Micro element: Sound.The opening sequence of The Silence of the lambs uses a great deal of the micro- element - sound; both diegetic and non diegetic, to express to the viewer lots of the key features as well as mood and other effects.

Lots of diegetic sound is used to set the location/environment, for example when the protagonist runs back towards the building, before we know what it is, diegetic gunshots among the silent forest infer that it is some sort of military or police facility, as well as that, the film has an underlying theme of law and possibly crime.

The quietness of the forest whilst she runs suggest it is an isolated area, away from civilisation, also it could be seen as an insight into her character; a reference to her being very independant or somewhat of a lone wolf. This effect, coupled with the non diegetic music(which has dark undertones), creates suspense, making the viewer tense, in anticipation of something bad happening.

Sound part 2:Once the protagonist enters the FBI facility, diegetic background sound is used to display the type of work environment she is in. For example before she enters the elevator, we can hear lots of male murmuring and banging sounds, suggesting this is a more manual work area. It also highlights the larger male presence here, conforming to gender stereotypes of this kind of work being more suited to men.As she exits the elevator, the diegetic background sound changes the mood of the scene, as well as the atmosphere. Now we can here more stereotypical office noises such as phones and printers, showing that this work area is more catered to office style work involving boring “paper pushing” desk jobs.

Micro element: EditingIn the clip from ‘Silence of the Lambs’ uses editing to represent the mood and

atmosphere; amongst other things to the audience.

● At the beginning of the clip the editing is slow paced and flows freely in order to show a more relaxed atmosphere, even though the protagonist is running through the woods alone, the editing placed with the sound makes the viewer feel as though nothing bad is going to happen and puts them at ease.

● Throughout the opening scenes we see credits that have been superimposed over the original images, this gives us some knowledge into the cast and crew that are involved in the film.

● The woman (protagonist) is doing and assault course, she is doing this with some speed and to show this to the audience a jumpcut is used when the woman is running from one obstacle to the next to give us an idea of how fast she is running, it makes us feel slightly on edge, even though we can see that she is taking part in an obstacle course as soon as we see anyone running fast, our immediate thought is to think that they are running away from someone or something. The jumpcut emphasises this as we cannot see parts of the run that she is taking, suggesting not only is she running fast but also for a very long time.

● When the protagonist is walking into the FBI building, we see the camera hesitate on the sign that says ‘Behavioral Science Services’ before there is a cutaway to the woman walking down the corridor, the way the arrow on the sign was pointing. This gives us, as the audience a bit of background information into what the woman is doing and where she is going, but not so much that we are distracted from the protagonists actions.

● Towards the end of the clip the man and the woman are in deep conversation and we see that a match cut is used during the conversation. So when the man is talking we see the woman's face and vice versa. This means that we can see the other person's reaction to what has just been said. For example when the man mentions Hannibal Lecters name a match cut shows us the womans face so we see her reaction and the fact she tries to take this in by repeating ‘Hannibal the cannibal’. Without the match cut we would only hear these words and not see her face, therefore not understanding the full intensity of the situation.

Silence Of The LambsSilence Of The Lambs

Mise En SceneMise En Scene

ContextContext

We can tell the film was set in the late 20We can tell the film was set in the late 20 thth centurycentury

The actress is wearing trousers, jumper and The actress is wearing trousers, jumper and trainers and very light make up which trainers and very light make up which women would not wear before the beginning women would not wear before the beginning of the 20of the 20 thth century century

She’s also exercising outside on her own She’s also exercising outside on her own which makes her appear as an independent which makes her appear as an independent woman.woman.

The clothesThe clothes The second character to be shown wears an FBI The second character to be shown wears an FBI

capcap This sets the mood of the play because FBI This sets the mood of the play because FBI

creates a sense of mystery as most ordinary creates a sense of mystery as most ordinary people would not know who works for the FBI or people would not know who works for the FBI or what they’re currently doingwhat they’re currently doing

Makes the tone of the film more serious because Makes the tone of the film more serious because the FBI are supposed to sort out crime problems the FBI are supposed to sort out crime problems

The FBI cap indicates there’s an enigma.The FBI cap indicates there’s an enigma.

There is also an older male who wears a double There is also an older male who wears a double breasted suit, a tie, a waist coat and glasses with breasted suit, a tie, a waist coat and glasses with frames that are very roundframes that are very round

This shows he’s more powerful than the female This shows he’s more powerful than the female character because he looks much more groomed character because he looks much more groomed & neat, his clothes shows he’s wealthy and has a & neat, his clothes shows he’s wealthy and has a high working position.high working position.

He’s also looks older and more authoritive He’s also looks older and more authoritive because the types of glasses he wears looks like because the types of glasses he wears looks like they were in fashion before the film was set and they were in fashion before the film was set and he also has grey hairhe also has grey hair

In some ways the female protaganist looks more In some ways the female protaganist looks more powerful because she’s entering her work place powerful because she’s entering her work place wearing what she likes while most of the men are wearing what she likes while most of the men are wearing the same thing, being part of one group wearing the same thing, being part of one group making her stand outmaking her stand out

You can tell the men in the uniform won’t be that You can tell the men in the uniform won’t be that significant to the story line if they’re all wearing the significant to the story line if they’re all wearing the same thing because they’re fulfilling their narrative same thing because they’re fulfilling their narrative function of creating a working environment for the function of creating a working environment for the film.film.

Positioning of propsPositioning of props

The images stuck up on the wall indicates The images stuck up on the wall indicates an enigmaan enigma

Can identify a theme in the film “crime” Can identify a theme in the film “crime” which was already shown through the FBI which was already shown through the FBI capcap

It foreshadows that the pictures on the wall It foreshadows that the pictures on the wall could possibly be the enigma the could possibly be the enigma the protagonist is trying to solve due to her protagonist is trying to solve due to her bewildered facial expressionbewildered facial expression

We can also tell the female protagonist is We can also tell the female protagonist is intelligent because she’s working in the intelligent because she’s working in the science industryscience industry

We know this because we see her follow the We know this because we see her follow the sign of “Behavioral science services”sign of “Behavioral science services”

This also could foreshadow what she’s This also could foreshadow what she’s trying to solvetrying to solve

Lighting and ColourLighting and Colour

The building she enters has a very grey The building she enters has a very grey colour scheme and it’s very dullcolour scheme and it’s very dull

The effect could be to give you a false The effect could be to give you a false sense of security because the building is sense of security because the building is dull and creates no atmosphere of dull and creates no atmosphere of excitementexcitement

The lighting at the start is also very dark but The lighting at the start is also very dark but gradually gets lighter trying to show to the gradually gets lighter trying to show to the audience it’s early in the morningaudience it’s early in the morning

The lighting is very natural through most of The lighting is very natural through most of opening 5 minutes probably trying to create opening 5 minutes probably trying to create a false sense of security that there’s no a false sense of security that there’s no drama happeningdrama happening

The gradual process of the lighting The gradual process of the lighting changing could probably be to try and changing could probably be to try and create a slow pace again creating a false create a slow pace again creating a false sense of securitysense of security