3. Low angles to show the governor as more powerful, in control
Erling is physically lower in the frame to show his inferiority
4. CAMERA MOVEMENT
• Camera follows characters
• Handheld camera as he runs to simulate the movement,
immerse the audience in the scene
• Handheld camera used during emotionally turbulent moments,
make it seem more disturbing/confusing
• Unstable camera, perhaps to reflect the instability/fragility of the
boys’ emotions or the manic, helpless atmosphere within the
scene
6. • Open spaces
• Use of woods and beach –
natural scenery
• Sea and sky
• Prison uniforms, dull colours, all
the same apart from the
governor who is clearly of
higher authority because of his
suit
• Dark/dim lighting even though
it’s outside in daylight
• Blue/grey overtone – all
elements combine to create
this: costumes, location, lighting
etc.
8. • Continuity editing in order to create realism
• Juxtaposition of shots of the boys and of the governor –
demonstrates the difference in power and also the difference in
the way they react to what is happening
• Use of long shot lengths, lack of editing. The camera moves to
follow the characters rather than cutting away and back in. This
again adds to the realism and immerses the audience in the
scene by making them forget that they’re watching a film and
instead feel like they are living it.
10. • The sound of the wind and sea remains constant in the background of
the scene. This helps to make the location feel more real, but also
feels relentless, unchanging, and this implies a helplessness that the
boys experience. It emphasises the fact that they have no power to
change their situation and things will just continue to happen around
them.
• Certain sounds are emphasised to ensure that they are noticed, such
as the panting from the boys. In this case it’s to make their panic and
upset more obvious.
• Non-diegetic music is used in the form of an instrumental score. The
music really adds to the scene, heightening the emotions displayed by
the characters and encouraging the audience to feel the same way.
The music builds to a crescendo as the emotions grow as well,
showing how sound contributes to the scene.
• There is limited dialogue in order to create tension. The dialogue that is
present predominantly comes from the governor, again demonstrating
his superiority over the boys. He’s the one giving orders and controlling
the situation.
11. NARRATIVE AND THEMES
• Includes a sensitive topic/subject matter – suicide –
which is conventional of thrillers as a genre, but
particularly of those from Scandinavian cinema.
Tragedy is common in this style of film.
• There’s a clash of authority between the boys, who are
united in their grief, and the governor who is also
affected by the death but more in control and cold.
• The representation of life on this prison island is bleak,
so bad that a boy killed himself to escape. It’s not a
happy message, but a realistic and shockingly accurate
one.
