Silent Hill Deconstruction- Camera Shots

This short, just over one minute, sequence from the 2006 supernatural horror film 'Silent Hill' directed by Christophe Gans features a variety of camera shots to create different view points for the audience. The sequence includes a few wide angle and high angle shots (ariel shots) which establish the setting for the audience. The strong use of CGI (computer generated image) and the strong visuals and aesthetics that are shown within the icy setting lends itself to the establishing shots that are used. This is because the shots and the setting they are conveying are made much more interesting to the audience if the setting is much more interesting in itself. The extreme high angle shot (above) conveys (along with the droning, monotonous non-diegetic background sound) the setting as being something the main character should be weary of. The shot does this by emphasising and focusing the audience's attention on the vast icy drop that the main character is slowly walking towards. The way the camera slowly moves, much like the character herself, and tilts towards the drop and reveals more of the setting is also an effective technique to convey the dangers and suspense created within the sequence.

As well as establishing the setting, the opening shot of the sequence (right) also establishes the main character. The establishing shot frames the woman (Rose) in the center of the shot and is the focal point of the shot in the audience's view. Not only does this shot convey Rose as the focal point for this shot but also sets up the character as the focus for the rest of the scene. The camera also moves slowly away from the character which conveys a sense that Rose is lost and isolated in a setting that it is clear she is not accustomed to. The amount of empty space around Rose and the relatively small size she is shown to be within the shot also adds to the loneliness and isolation of the character.

The sequence uses an extreme low angle shot (right), a complete opposite to the high angle shot used moments before, looking up at Rose from within the icy drop. This again emphasises the drop as being a danger that is close to Rose and the way the character looks down towards the camera shows her complete unawareness of her surroundings and conveys the similarly dangerous situation she is in. Again, the size of Rose's character as conveyed in this shot compared to her surroundings further emphasises isolation within the scene.

A low angle, medium shot of Rose shows Rose's emotion and panic at the vast drop before her by focusing on her face. This shot purposefully shows the audience Rose's panic and again conveys her unawareness of her surroundings, almost as if she is lost in the setting and is desperate to find a known place where she can recollect her thoughts. The audience knows that Rose is looking for her daughter hence how she seems so uncomfortable in her surroundings and is desperate to find her daughter as well as a way out. After Rose meets a mysterious and almost monstrous character (Dahlia Gillespie), there is a close up shot (above) of Rose's face as she desperately tries to voice how she is trying to find her daughter. This close-up shot of Rose strongly conveys her desperation of locating her daughter and the lack of background content highlights how Rose is the focal point of shot and the sequence.

The following shot (right) features Dahlia Gillespie, the almost monstrous creature Rose runs into while looking for her daughter. The low angle shot is in line with the eyesight of Dahlia but rather than being shot from over the shoulder of Rose, it is shot much lower, around the same height as Rose's hip. This low angle gives the impression that Dahlia is supernatural and not human being-like when compared to Rose. As well as emphasising how strange Dahlia is by contrasting the two characters in the sequence together, the low angle shot also conveys Dahlia as slightly creepy in the way it frames her looking up at Rose whilst slightly crouching. This adds to the horror aspect of the film as its genre suggests. The low angle tied in with how Dahlia is crouched and obviously a lot smaller in size to Rose work together to create a sinister feeling and one which the audience is made to feel uneasy and uncomfortable.

The sequence also features an extreme close-up of the locket Rose presents which has a picture of her daughter inside it. An extreme close-up shot has been used to frame the locket to hold the audience's attention as it is quite an important part of the plot. The audience can also appreciate the shot more as it is framed in a way which makes it clear. The shot could also bee interpreted as from Dahlia's point of view in the way Rose points the locket into the camera. A following shot (right) is a wide angle shot which shows Rose running away from Dahlia in the direction of the camera. This shot is similar to the opening shot of the sequence where Rose is walking slowly towards the camera in the center of the frame. In this shot, Rose is seen running away from a deserted and eerie background with some rubble on the floor which gives a sense of isolation and that Rose does not really know what dangers she is running away from. The way Rose is filmed running towards the camera gives the sense that she is almost running back to the audience and into safety.

Below is the full sequence from 'Silent Hill' [1:09]