1. Analysis of Opening Film Techniques Employed: Snatch
Film Techniques Examples of typical film techniques used and why–
Illustrate your findings with references to actual
onscreen moments.
Titling (colour, font style,
over image or black, Begins with a plain black screen, thick white font is used
timing, credits over the top informing us of production and distribution
presentation etc) companies.
Titles and credits later continue over the actual footage as
it progresses into the film; actor’s names, costume
designers etc are written on small black
squares/rectangles in bold white font, once again in
keeping with the simplistic original design.
The credits and titling are fairly regular and continuous,
roughly 5 or 6 seconds apart.
Camera Movement
(panning, tracking, crane There is little to no camera movement at first, shots are
shot and crabbing etc) still and sustained on the two men on screen, sometimes
in a mug shot style close up, allowing audience to focus
and familiarize themselves with the characters.
This lack of little movement continues as a result of the
footage being shot as though through a CCTV camera.
The actors walk in and out of frame. The camera pans
back and forth and up and down as it moves from one
CCTV monitor to the next.
Movement suddenly speeds up when the criminals reveal
themselves and begin the robbery. Movement is erratic
and jolting, the camera spins, shakes and pans rapidly as
it follows the action of the footage.
Camera Angles (high and
low angles etc) Over the shoulder shots are used at first, suggesting to us
that the two men on screen are being interviewed, or
questioned. These angles later develop into close ups,
that resemble mug shots, suggesting to us that they are
criminals and being interrogated. This opening allows the
audience to be introduced and familiarize themselves with
the main characters, one of which is the narrator.
High angle shots are used continuously at first, as the
beginning of the film is shot as though by a CCTV
camera.
The camera angles rapidly change when the robbery
begins. Jaunty low-angle shots and shaken extreme close
ups installs the required emotions of panic, fear and
chaos.

2. Mise-en-scène (colour,
figure, props, lighting, The colour scheme used throughout is dull and dreary. At
objects, location and first the footage itself is filmed in black and white, as the
setting;) CCTV cameras are filmed this way. Although, even when
we move away from the black and white screens of the
monitors, the colour footage is muted. The clothes of all
characters seen on screen are black, white or grey: the
suits of the men in the office, the casual clothes of the
men being interviewed and the dark solemn robes of
rabbi’s. This dully-coloured theme is continued via the
set. The interior of the office is awash with dark and
dreary colours: the furniture is black and grey, as are the
walls.
The rabbi costumes are significant as not only are they
costumes, they are also disguises that allow the
characters to enter the office that they later go on to rob,
undetected. The characters also make use of the layered
robes to hide their weapons underneath.
Editing directions
(Match cuts, jump cut, There is no major editing used to begin with, as
reverse shots etc) mentioned the camera simply pans from side to side
following action seen on monitors. This is filmed in one
long continuous shot, with no cuts between.
As the criminals begin the robbery and vandalize the
office they are in, the editing becomes more enthusiastic
and energetic. The footage rapidly cuts between shots
and angles, increasing in speed until it reaches a climax,
once again creating a chaotic atmosphere.
There are no extensive editing techniques such as cross
dissolves or fades used. All editing is sharp, sudden and
immediate.
Sound techniques
(diegetic, non diegetic, At the very start, subtle, traditionally Jewish music plays
silence, dialogue) as we hear the group of rabbis speaking to one another.
This music has relation to what we are seeing on screen,
allowing audiences to recognize they are watching. As the
music is relatively slow it casts a calm and harmless
atmosphere over the footage.
There is a very sudden change in music as the villains re
veal themselves and their guns. We move from silence
and dialogue to an alarm-like piece of music. The
elaborate tempo, heavy beat and energy suggest chaos
and panic, completely contrasting to the atmosphere seen
previously.