Film Viewing Practice Essay: "Agent Carter"

The use of film elements improves the overall impact of the film production. The director's choices make a huge difference in the final result. Cinematography, editing, sound and staging are aneffective way to share themes. In this clip from Marvel's Agent Carter, the director uses these techniques in the best possible way, enhancing the film's effects. First, cinematic choices improved the impact of the scene. In the first scene, the editor grabs the audience's attention by using close-ups. Close-ups allow subjects to express their emotions and connect with the audience. The director's selection of scenes that are extremely close to each other to emphasize the emotional connection between them and create suspense and curiosity for the audience. The next notable choice the director made was the multiple shots used throughout the scene. The images of New York City, the control room, the office, and the nighttime skyline convey the different settings and act as transitions between the two scene collections. Dolly shots are used at varying points throughout the clip to demonstrate movement of characters. This technique is helpful when showing the layout of each setting. The editor made thoughtful decisions that would ultimately emphasize the display of emotions. The first scene was an example of sharp cuts back and forth, emphasizing the suspenseful feeling. The two people create parallelism in the edits. Both are frantic and scared, with the same emotions in every shot. The scene can also be recognized as simultaneous because, as the voice call indicates, the scenes are happening at the same time. Office scenes depict potential tension between Agent Carter and the rest of his colleagues. The sharp cuts between shots are made to portray her frustration with the prevalence of sexism in her workplace. In one of the final scenes, Agent Carter walks up to the building and two men step out to see what she needs. She started attacking them because she needed to step in. The man who stayed in the building was sitting, lying on a chair and eating snacks, oblivious to what was going on outside. This is an example of concurrency. The two scenes end when she breaks the glass. Sound had a huge impact in the final production of the film. The somber music of the first scene emphasizes the emotional connection between the astronaut and the people in the control room. When communicating over the phone, audio is considered the only way for two people to connect. The film used asynchronous dubbing to incorporate additional sounds. In the office, the alarm goes off, signaling a call for a new assignment. Mysterious music is played, creating suspense in the audience's mind. When he entrusts the mission to men, there is a sensitive sense of discomfort. This shows Agent Carter's frustration that she's been left behind because of the mission. For the brief moment she revealed her vulnerability, she looked at her frame. A sad song is played in the background, helping to reinforce the solemn mood.The music suddenly stopped when her boss interrupted his train of thought. As the men leave, their conversation becomes less audible, demonstrating their growing distance from the scene and their apparent distance from Agent Carter. When she picks up the phone after everyone has left, suspense music plays in the background, as she is not authorized to take on this responsibility. In the fight scene, there is a stark contrast between the inside of the building and the patio. There are screams and loud sounds associated with various acts of violence. Man sat carefree listening to music. The click of his gun interrupts a suspenseful soundtrack and ends the clip. The final element of the clip is the use of staging. The costumes of each character represent the 1940s era. Wearing office clothes, the public can assume that office workers are working professionally. Parameters are especially common in clips. Since the clip begins the entire movie, the director had to clear the scene for the viewer. They did this by showing the New York skyline and the office side. The lighting is mostly low light, with shadows on each character's face. The actress has done a great job of converting emotions. In some photos, she shows serious soul-searching, but in others, she shows anger and frustration. She shows the depth of her character through her acting personality. The choices the director makes throughout the film have a huge impact on the final outcome. Changes in cinematography, editing, sound, and direction change the dynamics of the film and improve its impact.