2. ZOMBIELAND
I will be creating an analysis of a particular scene at the beginning of
Zombieland to portray my understanding of how the film uses
cinematography to establish it’s genre of horror. I will also be looking
into how it develops the story and creates meaning for the audience.
During this sequence we see the zombies for the first time. We are
also introduced to the mass destruction that the apocalypse has
caused.
4. Shot
1
The scene opens with a candid,
close up, floor level camera angle.
An American flag is blowing
courageously in the wind, even
though the mass chaos has taken
over the world. The use of the
candid camera angle shows that
the world has been turned upside
down, without chaos even being
shown yet.
5. Shot
2
Next, there is a continuation of the
first shot as the camera spins the
correct way around. We are
suddenly aware of a car that is on
fire. The spinning of the camera
instantly takes the audience to the
point of view a character in the film
would have.
6. Shot 3
As we see the car tipped upside
down sporting lots of flames, a long
shot portrays the US Capitol building
in the background. This creates a
theme of continuity as the building
holds patriotic value. The camera
movement is as though it is being
held by a scared on looker. This is
because the camera is seen visibly
shaking – mimicking the movement
of a shaking, scared hand.
7. Shot
4
Weapons can be seen thrown on
the ground in a medium shot. The
shot has continued from the
previous, and has created a
sweeping motion. From the quick
medium shot of the weapons a
further sense of danger and
conflict is connoted.
8. Shot 5
A medium shot is used to portray
two cars that have imploded into
each other. There is a continuity of
the shots involved as the camera
moves around mimicking how a
human would move and view the
situation. The roaring flames are in
the center of the shot. This furthers
the feeling of chaos and destruction.
Camera pans right and is directed
into the sky.
9. Shot 6
After shot 5 pans right and into the
sky, the camera pans down to
present a zombie jumping over the
top of a car. By the zombie
jumping down into the camera, it
creates the illusion that they are
jumping at the audience
themselves. This creates the fear
that coincides with the horror
genre.
10. Shot 7
After the zombie pounces at the
camera it drops to the floor,
creating the point of view of the
shaken camera man who is now
being eaten. The camera continues
to shake in the hand of the
character.
11. Shot 8
A close up shot is used to present
the zombie devouring the humans
body. From the use of the close up
shot the audience’s screen is
splattered with the humans blood.
Blood and gore are both
conventions of the horror genre, so
this also contributes to the way
cinematography is used to
establish the genre.
12. Shot 9
A close up shot is then used to
show the zombie realising that the
audience are there through the
lens of the camera. The zombie
looks straight into the audiences
eyes and creates a sense of fear for
them.
13. Shot
10
A long shot is then panned into to
show the exact location that the
zombie eating the human is taking
place. The area looks normal, the
green land may indicate that it is
healthy and surviving – a direct
opposite of what is yet to come.
This shot zooms out quite quickly
to show the rest of the world.
14. Shot
11
A long shot is used to portray the
world gradually zooming out. This
camera shot is from out of space –
extremely far away. From this we can
see how the CGI image of the earth
is partially on fire and not the
stereotypical colour that the
audience would expect to see. This
further connotes the sense of chaos
and destruction.
15. Shot
12
The camera zooms out even
further to portray how the world is
on fire. A long shot has been used
once again to portray the vast
amount of destruction hat has
engulfed the world.
17. Shot 1
The scene begins with Wichita who
is standing by a large set of doors.
She has found a bottle of wine
which she wants to share with
Columbus. This shot cut from the
previous one.
18. Shot 2
Shot 1 cuts to shot 2 as we see
Columbus routing through Bill
Murrays house. We see Columbus
from the same direction that
Wichita is looking from. The
audience feel as though they are
there, observing him too.
19. Shot 3
The edit cuts back to show Wichita
as she begins to speak. She is
inviting Columbus to share a drink
with her. She gestures towards the
bottle as the shot cuts to the next.
20. Shot 4
This cuts to show how Columbus
reacts to Wichita’s presence, once
again shown from the angle she is
standing. The edit allows the
audience to see he is nervous when
communicating with her as he
fumbles around.
21. Shot 5
Shot 5 is also cut to portray the
angle that Columbus sees Wichita
from. She is still leaning up the
door frame, holding the bottle of
wine, as she talks with Columbus.
The scene cuts to the next.
22. Shot 6
Once again, shot 6 cuts to portray
the angle that Wichita sees
Columbus from. This creates a
sense of conversation. However, as
Columbus walks forwards towards
Wichita, the edit is continuous and
doesn't’t cut until the last second
when he gets close to her and they
begin to leave the room.
23. Shot 7
This is where the previous shot cuts
to as Columbus reaches Wichita.
Both characters can be seen
leaving and a further cut between
shots is then used to transport the
audience to a new location.
24. Shot 8
The scene cuts to Columbus and
Wichita in a new location. From
here to shot 9 the edit is
continuous as we see the
conversation between the two
characters unfold.
26. Shot 1
• There are multiple locations that are shown throughout
the
opening sequence of Zombieland. These locations
include anywhere from Washington DC ,to an
American football field - to a bathroom, to a strip club.
The main point of the use of mise en scene in the
opening sequence is that it shows how all of these
places have zombies who are attacking humans.
• This use of mise en scene signifies to the audience that
nowhere Columbus can go is safe. The mise en scene
portrays how even when you feel comfortable you are
not safe because this is when you’re most vulnerable.
As a result of the mise en scene, a sense of unease can
be created for the audience.
27. Shot 2
The majority of the opening scenes
locations have used mise-en-scene in
order to represent buildings and cars
as destroyed and vandalized. As a
result of this use of mise en scene, a
message is conveyed to the audience
regarding the mayhem that the
zombies have caused. Finally, the
mise en scene connotes that there is
no place of safety and the only
option left for the remaining
survivors is to run.
29. SOUND
• The opening sequence uses sound effectively to frighten
the audience at times.
• For example, during the scene in the bathroom and also
when the zombie jumps out.
• The use of these loud, sharp sounds are conventional of
the horror genre.
• The purpose of these loud sharp sounds is to make the
audience jump and feel as scared as the characters in the
film.
Editor's Notes
cinematography - 2 scenes
Mise en scene – 2 scenes
