1. EmilyMorris – Pre production
Film Analysis – The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Directed by Jonathan
Demme
The Filmopenswitha dollyshotthatphysicallymovesalongside the characterandfullyimmerses
the audience intothe action.She isshowntobe runningthrougha forestwith quite low lightand
the editionof mistinthe backgroundof the shot makesthe settingseemreallysinister.
The fact that a trackingshothas beenusedtofollow the characteras she runs createsthe
impressionthatshe isbeingchasedwhichcouldforeshadow the endof the filmwhereshe isbeing
stalkedbythe character ‘Gumb.’
The camera thentiltsto followherclimbinganetwhichcouldsuggestthatshe will encountera
great obstacle lateroninthe film(tryingtocatch ‘BuffaloBill’).The musicat thispointisquite
ominousandherheavybreathingcanbe heardoverthe top of this.Althoughthisisaninnocent
scene,the soundbecomesverysuggestiveof fearandbeingchasedwhichare elementsthat
commonlyfeature withinpsychological thrillers.
The cameras finallystopsmovingalongside the protagonistasa new character entersandwe geta
close upshot of hisface. Throughthisshot,the focusliesonhishat whichread ‘FBI’quite clearly.
Thisautomaticallymakesthe audience aware thatthe protagonistworksfora very well-known
organisationandgivesaslightinsightintothe storyline.
Subsequenttothisshot,the camerapansdowna tree to reveal signswhichread‘agony,’‘pain’and
‘love – it.’‘Agony’and‘pain’have strongconnotations of sufferingandviolence whichlinkstothe
strongtheme of murderthroughoutthe filmandare alsoverycommonelementsof psychological
thrillers.
I reallylike howthe filmopensbecause Ifeel asthoughthe trackingshotreallyimmersesthe
audience intothe actionandcreatesa sense of haste and confusionthatIwouldlike toreplicate
withinmyfilm.
