This new production by Nicolas Winding Refn has resemblance to that of Black Swan. As he stated "One morning I woke up and realised I was both surrounded and dominated by women. Strangely, a sudden urge was planted in me to make a horror film about vicious beauty."
We took inspiration from the framing in these long shots, where the protagonist is positioned in the centre of the frame surrounded by symmetrical mis en scene and locations on either side, the use of symmetry makes the scene lose its qualities to catch the attention, instead having the audience focus their attention on main character who is isolated in the centre of the frame.
The use of mirrors is another symbol and motif of duality within a person especially in an over the shoulder shot or a close up, demonstrating alter ego's perceived on either side of the pane of glass. We use this especially within our sequence as in both the public and private bathroom, where her reflection of herself spurs the flashbacks to her eventual inevitable realisation of her alter ego.
The representation of the darker alter ego, is especially representational in the darkness surrounding them especially within lighting such as in the flashback of the bedroom where she is immersed in the darkness, since we only used a key light and no back light. The dark colours even of the costumes and makeup especially in the bottom of the three pictures, with the dark eye and lips to outwardly depict the darkness of the persona. This is the atypical rebellious character, depicted in more hollywood productions likely as promiscuous.
Juxtaposing this, you have the use of white light and high key lighting with the more passive persona, surrounded by reflective objects. This is the atypical fragile "girl next door" character who is timid and vulnerable hunted by the darkness of her thoughts. The lack of intense makeup combined with the paler clothing complimenting her skin tone, produces an angelic quality.
We further used the domesticated settings of bedrooms and bathrooms as they do here, despite the above location depicting a hotel room, we use a similar concept of the public facilities evident in the bathroom, where she attempts to find refuge yet cannot, hence is driven home to her own bathroom.
The point of view eye level close up shot of the tap, we found was particularly not only creepy, but built greater tension in this sequence due to it developing a normal bathroom necessity into a method of death and ultimately an embodiment of fear. We attempted to replicate this within our opening, to determine the more passive persona's fear for everything, how everything reminds and demonstrates to her her alter ego which she is attempting to escape from. Thus we used this close up point of view shot of the tap also.
The editing of the London walk in St Trinian's uses editing where frames are separated into blocks to seem like individual shots and frames, as a means of transitioning from one to the other. We replicated this in our piece, to transition her travelling, not only because it synchronised with the music but it separated the frame which illustrates the separation of our characters personality where she is torn and split between altering characteristics.
We decided due to the nature of it being a psychological thriller, and the use of a schizophrenic multiple personality main character to take and gather inspiration from Black Swan with the use of mis en scene and camera angles/ framing.
Dance of the White Swan
The high key, key and fill light used here accompanied by the top lighting, within an eye level close up shot, emphasises her innocence and naivety but also accentuates the pure sadness and distraught facial expression. We used a similar shot within the bedroom by the innocent persona, using torches to highlight her expression, but lacked any back light to demonstrate the immense darkness she experiences as a result of her mental health issues.
We additionally, use light as a medium of disorientation or confusion of the innocent persona, as a means to demonstrate the distinct difference between her dark and light personality traits. This is generally a key light, such as the spotlight in Black Swan which is instead a light in the tunnel within our chase scene.
Here the makeup reflects the face of our character within the contrasting bath scene, the eye level close up shot with the shoulders included is parallel to the character within the bath tub. The pale face to highlight her cheekbones, determines her as thin and ill whilst colour on the lip here being red the alternative in ours being black connotes tension and suppressed anxiety.
We use a similar close up eye level shot of our character crying, as a means to demonstrate the depth of sorrow and anxiety they are feeling, in both there is a greater use of back light to contrast the character to the great darkness surrounding them.
Similarly, the use of the pastel colours and lighter colour scheme within her dressing room we imitate further in our bathroom with the stereotypical beige and wood inner decor to contrast greatly to the flashback images of the alter ego.
Odile Appears
These two close ups of the alter ego "Odile"'s eyes demonstrates the inner battle between her sanity and her sanctity, yet here we finally see her relinquish to this demonic part of her mental state, evident in the close up and more extreme close up of her face with focus on her eyes. We took inspiration from this by having a number of close ups of her face within the mirror(s), in the bath tub, and further in her flashbacks, with the flashbacks having white contacts as a contrast.
Despite the dramatic makeup being used in Black Swan being used as stage makeup, we used a similar concept as a means of contrasting with the two aspects of her personality. The extremely dark and more manic eye makeup is used on the darker aspects of her personality, as a visual representation of her alternative personas. Even with the more passive and innocent character, we use shots where she attempts to rub off this enhanced eye makeup, to reveal and free herself from this part of her soul.
The Bedroom
The most iconic part of this scene is the use of mirrors as a symbol of duality within a person to demonstrate the two distinctive alternative personalities found in one body. We thus used this in the more intense and industrial toilet setting, but again also in the more domesticated bathroom in her house. The two bathrooms also providing a clear contrast from each other, being an extended metaphor of her two personalities within the surrounding setting. The cold, lifeless public toilet in contrast to the cosy, homely bathroom.
The extreme close ups of the scratches and injuries as an outward representation of her transforming schizophrenic state, we use visually with dramatic makeup the focus on her eyes as this visual representation with her confusion and extreme rubbing of them demonstrating her intense fear and desperation to be separated from this alternative persona.
The red contacts here imitate the white and black contacts we use in her alternative personalities, these are clear to distinctly identify along with the costumes which persona is dominating the main character at that point in the sequence.
Within Psychological Horrors the convention with sound is to use diegetic contrapuntal sound, one that contradicts and contrasts to the actions that are happening on the screen. Below are some of the best examples of contrapuntal sound, that we are aiming to take inspiration from:
A Clockwork Orange- Here the non diegetic contrapuntal orchestral string instruments, oppose the violent kicking and slashing of the main character with his counterparts. It uses the slow motion action, to elongate and accentuate the classical sound; almost condoning what the males are doing, and highlighting the insanity they experience.
The Birds- Whilst the female protagonist, sits with a cigarette, tension is built as she spectates isolated birds instead of finding the flock behind here. During this action, especially once she discovers the birds behind her, there is a class of primary school children singing over the top: despite, the innocence of the children demonstrated in their pitches and volume, it adds a sinister aspect to the piece helping to build the tension.
American Psycho- Using 'Huey Lewis and The News' 'Hip to be Square' it demonstrates an alternative contrapuntal sound where the use of an optimistic song, with a distinctive rhythmic beat, determines the joy of the male in his killing, yet again recognises his insanity. The use of "Square" emphasises his happiness in being a contrasting character to the distinctive norm.
Layer Cake- Using a popular 80's pop piece 'Ordinary World' by 'Duran Duran' with electric guitar being the predominant instrumental influence, sorrow is depicted especially for the victims as they are both murdered at the same point: again the title of the song contradicts with the actions on screen as clearly from the scene we can distinguish that this world for these characters is the opposite of ordinary.
WATCHMEN- The use of the jazz tune "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole, it juxtaposes with the action, fighting that elevates to torture and murder. The slow rhythm presents the sadness at the superhero's murder, whilst the lyrics depict his unforgettable legacy from saving humanity on numerous occasions. Its slow close demonstrates, the inevitable end and death of the male hero; its effect with this scene for the audience to demonstrate sorrow, one that is normally depicted since in fight scenes we usually expect the antagonist to win.
Location Photos taken by Bobbie Notcutt with a Canon 700D
Bedroom- here is where our main character will be staring at herself in the mirror, she will be contemplating within this location her past crimes and current vices, which are the culminated reasoning to her current mental state. Below are a number of close up, and medium shots of the room to distinguish the un-homely, bare, naked vibe, which continues into our main character as she strips her wall and fully recognises her inner self.
Hallway- here the architecture of the hallway of the stone pattern on the wall, provides a medium to receive a shot where the alter ego is distinguished in shadows, yet recognised by the back lighting, demonstrating her existence. Moreover, in the glass of the door a dark figure could appear, yet due to its frosted affect their details will be distorted.
Bathroom- here is where we will film the drowning scenes, in contrast to the bedroom the warm tones are opposed by the cool tones found here (found with the dark whites and blue tiles), the close ups of the plug hole take aspects from Psycho, yet due to the modern taps and shower head it illustrates the time period the schizophrenia is occurring, within modern time.
