11 Shot Analysis - Inception

'Inception' 2010

Shot 1

Shot 2

The first two shots of the film Inception are the company credits. Dramatic 'thumping' music can be heard.

Shot 3

Shot 3 is a establishing shot. The only sound you can hear is crashing waves hitting the rocks. This rythen of this diegetic sound mathes the sound of the company credits creating a mellow transitions.

Shot 4

Shot 4 is a close up of waves crashing. You can still hear the sound of the waves fluently.

Shot 5

Shot  5 is of our main character's face. He wakes up and we can see the distressed look on his face clearly looking out of the frame , giving the audience a sense of worry and intrigue. We can still only hear te waves crashing.

Shot 6

Shot 6 is a mid-shot of a small child bending down in the sand of the     same beach. We now know that this is who the main character was  looking off frame too as we now match his eye line (or pov). The sound of the waves is quickly dulled and our attention is drawed to the sound of the laughing child.

Shot 7

Shot 7 is a close up again of our main character taking his eyeline away from the children , collapseing, laying back down into the sand to rest. As soo as the shit transitions, we return to the loud crashing waves.

Shot 8

Shot 8 is a wide shot of the an older girl going the young boy in the same place as shot 6. This shot also functions as an establishing shot. As the sound of the waves quietens, the girl's voice occurs but becomes muffled.

Shot 9

The sound of the waves return to see our blood shot eyed main character raise his head to look back at the children questionably and with worry. Because of the use of a close up, we can see the tension and gives us a clue that something is going to happen to the children.

Shot 10

Shot 10 is a mid shot of the two children who turn and run from our main character. The waves are quiet and as they run further, their voices quieten.

Shot 11

Shot 11 is a close up of our main character. It shows him lower his head and fall asleep/die- we are unsure. The sound of the waves have returned.

• Because the shots are alternating, this becomes an example of parallel editing. 
• The change in lighting per shot shows contrasting from dull to light showing mood
• I want to use in my film, similar shots of the children. They are seen from a distance and because we only see the back of their head, they have to real identity. I want to use this similar style to force the audience to wonder 'who is this main character?'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VXkUzf1et4
http://mediastudiesa2km.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/nine-frame-analysis-foo-fighters.html