairway.Despite the obviousimportance,Ifeel that they
holdfurtherconnotationswhichdescribe the narrative in a more symbolic
way. (I will go into more detail about this in the ideology box)
The nexttwo shotsshow the change in lighting where you can see there is
now no artificial lighting in scene and just natural light which from the
darkness you can tell it is no night-time setting a more tense and creepy
atmosphere for the audience. Although you could argue that the
atmosphere ismore solemnasthe musicmore one tone and slowlyquieter
but the additionally noises of what sounds like a child only heightens the
spine-chillingfeelingthisscene istryingtoproduce. The firstscene inwhich
the lightchangesshowsthe manwith his head in his arms suggesting he is
exhaustedandhave givingupthiscouldbe the reason that the lighting has
gone dark as it could be representing the loss of ambition or energy the
character has in trying to find a way home.

4. After the man has ascended up the stairs the camera has
changedto longhighangle shotwhichlooksdownthe corridor
where you can see the little girl in a white night-dress as the
camera becomes an over the shoulder shot. The little girl is a
convention of the thriller and horror genre for being either a
victim/target or the danger due to the continually use of
children in horror and thriller films over the last couple
decades of film-making.
The next shots is a mid-long shot as you can’t see the man’s
knee butyoucan see below the chestarea.The manwalks out
of the shadowsandintothe lightwhich is extremely symbolic
and mayrepresentthe childbeinghissaviour.The spotlight of
natural lightdirectlyoverthe man’sface continuesto produce
the eerie undertone of mysterious in the film as this reaction
shotstill doesn’tgive awayalotof informationtothe viewers.
The shot of the young girl has similar lighting and set to the
previousshotof the man tellingthe audience theyare close to
each otherat thispoint. The lighting mean’s you can only see
the little girlsface veryfaintlymakingheranobject if curiosity
for this frame. She also seems to be re-sighting a French
nursery rhyme which is translated in the bottom left corner.
The unnerving chant over the minimal soundtrack produces a
sinister feel to the scene.
The chanting then bridges over to the next shot using the
editing technique of a shot reverse shot. This technique
creates a wholeness to the scene and tells the audience that
this is all happening at the same point in time. The close-up
illustrates the toll that has been taken on the man at this
point, as you can from the screenshot he has large dark bags,
messy hair and clothes and has a very distressed look on his
face all signs telling the audience he is going mad. The light
coming from in front of him makes these features more
obvious but also makes him look slightly deranged with the
constant stare he holds through the duration of this frame.
Afterthe little finishes chanting,she flicksthe light off making
the diegeticsoundof the lightturningoff.As this happens the
whole frame turns black for about 4 seconds before a small
white feather drifts down the screen into the man’s hand
which has a spotlight on it as he catches in his palm and
clencheshisfistasthe frame fadesto black again like the shot
previous which have included the motif.
Like the other shots which use the motif the shot becomes
light once again and as the man opens his fist the feather has
disappeared. To me the feather represents the soul of the
little of girl and her being lost in the dark, which leaves a
rather sour thought. At this point the music begins to get
much louder and repeats the echoing soundtrack as used
during the scenes where the man is running up and down
through the different staircases.

5. Ideology:
I feel that the stairs in this film play a big part in the ideas and morals the story is trying to get across. Symbolically, a
staircase oftenholdssignificantmeaning. Indreamanalysis,staircasesoftensuggestajourney. If one ascendsthe stairs that
journey is probably positive, hopeful, or purposeful; however, if one descends the stairs that journey might be negative,
confusing,ordepressing. Moreover,the type of staircase isalsoimportanttoitssymbolicmeaning. A traditional staircase is
straightforward and suggests an uncomplicated route. Conversely, a spiral, twisted staircase may suggest mystery and
disorientation. Lastly,staircasescan also be looked at as a link. Literally, a staircase connects two floors. Figurative ly, and
more vaguely, a staircase is simply a passageway which can unite any two things, places, ideas, or states of being.
Staircases are a frequently used symbol in art, specifically cinema. Narrative film has used the symbolic staircase from its
birth, and some of the most famous film scenes are set around or on a set of stairs. Gone with the Wind, for example,
capturesan iconicmovie momenton a staircase, when Rhett Butler restrains Scarlet O’Hara and carries her up Tara’s grand
staircase. Alfred Hitchcock frequently used staircases in his films, Vertigo in particular, to build tension and add
complication. More overtly, Robert Soidmak’s memorable The Spiral Staircase, starring Dorothy McGuire, is centered on a
richly symbolic set of twisted stairs. Even contemporary films, like James Cameron’s Titanic, set significant cinematic
moments on or around staircases to enhance a scene’s meaning with this widely used and easily usable symbol.
The continuation of this soundtrack implies the man is still
trappedinthe infinite domainof stairs. Furthermore implied
through the use of a long shot showing the man at the
bottomof the stepsof a staircase with a left and right option
suggesting this is only the beginning for him and he is yet to
escape. The impact of this staircase is made incredible
dramatic by the use of the low angle looking up at the
stairwaycreatingan impressionof powerandseriousnessthe
stairs have. The symmetrical nature of the scene gives the
shot a more powerful impression on the audience. The shot
then goes straight to black as the film ends and the credit
rolls ending the film.
Narrative:
The narrative uses a similar structure to Todorov’s narrative structure with the beginning (equilibrium) and middle
(disruption) but there doesn’t really seem to be any sign of resolution due to the fact it ends on a cliff-hanger. However I
think this is really effective doesn’t need that resolution at the end because of the beauty of the short film and resolving
something is something you consider more with a feature film because you have more time to explore and develop the
narrative. There are onlytwocharacters inthe filmthe relativelyyoungmaninthe suit(protagonist) and the little girl in the
night-dress(bitplayer).The maincharacteristhe manand the filmresolvesaround his journey through the different levels
of stair making him the hero if applied to Propp’s character theory would be “The Hero” because of his pivotal role in the
narrative.The younggirl wouldbe considered “The Helper” as she acts as a symbolic item to the man who leads him to the
light. However she could be considered a “False Hero” as she in fact leads him to a more complexed set of stairs.
Representation:
I don’tfeel thisfilmrepresentsanexactgroupof people inaclear or obvious but with further analysis; you can suggest that
the filmrepresentspeople(specificallyintheirlate twentiesandthirties) whoare stuckindeadendjobs. My reasons for this
would be that the man in the film looks about 25 and from his attire it’s safe to say he works in an office or formal work
environment.Histiredandlifelesscameoduringthe films equilibriumtellsthe audience that his work doesn’t fulfil him and
if using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in context of the workplace it suggests his only fulfils him the first two needs of
physiological and safety not the others include love/belonging or self-esteem both which would contribute to a rewards
feeling towards his occupation. This is maybe why the stairs play such an important role in the film the stairs are in fact a
metaphor for his job and how he has become trapped in the unrewarding cooperate system.

6. Genre:
The of the short filmisthriller,Ithinkthisbecause of the conventionsusedinthe filmincludingdarkl ighting,accentsof red
and intense musicsoundtrackwhichcreatessuspense are all commonandrecognisable traitsof thrillerfilms.Ithinkthe fact
thisisa shortfilmhaseffectedhowthe genre ispresented,due tothe shorttime it’smuchharderto developthe narrative
and create suspense overlongerperiodswhere inshortfilmslike thisdirectorsandwritershave tomuchmore resourceful
withtheirtime evenif itmeansthe storyisleftunresolvedlikethisone.Theywasnospecial effectsinthe shortbutI don’t
knowmanythrillerfilmswhichuse extreme special effectsasthe mainwayof create fearinthrillerfilmsismore todowith
timingunlike horrorfilmswhichwillnormallyinclude speciallyeffectstoover-exaggeratethe horrorwithinthe situation.The
soundtrackisusedeffectivelylikeinthe majority of good thrillerfilmstosetthe moodforeach scene andbuildanintense
and overwhelmingsense of suspenseduringthe film.Like mostthrillersIfeel thisfilmisdirectedatboth genders16-30 age
bracketas thisgroup enjoysthe mysteryside aswell asthe actionandgore sometimesincludedinfilmslikethis.The varie ty
conventionandcodesinthrillersiswhatmakesthemappealingtobothgenders.