What are the conventions of Film Noir?
Camera Work:
Conventional camera work of Film Noir includes:
Close ups (CU)/Extreme close ups (ECU):
Close up’s or Extreme close ups within film noir enable the focus upon certain objects, actions or characters, especially for an emotional response. This particularly ties in with the protagonist’s moral ambiguity, as we can clear identify the emotion, or many emotions upon the characters face. With the picture below, the male characters face is clear within shot, with the background blurred in order to keep your focus upon his expression. By not looking directly into the camera, and therefore at the audience, the character seems distant, with his own thoughts instead of emotionally connecting with the audience. This gives a sense of mystery as we can’t directly connect to the character; we are just left wandering about what he is thinking, and what he will do next.
Obscured shots:
Obscured shot are often used in film noir to portray a sense of concealment and privacy between the characters, as if the audience are spying on them. This could be done by a tilted shot or an object placed in the foreground, slightly in front of the characters. This image in particular is a low angle shot, looking up at the three characters within frame, slightly tilted, and a strong shadow is cast, as if the audience’s view is slightly “obscured”. The low angle portrays possibly the characters status but, moreover, as if we are in a low hiding place, looking up, the three men completely unaware.
Extreme Long shots:
As well as establishing the location, Extreme long shots enable the character(s) full body to be in shot, as well as their surroundings. The shot, considering the image below, composes space between the characters, or, characters and viewer. The distance could portray danger or emotional distance, creating suspicion and mystery. In particular, the silhouettes create more enigma as the characters identities are unknown, but their roles are still clearly known from the distinct clothing (hat, heels, hair outline).
Extreme angles (high or low):
As touched upon, an extreme high or low angle within film noir give a sense of status and power, depending on what character is in shot but also, as it is an extreme angle, it gives a sense of drama as the audience are not just looking straight on at the characters.
Style/ aesthetic look of Film Noir:
The style or look of film noir is achieved by taking into consideration the conventions in the use of lighting and mise en scene
Mise en scene (everything that has been put into the scene):
Props:
Typical props of a film noir include guns and cigarettes. These props alliterate the theme of crime and harsh, bad intentions. Smoking could be seen as quite an unwomanly hobby, but as we see the femme fatale possibly smoking, the prop alone emphasises her unconventional, bad and lustrous ways.
Costume/clothing:
Suits, trench coats and a hat are normally worn by the male protagonist. A hat can hide the characters eyes are create dark harsh shadows across the face, again supporting the concealed, enigmatic theme. The look also creates a very distinct and periodic style, stereotypical to detectives and crime. The women of film noir tend to incorporate 50’s glamour into their outfits, such as silken dresses, linking to the theme of lust.
Lighting:
Lighting, I believe, is a very important factor when discussing the style of film noir. Firstly, film noir is normally set in black and white, immediately setting a distinct “vintage” look, incorporating with the 50’s style outfits. Also, extreme shadows are often used in scenes. The extreme contrasts of black and white portray good and pure (white) with bad and evil (black). However, in film noir, it is often a grey scale, with extreme light and extreme shadows. This shows again the moral ambiguity as nothing is ever completely pure, or completely bad. The lighting can also tie in with the theme of discovery and suspicion; dark lighting meaning the unknown and harsh, artificial lighting meaning discovery, revelations and interrogation. Single light sources of a spot or flood light are also used to highlight a character.
Sets and location:
Urban locations within film noir give a sense of a busy and gritty storyline but also dark alley ways and bridges are used, as well as stairs. All these locations are somewhat claustrophobic, as if there is no where you the audience, character and secrets to escape. The stairs emphasises again, the all-important mood of enigma as we are unaware of what the characters are ascending/descending into. A lamppost is normally seen in an outside location as the single light source.
Themes and mood:
The themes and moods of film noir have been touched upon within the other conventions, so here is a list and annotations of them:
Film Noir films are normally filled with many conventional moods/themes. The mood created are often supported and enhanced by the camera work, characters and mise en scene.
Enigma (mystery) – obscured shots, extreme lighting, silhouettes, props…
Crime- props guns etc… femme fatale destruction
Gender- male/female, power
Discovery and suspicion- clues, murder, suspects, cops… harsh bright light for discovery, Dark/dim/obscured light in confusion
Lust- woman- femme fatal and the other types of women- clothing, lighting
Deceit and Betrayal
Concealment- lighting
Bleak “hard boiled” tone- lighting, facial expressions…
Example. Double Indemnity:
This image is from the film Double Indemnity (1944). The image shows a male detective, preferably the protagonist, with strong shadows cast upon his costume. His face is half in shadow, and half in light, notably supporting the theory of moral ambiguity. A lamp is within shot, preferably the single light source, as well as props such as a telephone and desk establishing the office/business setting.
Film Noir
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