Film Analysis sample

Throughout this scenes is John Watson who romantically searches for Sherlock realizing his friend is in great danger. Using this scene we discuss the language of film (Gaucheness. & Startled, 2012), observing the main elements and techniques- miss-en-scene, cinematography, editing and soundtrack- to create a scene in a film. In regards to miss-en-scene the scene takes place in what seems to be a classroom of sorts, Sherlock is face to face with the killer who, as mentioned earlier, is a taxi driver. The characters are facing each other, the dialogue intense yet offhand.
With two tootles of pills between them, and the scene set in the evening, the only light that appears to be on is the one above the two characters as the emphasis of focus is on the them and the pills as Sherlock is trying to decipher which bottle contains the pill that kills and which doesn’t. While the scene is set in a classroom with the constant close-ups on the faces of the two characters, there are times when it almost looks like they are in an interview room with the lighting above and sitting on opposite sides of a table.
The music helps intensify the scene constantly creeping in and out of the scene building drama around these two people and these pill bottles. Sherlock dressed familiar attire of a long coat and scarf with his superior condescending look deduces that the cable dressed in his recently laundered but outdated clothing is a dead man walking with a brain aneurysm. Thus the scene is dramatic but with a sense of realism in the way the characters are dressed and set for an intense showdown. As this is all taking place in the classroom, during the intense moment the scene is then taken back to Watson as he realizes that Sherlock is in danger.

The music has a sense of urgency to it as John after discovering the danger his friend is in searches frantically in the classrooms. Close ups are a main part in the scene as it builds the tension showing the facial expressions on both characters faces. As they take their seats in the classroom, the establishing shot is a mid-shot of the characters but a long shot of the classroom which helps set that particular scene. There are moments in the scene where the camera pulls back almost as a way to relieve the viewers from the tension.
While the sighting is bright when they enter the classroom, it slowly dims so the focus is always on the two characters emphasizing the dramatic undertones of the scene. But the emphasis is the close ups on the characters. The scene is deliberately shot as a dialogue between to characters constantly switching from a close up on character to the other At first low angle shot on the taxi driver which portrays as being the dominating character as he is in charge of the scene but slowly as Sherlock pieces together the reasons for the taxi drivers murderous campaign, the angle is more eye level.
Meanwhile during this intense meeting we cut to Watson with mid to long shots that are used as he is still looking for Sherlock in the school. There are close ups on his face showing his genuine concern for Sherlock the pace a lot faster than that in the dialogue scene of Sherlock and the Taxi driver. Within this scene it should be noted that continuity editing is apparent through shot reverse shot, eye line match, match on action, the 180 degree rule and the continuity of action sound and lighting. (Gaucheness. Startled, 2012) Watson running around scenes are fast paced and he dialogue between the two characters seems a slower pace but both are the same type of pace as the duration between the shots do in deed decrease heightening the suspense within this scene. Because of this constant dialogue between the two characters the camera is constantly cutting from one character to another developing this rhythmic editing used with the constant back and forth banter between Sherlock and the Taxi driver. Also established in this scene is the match on action “wherein a movement or action is started in one shot and completed in the next” (Gaucheness.
Startled, 2012) This again, is portrayed well in this scene as the tension builds between the taxi driver and Sherlock with those who are smarter than who dialogue. Within this scene the non-dietetic sounds are blended with dietetic sound. During the dialogues pieces between Sherlock and the taxi driver the music is only heard quite faintly whenever Sherlock makes a deduction and when the taxi driver emphasizes his superiority. Through Watson scenes the music is urgent and you hear his footsteps so you are able to pick up on his urgency to find his friend.
The USIA used is a repetition of the shows theme either with Just certain part taken or the same sequence in the score repeated in variation. The music theme is used constantly through the entire series of Sherlock and seems to play an integral part to the telling of each scene in any Sherlock episode blending in with the characters and the scenes themselves. As seen with the tension that is built up between the Taxi Driver and Sherlock. It’s quiet yet as the drama unfolds it gets a little louder and quietest again making sure that the focus us on every little word that is said between the two characters.