Analysing Memento

The film 'Memento' is a psychological thriller. Many conventions are used in a number of ways to create this.

At the start of the film there are good uses of non digetic sounds including strings which build as the opening begins. The music reflects on the main character as he is pensive and confused. Also used is black writing on a blue background. This is unconventional as it is usually black on white, so it reflects more as a statement. As the scene begins more non digetic sounds appear which causes unsettlement. The background music includes drones and rumbling which includes more unsettlement, which also adds to the tension.

The mise-en-scene of the first scene consists of being very dark and pensive, just like the music. This suggests mystery vibes which is a convention to a psychological thriller. 

The very first scene shows the character holding up a picture of a dead body which could relate him to be a villain. Dialogue of his thoughts are added that you wouldn't hear if you were in the same room as him.  The picture is a close up so the audience can't see anything else in the scene which creates a sense of mystery. It also is a point of view shot as we see what the character is looking at. The denotations used are blood and a gun, this would connote to death. As the film unfolds the audience can see the scenes rewinding which gives an impression that their going to see how the shooting took place and how it gets to the beginning of the film. A film with a layout like this is called non- linear as the story is told backwards, which could be a test to the audience. Also, the scenes flicks back in time which would show the character's memories and how each scene links to the next. This could confuse the audience but is a very clever way of covering the film. The film slowly uncovers the story of Lenny the main character, and how he has short term memory loss and how his wife died, which relates to the scenes flicking back in time. 

The way the film has been made as a non-linear view the audience don't find out the whole story until the end which keeps them on edge. The representations of the characters are not very stereotypical. Teddy in the film comes across as being Lenny's best friend as he helps him get his wife's killer. He's not a stereotypical of a killer as he's a cop, but as he comes across as being quite twisted so you never know. You could stereotype him as being a geek as of his appearance. The audience don't know if he is good or bad and never find out. Lenny's condition doesn't help him as he doesn't remember meeting him and has to keep notes to remember. This creates drama and an unsettled storyline for the character. The audience see Lenny in a positive way and feel sorry for him because of what happened to his wife. He is not very stereotypical of a disabled person as of the way he deals with things. On the other hand, they could see him as quite violent so there's two opinions on him. He comes across as not being the nicest of people and creates a sense of dealing with things in his own way, which connotes him to being very independent.

Walk through of the film 'Memento'

Psychological thriller

Blue on black writing – unconventional (usually black on white) like a statement

Non digetic sounds – strings, building, and dynamites to it – sad, reflective, and pensive (sad)

Conventions – reverse – mystery, confusion,

Connotation – violence and death – realistic horror

Extra digetic sound – emphasise

(Hybrid)

Ticking noise – simple, artificial heart – almost dead

Drone, rumble, causes unsettlement

Use of black and white – effective – past of time

Characters (teddy) white, bad guy – comes across in the mise en scene – good block, trying to get across as a good guy, comes across as a best friend, or comes across as being twisted

Stereotype of being a geek – glasses

Mise en scene – mid shot, over the shoulder shot,

Lenny – positive way - sympathy for him

Negative – his anger, cold shut off, tricked himself – clever

preliminary task - film!

This is the film me, Jack and Toni created. Overall, it did go well considering it was our first time filming. We added different shots and transitions to make it more effective. Also, non-digetic sounds were used. This all took place in the editing process where it all came together.


Me and Toni were the main characters in the film, whereas, Jack was mainly filming. The main shot that caught us out was the pan. This was very difficult as the camera was very shaky and we ended up using a effect to make the panning smoother. This had a down side as Toni's head was then cut off as she walked down the corridor.


Another shot which we noticed at the end was the sign on the door. As we changed rooms we forgot to put the sign up so when she knocks on the door there's a sign, but when she enters it's gone. It was a silly mistake to make and when we film again we'll have to make sure we don't make silly errors.    


We added transitions inbetween shots so make them more smoother. This was quite effective as the film came more together then. Also, we changed the contrast of one scene to make it more of a CCTV atmosphere which was really effective. The non-digetic sounds were effective in how it added to the CCTV effect. We also added a voice over in which Jack recorded through a phone so it was more effect and added to the CCTV area again. When the panning was on we had dramatic music playing to add to the suspense of what's going to happen. Dialogue is then used in the final scene in which then fades to black and credits role.


Overall, for a first attempt I think our film was really good. It was all about experimenting with effects and getting use to the camera. Also, the group i worked with was good as we all got along so it was easy to work. I can't wait to start filming again!

Shots used for our preliminary task.

In the short clip me, Jack and Toni created we tried to include as many different shots as possible which would make it more effective. The different shots we used were;

In this shot we were trying to get the idea of it being in the eye of a CCTV camera. We added an effect in which it looked like when looking at a recording and a non-digetic sound to make it sound like a recording. We had the camera at a high angle so it could show the whole corridor and it looked like where a CCTV camera would be put up. Jack did have trouble trying to keep the camera still at this point, and you can tell as the camera shakes but overall, I think the shot was effective and worked well in our film.

Also, in this scene, we used a non-digetic sound of a voice over to get Toni to go somewhere. This is why she looks in the corner, as we thought that's where the speaker would be.

All through these scenes we have non-digetic sounds in which would add to the effect and suspense as you don't know why she's being called to see someone.

The next shot we used was the pan. We got our character (Toni) to walk down corridors and stairs as the camera followed her. This was a very difficult shot to film as the camera was very stiff to move and was very jumpy when we watched it back. Also, we needed two people on the camera as when she walks up to the door it's hard to tell where the camera would be facing as on one try the camera just went down to her feet. In the editing process we used an effect to make the panning more smoother, but this cut some of the picture as when Toni walks down the corridor her head it cut off. It was still a good shot to use and still effective, but if we use it again we'd have to find a more simple way to make the camera more steady.

This shot was a close up of the door and Toni knocking. Just before we came to the knocking we cut off the non-digetic music and just added the knocking which was quite effective in watching it back. 

After this we used a shot of Toni walking through the door. Looking back we did notice a problem. As we changed rooms half way through we forget to put the sign on the other door which we didn't notice until editing.

Also looking back, we thought the camera was in the wrong place and it could class as breaking the 180' rule. Now we've noticed all these problems, when filming again we will have to make sure we don't make silly mistakes again. 

This was our first time filming and we used different transitions and effects so something was bound to go wrong.

Our final shot was the dialogue in the room between me, and Toni. The way the camera was facing showed us both, so could be classed as a two shot. As the end we used a transition to fade to black when then lead to the credits at the end.

Storyboard for our preliminary task!

This is our storyboard for our preliminary task. It shows exactly how our scene is going to start, end and the process in the middle. It has a variety of shots, including close ups, two shots and long shots. It has clear pictures so it's a very easy set to follow. It also shows where the camera is going to be pointing so we know the rules of the '180'. Also, one team member is doing dialogue so it shows when that’s going to be heard. It clearly has labelled where the characters are at what point and how it will all fit together, ad notes of what's happening.

We're all ready to start filming now!

Walk through of 'The Happening'

The happening-walk through!

Non digetic sound – music at the start, connotes sadness, which links to the genre

Wind creeping in, part of the film is about

Mise-en-scene – stop motion, sped up

Bad forecast

Credits – bold, impact – create fear, simple

Violin – depressing

Music builds up – layers, more tense

Sound tract builds to the tension – drums start to come, signifies something is building

Minor key

Clouds are in sync with the music, flows well

Pan shot

(mise-en-scene) typical scene in New York

Long shot – sets the scene, shows that everything is normal

Violin in the background, connotations of something bads going to happen

Cut – links to the killer which is the wind (airborne threat)

Non digetic music is building up

Camera starts to build in on the two shot – female – stereotypical blonde

Shot value and impact

Speech – thriller/horror

Scream – unconventional

Cuts to a reaction shot – add to the tension and suspense

Unconventional behaviour

Reaction shot – confusion

Chimes build suspense

Camera close ups – panic

Weird, very unconventional

(Cause and effect narrative)

Cause – everyday scene

Effect – something is going to happen

Narrative has gone really strange

Cut to facial expressions

Pans to the dog – not normal

Fragmental dialogue-something’s going wrong

Zooming on the murder weapon

High angle shot – creeping up on someone

Drums – more heavy with the sound tract – death march

Pushed the wind up

Turned the sound up when she stabs herself

Then cut.

Opening scene of 'The Happening'

The opening scene of 'The Happening' starts with clouds flowing across the screen in sync with the music. The music playing is non digetic and connotes sadness, which would add to the thriller genre. As the sound tract builds, it adds more layers which builds more tension. Also drums and violins start to play which signifies something bad is going to happen and is depressing to the audience. Wind also creeps through as part of the sound track, which is the main attraction as the wind is the cause of the deaths happening.

The mise-en-scene of the first scene is a very typical and normal day in  New York. Long shots are used to set the scene which is in a park and just shows how normal everything is going. The camea then builds to the two female characters (a two shot) sitting on a park bench reading. The two characters are blonde so it's a bit sterotypical. Speech is just involved here, which would be completly normally with two characters talking. An unconventional scream is then heard which leads to the camera to show a reaction shot of one the characters. (a close up) The camera then pans across the scene to show how everything seems to have gone weird. It shows how a dog if now off it's lead heading to it's owner where she seems to be standing still and acting different. The reaction shot also shows the confussion in how the characters feeling. Non digetic sounds are added to the background (chimes) which would build suspence. Fragmental dialogue occurs which shows something's going wrong, the camera then shows facial expressions to show their emotion.

There is then a high angle shot added to one of the characters, a feeling that you're creeping up on someone, the camera then suddenly zooms onto the murder weapon (which the character pulls out from her hair), music dies down at this point so you can hear the women stabbing herself in the neck. (non digetic sounds) It also shows the reaction shot from the other girl beside her. More non digetic sounds (drums) appear to be playing in the background to add to the tension and could connote to a death march. The wind adds to the pressure and becomes more heavy which would make the women look with confussion thinking what's happening.

A final cut is then used to go to the next scene, which leads to the explaination of the film.