English Assignment 1
Romeo and Juliet
Olwethu Masiza
16013255
Question 2 : Filmic devices
This essay will discuss the different filmic devices in Romeo and Juliet, namely extreme close-up; low angle shot; tilt; zoom and flashback, and why Baz Luhrmann has chosen to use each one of these filmic devices. Luhrmann has chosen to use all these different camera shots so that he creates a meaningful scene full of mixed emotions.
Extreme close up is when the camera zooms in very closely to a particular subject, for example, the nose, eye or mouth fills most of the frame. One of the reasons why photographers or filmmakers use extreme close-up is so that they can emphasise that particular subject or object. In Romeo and Juliet we see that Baz Luhrmann uses extreme close-up in the …show more content…
Luhrmann inserts a flash forward flash forward sequence of Romeo entering the Capulet tomb, “well-neoned” (Martin, J.L. 2002) with crosses. In the last scene of the drama, after Romeo drank the bottle of poison and Juliet shot herself, we see a flashback of Romeo and Juliet’s love journey.
Tilt is a vertical camera movement where the camera points up or down from a stationary location. In Act 3 Scene 1 we see that the camera tilts when Tybalt is assaults Romeo. We also see that the camera tilts in Scene 2 when Juliet is busy talking to herself and then Romeo startles her and they both fall into the pool.
Low angle is a shot where the camera angle is positioned low anywhere below the eye line, looking up. The effect that a low angle shot has is that it makes the subject look strong, powerful and in control. In Act 3 Scene 1 when Romeo and Tybalt argue, the low angle shot show’s Tybalt’s dominance when Romeo drops to his knees as he refuses to fight Tybalt. This then shows the power struggle between the Capulets and the Montagues which create tension and
Romeo and Juliet
Olwethu Masiza
16013255
Question 2 : Filmic devices
This essay will discuss the different filmic devices in Romeo and Juliet, namely extreme close-up; low angle shot; tilt; zoom and flashback, and why Baz Luhrmann has chosen to use each one of these filmic devices. Luhrmann has chosen to use all these different camera shots so that he creates a meaningful scene full of mixed emotions.
Extreme close up is when the camera zooms in very closely to a particular subject, for example, the nose, eye or mouth fills most of the frame. One of the reasons why photographers or filmmakers use extreme close-up is so that they can emphasise that particular subject or object. In Romeo and Juliet we see that Baz Luhrmann uses extreme close-up in the …show more content…
Luhrmann inserts a flash forward flash forward sequence of Romeo entering the Capulet tomb, “well-neoned” (Martin, J.L. 2002) with crosses. In the last scene of the drama, after Romeo drank the bottle of poison and Juliet shot herself, we see a flashback of Romeo and Juliet’s love journey.
Tilt is a vertical camera movement where the camera points up or down from a stationary location. In Act 3 Scene 1 we see that the camera tilts when Tybalt is assaults Romeo. We also see that the camera tilts in Scene 2 when Juliet is busy talking to herself and then Romeo startles her and they both fall into the pool.
Low angle is a shot where the camera angle is positioned low anywhere below the eye line, looking up. The effect that a low angle shot has is that it makes the subject look strong, powerful and in control. In Act 3 Scene 1 when Romeo and Tybalt argue, the low angle shot show’s Tybalt’s dominance when Romeo drops to his knees as he refuses to fight Tybalt. This then shows the power struggle between the Capulets and the Montagues which create tension and