scene breakdown

The scene I chose to breakdown was the bank robbery scene from the film Heat. This is a long and very intense scene and the Director Michael Mann uses several different techniques to build the scenes suspense and intensity. Throughout the whole scene there are a variety of different shot sizes that Mann uses. The scene uses shots that range from ELS to ECU in no obvious pattern. The constant change in shot lengths gives a very unsettling feeling not allowing the viewer to get comfortable in any part of the scene. Along with the varying shot sizes making you feel unsettled the rapid rate of cuts is also very unsettling also, so not only are you bouncing in and out but your doing it very quickly. Some of the shots are steady and fixed and some are moving. The fixed shots sometimes have rapid zooms that also adds to the unsettling tone. Some of the moving shots, especially during the shootout in the street, appear to be hand held and follow the characters as they run or shoot in an almost documentary type of style, this makes the viewer feel like they are right in there in the middle of the gun fight. The sounds of the scene also do a lot for the feeling of the scene. Before the gunshots start going off the or any of the yelling there is a low and steady high paced beat going which keeps the viewers heart rate high, and then when the gun shots go off there seems to be a echo bouncing through the streets making the shots very loud and making me jump when they go off. In conclusion the scene is very high paced, exciting, and suspenseful and the film maker uses a variety of different techniques to achieve this.