The document analyzes visual and narrative elements in a film, focusing on techniques such as shot composition, lighting, and editing that enhance themes of mystery, suspense, and character dynamics. It highlights protagonist Brendan's emotional journey, emphasizing his moral ambiguity and internal conflicts, while exploring relationships and social interactions with other characters. The use of symbols, such as clocks and colors, further deepens the narrative's complexity and enhances the film's overall tone.

1. Brick Notes
Music score for beginning. Sad shot of protagonist eyes
Dead girlfriend, establishing shot
Repetition of street names to notes
Over the shoulder shot of watch
Eyeline match POV shaky cam shot
Fade from important person face to next shot
Passage of time shown by focus on clock
Panning high angle shot to show both characters and scene
Panning shot matches characters feet movement
Low angle of Brendan walkinf away
Voyeurism behind cars
Transition effect
Piece of paper passed to Emily
Quiet time of Brendan contrast to him running while camera
keeps low angle of him.
Focus on shoes reflects on her in beginning scene.
Ambigious about activities. Drugs?
Music reflects mood of character
Goodbye reinforces her death.
Close up on notepad as shown earlier
Sting on piece of paper that fell out (significance)
Pacing reflects state of mind
Extreme close up on paper showing time and builds up until it
changes to midnight after which it cuts
Paper filled in
Repetition of first scene
Zooms on tunnel followed by footsteps and then thud as flash of
light indicates knock out.
Anonymity kept to killer or suspect
Shot reverse shot of Brendan and mate
Objects blocking people
Neutral emotion contrast emotional trauma
Only that something has occurred does he consider dropping the
case
Voyeurism shots panning

2. Voiceover leads to flashback
Brick and pacing on brick wall
Music heightens to new genre as he takes action
Investigation
Jock stereotype trying rally support for his cause
Brendan plays to his ego to get on his side
Defies trope and fights him
Rejects help yet relies on his other friend
Shades emphasise mysterity
POV shots to emphasise knock out
Foreshadow of events heightening
Telephones common symbol
Callback to black car from beginning
Uses reflection to show characters actions
Shot reverse shot of car coming towards him
POV trunk shot anonymity of car colour and trunk placement
Low key lighting
Rule of thirds
Antagonist reveal in chair swivel
Black clothes
Bright light
Score heightens during strangling
Chiaroscuro lighting makes him more mysterious
Contrast to next scene more domestic
Binary opposites between Pin and thug clothing attitude
Despite his safe zone with his dealings it contrasts activities
Focus on Brendan
Tries to make more connections
Fast paced dialogue with any non-dangerous person and
Brendan
Trying to help always
Carra is a femme fatale through attitude and dress doesn’t work
Repetition of not drop from locker with same note different
fold/writing
Knife is brandished and close up on blood

3. Flight as opposed to fight
Diagetic sound footsteps and knock out on pole
Lamp and low angle
Close up of clock to represent race against time
Train makes transition to next scene
Sun and sea contrast previous dark scenes
Acts older than he really is with the cane
Back lighting
Cuts to thug watching
Pan up from newspaper to his friend.
Bird ornaments: chicken, duck, eagle
High angle shot on drawers
Panning shot towards door
Lit room contrasts dark room
High key lighting reveals a brick of white powder
Spinning mirror reflects light and tensity of situation then stops
after
Both of them want to figure out what’s going on
Entrance of pin through back lighting
Symbol on paper is similar to emily’s note but line is slanted
Jump cut between images of Brendan, black bag, Emily and
phone.
Feet shot of stumbling then correcting himself
Square of confrontation
Grass in water means Tug let it go and goes after Dode.
Jumpcuts
Low-key lighting
Low angle shot on Brendan when he confronts Karra
Music distorted
Build up confrontation
Fan shot spinning disorientation, confusion
Flashbacks to the tunnel (area of Emily’s death) Brendan reveals
his true emotions
Fade to black
Close up on cigarette symbolize importance
Close up on watch show passage of time
Plastic bag in the trunk leaves out contents = enigma

4. Match on action
Music similar to that of a showdown
Low angle
Selective/diagetic/pleonastic – getting louder
Close up of blood to indicate danger
Focal pull
Close up on parts of Brendan
Chiaroscuro lighting indicates split decision
Emilys corpse played off iconography
Birds taking flight – Pins left power
Feathers in her hair
Shot reverse shot of Brendan and Laura and building score to
realization
Focus ball to present sense of perspective
Shot reverse shot of Brendan then Laura walking away

5. NARRATIVE
- ambiguity, open ended
- enigma with questions
- non-linear narrative fractured, includes Emily’s body
uncovered in first scene then goes back by 2 days
- strong script reliant on dialogue,
- Order>Disorder>New Order
- Internal & External Conflict
CHARACTERS
- Femme fatale = Karra (red lipstick, costume),
- Brendan – battling inner demons, outsider, dark colours
doesn’t change, moral ambiguity, defies trope by fighting
Dode, Tug, Brad. Glasses represent his façade that he puts
on when they come off he fights. Makes friends based on
social connections enforces resourcefulness. Flaw of bad
sight is shown through low focus
- Dode – greaser, black clothing, danger,
- The Brain has a Rubik’s cube and glasses to represent sign
of intelligence
- The Pin – swivel chair, low key lighting, dark clothing
acting older than he is
EDITING
- jump cuts -locker open then close, between character dialogue
(no voiceless pauses emphasizes pace of film)
- match on action to the watch, struggle for the gun, cuts to
complete cube when Brendan figures out idea
- flashbacks envoke disorientation, separate colour, mood
lighting
ellipses – removal of parts of narrative to leave ambiguity
shot reverse shot – Brendan’s reaction to Emily’s dead body
features, car and Brendan

6. CAMERA
Dutch tilt - uneasiness
Voyeurism shot - library
Match on action – struggle for gun, centre on door, watch and
clock
Close up on cigarette, watch, piece of paper accompanied by
sound to signify important details
Low angle – power, imposition. E.g. Vice-Principal Trueman
and Brendan in office ends with less low angle to represent
Brendan’s dominance in scene. Dynamic shift
Dolly-counter zoom shot of Tug punching Brendan
LIGHTING
- natural lighting creates uneasiness E.g final confrontation with
Laura
- chiaroscuro lighting shows contrast (final confrontation in
hallway, Laura)
- back lighting creates anonymity, suspense, uncertainity, power
and holding answers, person in the tunnel
SOUND
- Pleonastic Sound – car engine
- Sound Bridge of bell
- Builds up to key plot points and is loud during scenes of
conflict
IDEOLOGY
Hierarchy
Patriarchal system – masculine viewpoint
Misogyny – violence towards Karra, murder,
sexualisation/objectification of women
Mentally unhinged protagonist
Blurring of fiction and reality
THEMES & MOTIFS
Relationships
Trust

7. Enigma/Mystery
Time – smashing the glass with the clock
Illness – mental/physical
MOOD AND TONE
Suspense
Mystery
Desolate
Isolated
SYMBOLIC CODES (including enigma and binary opposites)
Enigma
Time (clock, watches)
Tug and Pin are binary opposites (attire, behaviour)
SETTING & MISE-EN-SCENE
Red flowers match red dress, red eye shadow
Potential romantic interest illustrated through lusty red colour,
fire, drinks, outstretched hand, candles, chandeliers,
Pathetic fallacy of happier times contrast to overcloud low key
lighting
EDITING
THEMES & MOTIFS
IDEOLOGY
NARRATIVE
SETTING & MISE-EN-SCENE
MOOD & TONE