How Is Cinematography Used In The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption uses cinematography, editing, and sound design to convey the dramatic plot of the movie. The lighting, editing choices, narration, and music increase the emotions the viewer feels throughout the film. This paper will discuss, cinematography, editing, and sound design used in The Shawshank Redemption. Cinematography used in The Shawshank Redemption helps the viewer to understand what the characters are feeling and the emotions that should be felt. The lighting inside the Shawshank prison is mostly dark, because prison is mainly thought of a dark and awful place. Andy and the other prisoners are locked away and isolated from the outside world, which is a dark feeling to think of. The lighting used while the characters are outside in the courtyard is lighter, because this is the only freedom that they are able to feel. At the end of the movie, Andy and Red are seen on a beach shoreline with nothing surrounding them. This is showing that they finally have their freedom back and there are no prison walls surrounding them. …show more content…
Parallel action is used at the beginning of the film when Andy is shown in his car with a gun and simultaneously his wife and her lover are being killed. These scenes switch back and forth to build tension leading up to the shooting of both of them. This scene is also used to convince the viewer that Andy did kill them, enhancing the surprise of finding out he actually didn’t later in the film. A jump cut is used when we see Andy in the isolation cell and the next shot is Andy outside speaking to Red. The Warden told Andy he was going to be in isolation for another month, but we don’t see any more scenes until Andy is out of the isolation