Film Techniques Used in the Party Scene of "Once Were Warriors"
Analyse how techniques were used to create impact in one important section of “Once Were Warriors” Directed by Lee Tamahori.
In the film, “Once Were Warriors” the visual techniques camera shots and angles, lighting and sound effects were used to create impact in the party scene. The impact created shows us, the audience, that alcohol can lead to violence.
Firstly, the director uses camera shots and angles to create impact in showing us the relationships between the characters and how they become violent due to alcohol. At the beginning of the scene we see a close up of character Beth Heke’s face as she looks at herself with pride in the mirror. At this point of the scene she is feeling okay about herself, she can see something worthwhile in herself. Later in the scene when Jake, her husband, has brought his friends home for a party, we see Jake and Beth through an eye-level shot as they sing lovingly together. This shows at this moment in the party, they are equal with each other and happy. They are a couple who have love for one another. This all changes as people get progressively drunker and violent feelings start to show. For example, Beth gets angry at her son Nig and slaps him then a friend, Uncle Bully walks in and asks her to cook him some eggs. She screams at him to “fuck off’ and her husband comes in to sort the issue out. He does this by brutally beating his wife up. We see Beth through a high angle shot as Jake punches her to the ground. This shows how powerless she is. This is how Jake sees her, how he controls her and pushes her down. Whereas we see Jake from a low angle. This angle shows how powerful Jake is at this moment. Alcohol has turned him into a drunk and violent monster. This is how Beth sees him, in control, the dominant one. He has achieved this position with his fists. One final shot which creates a lot of impact is a full shot of the Heke children huddled up together upstairs in bed. This shot shows them huddled together for
In the film, “Once Were Warriors” the visual techniques camera shots and angles, lighting and sound effects were used to create impact in the party scene. The impact created shows us, the audience, that alcohol can lead to violence.
Firstly, the director uses camera shots and angles to create impact in showing us the relationships between the characters and how they become violent due to alcohol. At the beginning of the scene we see a close up of character Beth Heke’s face as she looks at herself with pride in the mirror. At this point of the scene she is feeling okay about herself, she can see something worthwhile in herself. Later in the scene when Jake, her husband, has brought his friends home for a party, we see Jake and Beth through an eye-level shot as they sing lovingly together. This shows at this moment in the party, they are equal with each other and happy. They are a couple who have love for one another. This all changes as people get progressively drunker and violent feelings start to show. For example, Beth gets angry at her son Nig and slaps him then a friend, Uncle Bully walks in and asks her to cook him some eggs. She screams at him to “fuck off’ and her husband comes in to sort the issue out. He does this by brutally beating his wife up. We see Beth through a high angle shot as Jake punches her to the ground. This shows how powerless she is. This is how Jake sees her, how he controls her and pushes her down. Whereas we see Jake from a low angle. This angle shows how powerful Jake is at this moment. Alcohol has turned him into a drunk and violent monster. This is how Beth sees him, in control, the dominant one. He has achieved this position with his fists. One final shot which creates a lot of impact is a full shot of the Heke children huddled up together upstairs in bed. This shot shows them huddled together for