1:46 -
- everything here is designed to make flint look like a failure and overpowered
- weather + lighting + pull back to super high angle shot down on Flint all make him look weak
1:58
- cool blue is associated with struggle/failure
- warm lighting from the outside contrasts this and offers hope
2:14 - 2:28
- super deep perspective amps up the drama
- multiple triangles and arrow shapes help circulate the viewer's eye around the room, but always lead them back to flint and mom
- in the bed-level medium and OST/next to the bed shots, framing the warmth of the door behind mom helps us associate her with success and positivity.
2:25 - 2:40
- the lab coat is symbolic in the movie - it's what gives kid flint the courage to grow into adult flint
- the reveal is great and symbolic as well
- in the first shot we only see the shadow. Flint doesn't know what it is - and neither do we! At the same time, the mom's dialogue makes us want to know!
- the second shot is the reveal. Super low angle, and the coat frames mom's face! We'll look for the eyes first in a shot, so to frame her face with the coat is genius - you can't miss it! The diagonals here help to enhance the drama, and the low angle makes it look POWERFUL!
- The third shot has flint rising up in bed (symbolic - he's gaining confidence/levelling up - so they reflect this in his movement. In addition, he too is framed by two pillars, one on each side, which are parts of the coat, again framing his face.
- The fourth shot has a comedic beat, where Flint's enthusiasm kicks in and he jumps up to grab the coat. Both the gesture (jumping) and the beat (cute/funny) work well with this framing.
- The final shot of this sequence shows Flint running to and hugging his mom. Note how the orbiting camera adds to the drama and allows the filmmakers to end on a close up of flint. Powerful!
2:55 - 3:20
All of the shots featuring Flint drawing/exploring/etc feature deep perspective and moving cameras.
3:20 - 3:55
All of the gag shots involving Flint's failed inventions are (for the most part) framed from a flat perspective.
Do you think the contrast of the deep shots in 2:55 - 3:20 help make the flatness in 3:20 - 3:55 funnier?
5:34 -
5:34 - lots of depth in this shot, mainly in the form of F's finger, which leads us to Steve in the next shot (F's eyes, fingers and arm form a triangle which Steve sits in the middle of in the next shot)
5:37 - deep camera move
5:39 - totally 100% flat shot, adds to awkwardness, humor, and helps exaggerate difference between these two characters. Note how both characters are lit with spotlights from above, and are framed in front of pools of light
5:48 - 6:05 - all deep perspective shots with moving/orbiting cameras
6:06 - coffee break - totally flat with no movement! Makes it more awkward! Is it more funny with the deep shots that contrast it beforehand?
6:08 - 6:20
To make an activity such as plugging in a cord seem awesome, they repeat it over and over from different angles. The angle through which the cords "connect" becomes a motion vector, which seems to travel around the clock, hitting almost every angle you can think of.
The pace of these shots is super quick until the finale, where the two final shots are help longer to give the audience a sense of completion and satisfaction.
8:58 -
Deep/Limited space in the final shot of the dad/son confrontation. Also, note the strong color saturation of warms behind the dad contrasting the cool colors surrounding.
9:11 -
Flat space, designed to emphasize the humor/awkwardness of the scene
9:55
The cans of sardines are an important prop in this scene. To make them stand out, the filmmakers:
- color them red/warm, which contrasts everything else in the shot
- put them on the lower left third
- have flint stack them into a triangular shape
10:31
The wrecked pile of sardines AND the vertical edge of the shelf help to separate the father and son and divide them further.
10:40 ish
The dad is framed in front of the front window in such a way that he and the door frame become one big center-oriented vertical column. Great way to emphasize the authority figure aspect of dad!
10:51
Flint's curved posture contrasts everything else in the shot, which is straight-edged, making him stand out.
10:58
Chain link fence used as a framing element to make the mayor feel imprisoned.
Baby Brent's posed in a way that he creates an arrow pointing at the mayor
SUPER subtle camera push-in to enhance the tension - watch the edge of the frame as it moves in!
11:43
Mr. T's head, back arm and pointed finger form a triangular arrow that points at F.
11:48 - 12:00
The shot of Mr. T doing acrobatics is still, allowing us to concentrate on the action.
The close up of him also frames his son, which shows off the size difference between the two.
12:15
Fun way to break the 180 degree rule: introduce a third party! The initial framing is genius, as the jaywalker appears in the negative space between T and F's faces. The walker then leads T, who pursues and helps transition across the 180 line.
14:00
Shots of Baby Brent are flat, enhancing the comedy/awkwardness
Shot of Flint connecting his food maker is super deep, with a deep dramatic camera move.
Flint jumps over the fence, lands on his face, runs around the corner and activates the machine. Because of the framing, the entire motion is one big arc!
Shot of Mr. T starts as a medium/close-up, and as he realizes something is wrong, we pull out, revealing more of his surroundings. This makes him feel more aware of his surroundings, more sensitive to threats and more vulnerable at the same time. The new framing allows him to show off his new moves really well too.
The gradual push in to the mayor builds the excitement of what he is going to unveil.
21:00 - the film becomes super-saturated, with higher contrast and higher color intensity from this moment forward.
