Micro elements/ technical codes and conventions
Information about 28 Days Later • 28 Days Later is directed by Danny Boyle. • 28 Days Later was released on the 1st November 2002. • The budget for this film was £5,000,000 • The film 28 Days Later was certified a 18 by the BBFC.
Information about Saw • Saw is directed by James Wan. • Saw was released in 19th January 2004. • The budget for the film was $1.2 million. • Saw was certified a 18 by the BBFC because it contains strong bloody violence and language.
Camerawork 28 Days later 28 Days later uses shot types like the extreme long shot and long shots. These have been used to intensify how alone the character is and what is left in the world he lives. For example the opening scene, in the hospital leaves the space around him in the extreme long shot to show he has to figure out what has happened. Steadicam is used to make you feel part of the scene as if you are following him around the city. The film is in Standard Definition which means it looks like it has been filmed from a home video camera and the quality is all grainy to make it seem like it is a bad situation.
SAW
Saw the camera shots are the complete opposites with the director choosing close ups and reaction shots. This is to convey to the audience the reactions of the people and how they are reacting to the situation they are faced with. Saw uses handheld to make you feel like you are in the situation with the people, as if what they go through you go through it too.
Sound 28 Days Later The non-diegetic sound in 28 days later consists of loud orchestrated drums and a group of string instruments accompanying the drums. The diegetic sound in 28 Days later has been muffled to add to the effect of the film and because of the low budget film giving it effect.
SAW When we are in the bathroom (torcher chamber) of Saw the sound is slightly echoed as the room is made of metal. This is conveyed so you can hear how tinny the room sounds by the bouncing of, of the voices in the room. The effect of this gives the sense you are in the room with the people. The non diegetic sound in the final bathroom scene is fast paced to keep up with the fast paced editing of the film.
Mise-en-scene Saw • COSTUME - It also gives the same effect in saw as they are in a white t-shirt and office wear, this will exaggerate the blood and the unfamiliar to their situation. • LIGHTING - The lighting in saw is very dark compared to the second scene in the film, for example, the first shot of the man getting out of the bath is pitch black which is exaggerates that they have no idea where they are
• PROPS - The props in Saw have a very strong meaning, for example the chain that he has round his ankle connotes he has no freedom to do what he wants so if anything was to happen he would be trapped with no escape.
28 Days Later • COSTUME - The costume in 28 days later has him naked from the start of the film then after he finds a patients costume this gives the audience a sense of him being vulnerable.
• LIGHTING - 28 Days later where he is walking through London which is light by naturel light to make it look bright so he stands out in his green patient uniform.
• PROPS – In 28 Days Later he has limited props. For example the first thing he eats or drinks is a can of Pepsi, this indicates that the food is the key to survival. The food is all chocolate and fizzy drinks which connotes that the only way to survive is to eat the thing the doctor tells you not to have too much of.
Editing Both ‘Saw’ and ‘28 days later’ use editing to create effects on the audience, for example, fast paced editing is used In both scenes to build up the tension of what is going to happen. 28 Days later has a good example , when the characters moves more towards the danger the faster the cuts become connoting that danger is not far away. Saw shows a really fast set of shots all the way through to let the audience know it is a game and he is not in control. However , in other horror films slow motion is used to create a sense that fear is coming and they have slowed certain scenes down to exaggerate the effect. For example The Shinning has slow motion when the blood comes through the elevators.