The document provides analysis of various cinematography, editing, color, and prop techniques used in the film "In Time." It discusses how close-ups, mid-shots, and long shots are used to convey meaning and establish characters. It also analyzes how continuity editing, shot transactions, and titles are employed to set the theme of time and create a fast pace. Color is highlighted as important for mood, with bright colors in the protagonist's home contrasting with washed-out colors outdoors. Props like time displays and futuristic vehicles help build the film's futuristic world. Together these elements use visual storytelling to immerse viewers in the film's dystopian sci-fi setting and themes.

1. In TIme

2.
This shot is an example of establishing the Dystopian society that the film In Time is
set in. The colours in this long shot are drained completely of vibrancy which creates a
sense of desolation and hopelessness within the film. The colours that are shown are
pale and dirty and the lack of plantation on the dusty mud infers the lifelessness of
this society, nothing productive comes from the society that they live in. The
references to time “ONLY 1 HOUR”, “99 SECONDS ONLY Stores” are in sync with the
title and the futuristic theme of the film.

3. Genre:Thrillers are designed to excite the audience keeping them on the edge of their seats, in the opening
sequence of a thriller, the director (Andrew Niccol) needs to establish that the film is thriller by using
signifiers; The implication of their being something that will lead to the Thriller aspect of the movie later on
within the film.
This mid-shot of the man
wearing a suit is packed with
different details that point
toward sinister goings on. First
off the clothing of this man,
despite it being a colourless
suit it indicates toward luxury
and wealth and differentiates
to the working-class jumpsuits
that the other characters in
The separation between this man and the other this scene are wearing, the
people in the industrial work-place indicates to contrast between this man
his authority and his expression reinforces this, and the ghetto is further
the eye contact made between himself and Will highlighted by the brick wall
Salas (Justin Timberlake) foreshadows the rest of behind him
the film, where in which Will does a lot of
“staring-down” with authority. The thriller genre
is established here and empowered by the
zeroed out person in this low-angle mid-shot.

4. Exposition: The camera establishes the setting by using a
panning close up that revolves around the protagonist. The
camera uses this as an opportunity to establish the setting and
therefore the themes and genre of this film. This therefore
gives a place, setting the atmosphere for the film and
therefore helping toward the narrative of the film.

5. Exposition: The voice-overat the very
beginning of In Time conveys knowledge
that the audience would not know without
the assistance of this non-diegetic voice is
information. The over-voice works as a
guide and provides the audience with
background information that will aid the
audience as the film progresses. For
example we as an audience would not
understand this:
Evidently neither of them looks old enough to
be 50 years old but because of the information
provided by our narrator at the beginning of
the film audiences understanding is established
and the science-fiction part of the genre is
established by the explanation of this. The
voice-over of the protagonist indicates to his
importance later on in the film and it is also
part of the exposition as it introduces the
narrative.

6. Exposition: The non-diegetic sound of the slow high key piano music and the
heart-beat like sound playing in unison at the very beginning of In Time, infers
that the green glow (which is a zoomed in version of the 13 numbered clock
which as the film moves on we learn is their life force) is equivalent to their
heartbeat, this builds a connection with modern day sounds that are associated
with life and death. The music is slow, high key and sad inferring that this new
form of a ‘’life-line’’ is like the music; sad. The non-diegetic music and heart-beat
sounds do the same job as the narrative in terms of helping establish the
exposition. The music and sounds of the heart, point toward thinking of life but
the sad music contrasts to it because it sounds sad, as if something upsetting is
about to be said, and soon enough the voice over is heard. All these sounds; the
non-diegetic sounds of the heartbeat, the music and the over voice all work
towards establishing the narrative so that the audience understand the story.

7. Exposition: The protagonist, Will Salas, played by Justin Timberlake is first introduced through the use of the
over-voice; his knowledge adds authority to his character which is further reinforced by his status as a
Hollywood star. The first visual representation of him is shown through, a mid-shot of him looking at his
“clock”
There’s darkness around him and the only light is coming from his “clock” which essentially is his life this
may indicate to him constantly looking at his clock, nothing around him matters at that moment, this
gesture is repeated throughout the film by many other characters in the ghetto and the simple gesture
establishes class within the film. The rich don’t need to look at their clocks which to them functions more
like a purse but the poor however are constantly looking at it. Will is a representation of all those other
working-class people who don’t have “more time on their hands than hours in the day”. This functions
towards helping exposition as this perception of Will isn’t just of Will Salas it is of everyone, all those living
in the ghetto make exactly the same movements that he does and using Will Salas to represent the bigger
picture at the beginning of the movie infers that he is an important character and perhaps will lead all of the
people that he represents. First impressions of the protagonist are important as they help toward
establishing narrative, the automatic response of the audience when they see this man is to believe him to
be the hero. Through character narrative devices the audience unconsciously deduce the fact that this man
who has barely been introduced is the protagonist.

8. Cinematography
Cinematography is important in this movie and especially in thrillers
because it allows the audience to see only a certain amount of
information, what is shown within a frame allows the audience to
interpret what they have seen. Cinematography can point toward a
character’s state of mind, indicate to the genre of a film and each shot
has a different meaning hence why there are so many of them.

9. What Does this Tell you about the Character of
Will Salas?

10. Cinematography: This mid-shot of Will Salas tells us a lot about the protagonist’s state of mind. The city is
reflected through the glass, indicative of place and also of his origins, the rust on the grills that trap him
behind the glass (in the confines of the ghetto in which he lives) is rusty and dirty, which infers to the
poverty of the place in which he lives and also shows that Will Salas may feel trapped by the place in which
he lives as he is looking out toward the outside of the window and not straight at the camera. There is also
the positioning of Will Salas is arm, that arm is the arm with the clock and although it is not directly visible it
is important to acknowledge that that is the arm that holds his life, the currency that is trapping him within
that unkempt and dirty atmosphere.

11. Cinematography: As explained before different shots can mean different things and draws the audience to
make certain conclusions by what they have seen. Cinematography is an important aspect in helping the
audience to decipher something from what they have seen. All these shots, which have been spoken of
earlier in the presentation all convey different meaning by using cinematography
Close up
Mid-Shot
Long Shot

12. Editing
Editing alters how the audience sees things within In Time and
highlights certain things prioritising them and indicating their
importance within the film. Editing is important to a thriller as it adds
the “edge of your seat” aspect to the film as it only shows certain
things.

13. Editing: Continuity Editing, provides the essence of time and atmosphere within a film and is used
consistently within In Time. Essentially continuity editing runs in chronological order, providing a sense of
time as the movie is moving forward, this of course goes with the theme of In Time which is of moving
forward and persevering against the odds. Continuity Editing provides this aspect of time moving forward.
Editing: Shot transactions are also another form of editing that is used continuously throughout the
futuristic thriller In Time to add speed and also to show immediate changes of atmosphere or emotions. The
shot transaction were used within In Time to change scenes, the film completely neglected the traditional
fading from one scene to the next and opted instead for shot transactions. This is indicative of the trait that
all the working class within this movie have, which is that they do everything to quickly because they “don’t
have time” to waste. It also adds the fast past that is sometimes associated with Thrillers.
Editing: The titles at the beginning of the movie already hint to the time theme of the movie and are very
nicely done, but they are not incorporated within the actual film footage opting instead for a black screen
with the name of the production company and the title of the film. The actors’ names were not shown until
the casting list at the end of the movie. The title of In Time has a countdown clock on the letter “I” going
down from 6 -1 so that the 1 then becomes “I”, this time themed title reminds the audience of what the film
is about and is nicely done in keeping within the themes of the title itself

14. Mise-en-Scene
Mise-en-Scene is a very important part of In Time as they aid
in establishing the atmosphere and tone of the film and also
adds realism to the film, making it seem more futuristic for
example. There are 4 very important aspects of Mise-en-
Scene that help to show the tone and atmosphere of In Time.

15. Spot the differences in the use of colour

16. Colour (Mise-en- Scene): Colour really helps to establish the mood within In Time and is used very
effectively in two different scenes within the opening sequence.
Colour is very important in terms of a film as it shows the mood or state of minds of
characters and helps the audience to understand more about particular characters
within the story/ the scene. The colour of the kitchen in this scene for example are
bright, the oranges of the light shade , the green of the wall and the blues of the
characters clothing and the fridge all point towards vibrancy a good life, but notice
how dirty the walls seem to be. I think that the use of colour here was meant to show
that these two characters are satisfied with the life that they have and although
sometimes it can be tainted they are okay because they have a connection with each
other. The fact that they are wearing the same colour shows this, that they have a
connection and that they are play satisfied with life because at least they have each
other.

17. Colour (Mise-en- Scene): This scene outdoors really helps in conveying the dystopian theme of the movie as
all the colours are washed out and barely existent. Everything seems to have a gritty coating over it which
contrasts to the colourful pastel colours of the Kitchen in Will Salas is house. The watery colours in this
scene and the grittiness of it reinforce the dystopian world outside and also constitutes as a way to
differentiate how Will Salas feels within his home with his mother; safe, satisfied, happy. And how he feels
outside of his home; invisible, sad, unable to change anything. The difference implies the protagonist’s
feelings toward the 2 different atmospheres.

18. Props (Mise-en-Scene): Props are extremely important within this film as the futuristic-ness of In Time is
established. Apart from the “time capsules” there are also other devices that help to establish the fact that
the time and place within the movie In Time is different from the one that we live in.
This device is used to pay
for things in stalls and
shops , reducing the time
on people’s clocks
according to how many
minutes things cost. It
adds to the futuristic genre
of the film and therefore
helps with the film.
The truck does not look
like modern day cars, its
abnormality highlights it
as being something from
the future. Props like this
are important in
establishing the realism
of a futuristic type film
like In Time.

19. The End