How do key elements of film create meaning and response in selected sequence?

 Homework

How do key elements of film create meaning and response in selected sequence?

The Key elements of film like editing, sound, lighting and Mise en scene are crucial to create meaning and to get responses out of the spectators. In my chosen sequence from the movie “Bohemian Rhapsody”, the key elements listed above played a very important part in setting the tone and mood for the scene.

Starting off with the editing in the chosen scene of when Freddie leaves Paul after he put him through a very toxic lifestyle. A major part which set the tone was the fact that there were jump cuts between both characters when talking as they weren’t in the same shot. This creates tension between the two characters which therefore could create feelings of tension and perhaps even sadness in the spectators as the jump cuts represent how they have broken up, and how Freddie no longer wants Paul in his life. However whilst Paul was in the same shot as Freddie in the beginning, he was behind Freddie and out of focus which was the start of this drift part for the two characters. The jump cuts in this scene meant there were negative feelings between the characters, which creates equally negative reactions from the spectators watching.

Furthermore, the element of sound is equally as important in the role of creating meaning and feelings. Throughout the scene there is the constant diegetic sound of rain in the background of the dialogue, the sound (along with the actual physical rain) could be classed as pathetic fallacy, and reflects the mood of the situation were witnessing. The rain creates a down and depressing mood which can really add to the reaction of the spectator. Towards the end of the scene, non-diegetic music can be heard slowly getting louder as Freddie draws the conversation to a close. After Paul yells “I didn’t mean it”, the music suddenly gets really loud as he walks away which can act as a huge sense of relief for the spectator as its a more upbeat song to finally put an end to all the tension and negative feelings.

Lastly is lighting. Seeing as the clip I selected seemed to have pretty natural lighting there wasn’t much of an effect apart from the moment feeling a little bit more ‘real’ as there’s no forced lighting behind the camera, its pretty much just the moonlight allowing us to see which may allow the spectators to feel more connected with the scene as it doesn’t look so ‘forced’ or ‘fake’.