2. The film opens with an over the shoulder shot of the protagonist in a bathroom looking into the mirror. The
shot type uses the rule of thirds, which allows important props to be shown within the shot. For example, the
props include a picture of the Eiffel tower and a world map, which can signify to the audience that this
character aspires to get away from his current lifestyle. This brings more depth and detail into this character
just from the opening shot which immediately creates tension as the audience can identify that the common
use of looking into a mirror gives the impression of disequilibrium. This is emphasised by the character to
the mirror ‘Soyez Calma’ which translates as ‘Be Calm’ in French. The spoken language he used can link to
the image of the Eiffel tower and imply that France is his desired location. Another photograph we see on
the wall includes a Polaroid picture of a female. This can represent the reason he may want to escape to
France, as her picture is placed next to the map.
3. The shot shown then cuts to a high angle close up shot of the protagonist rinsing his hands. Within the
shot, we can see a tattoo across the characters forearm. The use of this brands the character and makes
him easily identifiable to the audience. This idea also recreates the characteristics of a cult film, as
characters within these films would be well known through the use of props, quotes and defined
characters. For example, the character ‘Ash Williams’ in the movie ‘Evil Dead’ is a cult character in film,
as he is well known from the use of his chainsaw and sawn-off shotgun.
4. The close up shot showing the tap running takes the attention away from the protagonist and applies the main focus
to the tap. This can be used to create tension for the audience as they may suspect something bad may happen to the
character. This is because the audience can only hear the tap running and all other sound is cut out until the tap is
turned off. Whilst this is happening, the shot then cuts to the protagonist drying his face, with the sound of the tap
overlapping the shot. This creates a sense of a numb feeling for the character as the audience can only hear the tap
running which can create a pulsating and damaging feel. This also makes the audience feel threatened as the
character is completely dominated by the sound of the tap which again backs up the idea that something bad may
happen. The shot then cuts to a low angle shot of the character turning the tap off. This juxtaposes the idea of the taps
being threatening as he is shown in power by the low angle shot. The next shot shows a close up of the plughole as
the water is drained. This connotes the idea that the character has sealed his fate and his path and ending is
foreshadowed by something bad. This can make the audience feel worried and sympathetic towards the character, as
although his intentions may be good, it seems inevitable that something bad may happen to him.
5. The establishing shot of the bathroom can make the audience familiar with the type of environment the
protagonist lives in and is associated with in his life. For example, we can see his mirror has been taped
to the wall using duct tape. Also the way his bathroom is presented shows that he is careless concerning
his own health. This shows that he may be struggling financially and his home isn’t his main focus. From
the use of colour and low contrast, this can make the audience feel that this character is dark and
secluded from society. This again may make the audience feel sympathy towards this character even
though he seems dangerous. Later in the shot, the protagonist is seen picking up his phone and putting it
in his pocket. This is deliberately shown to give his phone importance so the audience is aware that his
phone is needed. The shot then cuts to a close up of the protagonists face. This shot is shown through
the mirrors point of view, so his facial expressions are clear. His facial expressions give a sense of
restlessness. This tells the audience that he is about to commit to doing something that he shouldn’t do.
This makes the audience anxious, as they are uncertain of the outcome of what is going to happen.
6. Throughout the opening, we can see that the character has a gold watch and necklace. This connotes some
sense of wealth even though he treats his apartment poorly. The fact that his appearance is more important shows
that he may have a large reputation and an important role in what he does. His clothing is shown to be casual
which shows he doesn’t have a real job and is comfortable with what he’s wearing.
Before the protagonist leaves the last shot, we see he picks up a bag. Although we don’t fully see that bag, we
know that it is significant and relevant to what he’s about to do. This makes the audience question what’s in the
bag as the character seems to be cautious with the bag. As he leaves, the shot remains still and focused onto the
mirror as the light is turned off. By having this shot, it gives a sense of something not being right and something
being left being which tells the audience that the character shouldn’t leave his apartment. This can make the
audience feel tense and uncomfortable as again, the character is foreshadowed by something bad.
7. As the opening credits begin, establishing shots of the city are shown which appears to be London. The shots show
the city at night, which are colourful and give an aesthetic feel throughout as the shots are from the protagonist’s
point of view whilst he’s in a cab. This would make the audience appreciate the city but also be alert of what occurs
at night which makes the sequence seem realistic. The sound used throughout the credits is slow and the beat used
creates tension for the audience and makes it mysterious, as we’re unaware of the destination. As the character
leaves the cab, a rule of thirds shot is used that establishes the surroundings as it mostly consists of graffiti and dirty
pavements. This shows the audience the darker side of London at night where crime is most likely to take place.
