Thriller Opening 3 - Jaws - IZZY SOUTER

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8SnZmUjhAA

Jaws

Camerawork

P.o.v of the shark under the water

  · It starts with the camera being under water, as if it was a point of view of the shark. This
creates tension and makes the audience feel uneasy. This
happens again when the woman is swimming, to make it clear that she is about to be attacked and
to generate tension.

  . The shots start of very slow pace because the cuts are long, but as the panic rises the cuts increase in speed until the woman in dragged under the water. This is used to illustrate and create tension.

Mise En Scene

Dark and mysterious out in the sea

  ·  At the beginning the point of
view of the shark is lurking in the seaweed, this gives an impression that the shark is hiding and hunting for prey. This is threatening as the audience isn't sure what is about to happen.

    · The crowd of people around the campfire sets the scene of a happy, pleasant time, which is
the opposite of what is about to happen in the water.
  · The fact that it was filmed in the dark makes it even more eerie as you wouldn’t be able to see under the water and also there wouldn’t be any people around to help her.

Editing

Warm and slow shot around the campfire

  · At the start the pace is slow and peaceful due to the shot lengths being long and the minimal use of cuts as they are enjoying time around the campfire with no initial danger. However, when the woman gets into the water the cuts increase in speed and the tension builds because she is being attacked.
  · It switches between the male and female character to show that she gets into the water what he
is doing and that he doesn’t end up getting in the sea with her.

Sound
· The non-diagetic sound at the beginning of the clip is extremely tense as it increases in speed and noise. It makes the audience feel very nervous even before the film has truly begun!
·  The music changes when it switches to the crowd of people around the camp fire. The music is diagetic and jolly from the man playing the harmonica. This is an example of contrapuntal sound as we as the audience know that something bad is about to happen.