Cinematography Homework

The first shot in this scene is a medium shot of Chow Mo-Wan alone, in this shot the camera is hidden behind a door frame , this automatically places Chow in a tight space which emphasises the fact that he feels as though he is being watched, the director of this film Won Kar-Wai uses this framing technique throughout the film to show how and when the characters feel they are trapped in a confined space. The framing is repeated in the next shot, and is even smaller, adding to the feeling of claustrophobia, more people begin to emerge from doorways and we can hardly see them in the shot, and a handheld camera is used when they are in public to give the impression that the couple are being watched, which adds to the pressure they have on them when trying to keep their affair secret, and makes the audience feel the tension.

The scene then changes from Chow being alone to a mid shot of him and Lu alone in a room together, the framing immediately changes and there is a lot more space in the shot, this reflects the fact that they feel a lot more freedom and space when they are with each other, compared to the tiny space they have when trying to be with each other in public. The two characters are both sitting in the same position, and their body language is similar, also the fact that the shot is unusually long presents to an audience how comfortable they are together, and how they savour every moment they have together.

The next shot shows Lu lying down on a bed looking up at Chow, they both look relaxed with each other however there is a distinct attraction to the space that is in-between them both, the space suggests that although they are together and alike in some ways, they still have a barrier between them.

The next shot begins with us looking at Lu's reflection in the mirror of the bedroom, which is a visual signifier that they are leading a double life. The camera pans right, however its much more steady, which gives the impression that they’re not being watched when they are alone together. Chow is positioned between Lu, and her reflection in the mirror, which suggests he is in the middle of 2 females, and is unsure of what to do. Metaphorically, he is trapped by the two women, and trapped by the society that he is living in. When the camera stops, Lu is lying in an empty bed, the space that is behind her is purposely shown to imply that they are not together in a physical sense.

When the couple are back in public, the framing is suddenly tight again, and the camera switches back to being shaky again, this combined with the low angle shot of  the feet  giving a tense feeling of being watched.

The next shot uses a low angle, in the foreground the shot is obscured by a can, and they are framed in an extremely tight space as the secret couple re-enter public life.