Face Off scene analysis

The scene opens with a left panning shot showing the exit to the location then blurring the background until the camera reaches an extreme close up on the characters eyes. The blur suggests that the background itself is in fact unimportant at this moment in time whilst the detail that can be seen in the characters eyes shows a determined but slightly uneasy look. Extreme close ups are used when the director wants their audience to see the finer and more discreet details. Coupled with this shot is a non-diegetic soundtrack that get louder and more threatening as the camera advances on the character; music such as this usually foreshadows a large event about to take place. The fact that this is the first character within this scene it can easily be inferred that he is a main character and deserves to be the focal point of the audiences attention. The character then shifts his eyes towards to left, thanks to the extreme close-up we as an audience can notice this without difficulty thus telling the audience they also need to be ready to look left.

A high angle long shot that proceeds to tilt in a downwards fashion to show the layout of the inside of the building accompanied with non-diegetic slightly dark music is shown to create tension within the film. The scene then quickly cuts to a second unknown character stealthily walking gun in hand on high alert; diegetic footsteps are heard coming from him with the non-diegetic sounds completely silent. The shot is coming from a high angle looking down, this possibly suggests this character is seen as small and powerless even though he holds a weapon. This second character is perspirating heavily and noticeably anxious whilst the first character on the other hand remains cool and collected, presumably, in hiding. We know this because there is a parallel cut back to him, this is a close up and depicts him looking left to where the gun man is searching; he blinks and turns his head away before another cut back to the gun man.

An extreme close up on a gun is seen as the character changes cartridges with an enhanced diegetic cracking sound and another extreme close up of the first characters eyes. By these shots the audience assumes that this gun belongs to the initial character. This character blinks slowly then the camera switches back to the second character quickly whilst he walks round corner; the camera tracks backwards then rapidly pans to reveal a third character. This said third character pivots, looks at the gunman and creates the impression that he's going to shoot but the first character promptly shoots him square in the chest. When this character is initially show he is shown from a high angle shot, implying that he is of unimportance and weak. The first character is showed in a mid shot, the first time anything more than his eyes are seen. Non-diegetic drum beat music is heard echoing through the factory building as this shoot out is occurring. It can be inferred that the drum beat, as it is fast paced, is there to mock a human heartbeat because of the severity of the situation the characters have been placed in.