Framing In The Dark Knight Rises

Directors often use framing to portray a scene or character in a way that provides information to the viewer. Throughout The Dark Knight Rises, (2012), Christopher Nolan uses framing to convey the balance of power between characters of a given scene. This element of cinematography is most evident in shots that feature the villain, Bane. Even though the actor that plays Bane is 5’9”, he appears taller and powerful due Nolan’s use of low angle framing. During the scene in the airplane before Bane parachutes out of the wreckage, Nolan uses a long shot from the perspective of the high-jacked military personnel. In that shot, all of Bane’s body is shown, straddling the plane seats, arms and legs spread wide as he looks down at soldiers below.