HW 1a - Existing film still analysis (DYM)

Chosen film still from White House Down (2013)

Narrative

From the film still we can tell that an explosion has just taken place as there is a hole in the wall and also the sparks and flames within the rubble in the background. The main character is in the foreground and is covered in dirt and dried blood. The blood may indicate that he was involved in a previous conflict/fight. The lighting used is very naturalistic and shows that the scene is taking place during the day. The building that has been partially destroyed in the scene is the White House, the main setting of the film.

Genre

The sparks and destruction makes it clear that this is an action film. Additionally the main character is strong and is covered in cuts and bruises as well as wearing the traditional white vest top which is conventional of heroes in other action films (e.g. Die Hard). The casual clothing shows that the character is being portrayed as a normal person who becomes the hero as the film progresses. The character is also crouched down and staying out of sight which creates suspense about what he plans to do next. The fact that the hero has survived the previous explosion is an example of one of the many death defying stunts that action films contain. In addition to this, the main setting is in a famous city which is another typical feature of action films.

Audience

The character is looking away from the camera which disconnects him from the audience. However a sense of mystery is created as the audience cannot see where he is looking as well as the use of shadows. The fact that the character is in the shadows and in a crouched position suggests that he is hiding from something or someone and makes the audience wonder who or what it could be, intriguing the audience. This also creates concern as the character may be in danger but there is nothing the audience can do as they are watching from an outside perspective. The character may also be looking at where he plans on moving to, creating suspense as the audience wants to know what will happen next.