The document discusses the opening scene of the 1974 film The Parallax View and how its cinematography establishes a sense of realism and discomfort. Specifically, it notes that the scene uses natural lighting instead of studio lights, employs imperfect camerawork like shaky handheld shots, and relies completely on diegetic sound. This style aims to throw off audience expectations and make them feel uncertain, mirroring the political paranoia theme of the film. The document suggests incorporating similar techniques in its own opening scene, like abnormal camera angles and uneven editing, to draw viewers in and communicate key themes effectively.

1. The Parallax View(1974) Dir: AlanJ Pakula
In the openingto70s paranoiathrillerThe Parallax View,there isasignificantuse of natural light
fromthe sunso as to take away fromthe expectedfamiliarityof anartificiallylitset.Thiscreatesa
feelinginthe viewerasthoughthere issomethingoff aboutthe waythe filmisbeingpresented,
since itdoesnot adhere tothe normalityof a litset. Alreadyitissettingthe tone forsomething
more naturalistic,andsomore realisticforthe viewer,allowingthe directortoconveyalarger sense
of fearand chaosas showninthe restof the scene.
The cinematographyispurposefullyimperfectinseveral shotssoasto add to the realismof the
opening,emphasisingamore fly-on-the-wallstyle of filmmaking.Forexample,inthe momentwhen
the senatoris shot,the camera mightbe expectedtohave beenfocussingonhimfrominside the
building,aswell ashavingseveral cutstomark the momentinwhichhe is killed.Instead,there isan
unbrokenshotwhichwasoriginallyestablishedtofocusonone of the charactersoutside of the
windowinwhichwe see himshotfromoutside,notentirelyclearastowhat has happeneduntilhe
fallsbackonto the window.Aswell asthis,immediatelyfollowingthe assassination,there are
several handheldcamerashotsin whichthe cameramanappearsto be runninghaphazardlythrough
the restaurant.Thisis usedincontrastto the conventionalfilmingstyle inwhichascene like this
mighthave beendone soas to make the audience feel uncomfortable, astheirpreconception of
howit wouldnormallybe done isbroken,andthe handheldcameramovementdrawsthemintothe
chaos.Using abnormal cameratechniques,suchasoff-centre cameraanglesorunevenediting,in
orderto make the audience feel uncomfortable astheymightif theywere inthe situation
themselvesissomethingthatIwouldlike toputto use inmy opening.
The soundis completelydiegeticinthiscase,andcombinedwiththe off-kiltercinema-verite style,
thismakesforsomethingwithaheightenedsenseof realism.ThisissomethingthatIthinkis
importantincommunicatingakeytheme of the film:politicalparanoia.The political themeof the
filmissomethingthat verymuchlinkedtothe political temperature atthe time thatthe filmwas
made,and soto make it realisticcanplant fearin the mindof the viewer,asisthe primarygoal with
manypsychological thrillerslike it.Again,the soundisalsobeingutilisedtothrow the audience off
and defytheirexpectations,makingforasense of uncertainty.Althoughdiegeticmusicisgoingtobe
usedinmy filmopening,Ithinkthatitwouldalsobe a goodideato take away the sense of comfort
or familiarityinthe style of filmmakinginmyopening.