Number 23: Deconstruction

Point 1:

Camera Angles: 
The scene begins with a medium shot of Fingerling, from a face-on angle as he is shown into the room. He is seen to be in the centre of the shot which gives him a sense of importance. The camera tracks Fingerling as he walks into the room and we see him through a medium shot at a profile angle, which is effective as we can see that his eyes are set on something, yet we are kept in the dark about what it is. Finally, the camera pans round to reveal a full shot of Suicide Blonde, and in the foreground a medium shot of Fingerling. Both characters are seen from behind which gives Suicide Blonde a mysterious air and also gives the audience the initial impression that she is dead. By Fingerling being shot from behind as well, the audience are beckoned to draw a direct contrast between the two characters.

Editing: 
Visual effects have been used, by increasing the exposure and contrast of the scene. This gives the scene the effect of coming across as an illusion, a successful technique considering the scene is being read from a book which is supposedly fiction. However, it also assists by increasing the contast between the two characters as Suicide Blonde is seen as much brighter than Fingerling.

Sound: 
As Fingerling enters the room, there is a constant high-pitched discordant sound as well as the noise of drums which replicate a regular heartbeat getting increasingly louder. This makes the scene more and more tense as it goes on. The initial shot of Suicide Blonde is matched with the sudden, shocking sound of the percussion becoming extremely loud which adds to the shock of the audience on seeing the shot.

Mise en Scene: 
Fingerling is seen in a completely dark attire, with a long black coat and black trousers. He has also been made up to have dark make-up under his eyes. This makes him come across as not only a sombre person, but potentially someone dangerous which creates an air of mystery around him considering his noble profession of a Detective. The lighting is low-key which creates shadows on Fingerling's face, adding to this dark atmosphere surrounding him.

Point 2: 

 Camera Angles: 
There is a low angle medium shot of Suicide Blonde as she turns around to Fingerling. The shot is out of focus and slowly becomes in focus which adds emphasis to her entrance into the scene as well as using the effect of verisimilitude as the audience see Suicide Blonde at the same rate as Fingerling. As Suicide Blonde and Fingerling talk, we see POV shots of Suicide Blonde from a low angle, which makes the audience see her as if they are Fingerling, and causes the audience to feel more in the main character's shoes.


Editing: 
There is cross cutting between the shots of Suicide Blonde and Fingerling as they talk, which gives the effect of increasing the contrast between the low-angle shots of Suicide Blonde, and the high angle shots of Fingerling. This not only makes the audience feel involved in the conversation, but gives Suicide Blonde the air of having power- which is clearly the case as she is in a position of power over Fingerling as she threatens that she will kill herself.

Sound: 
As Suicide Blonde becomes focused, there is a high-pitched sound of traditional japanese wind instruments which puts across the idea that she is an interesting, complex character and brings attention to her appearance.

Mise en scene: 
Suicide Blonde has been dressed in completely white dress, with white hair and light make-up which gives her a translucent, dreamy air. This is effective as it adds to the fairytale feel of the scene and creates a stark contrast between the two characters.

Point 3:

Camera Angles:
There is a close-up of Suicide Blonde in the reflection of a mirror, with has insane scrawling writings upon it. This gives the impression that the obsession with the number is imprinted on Suicide Blonde's life and personality.

In the memory shot of Suicide Blonde's father killing himself, there is a full shot which allows the audience to see Suicide Blonde in the foreground through a close-up of behind. This shows that Suicide Blonde is watching her father from a young age, showing how she may be traumatised from the sight.

Editing: 
A graphic match is used between the silhouette of Fingerling in the mirror and the shape of Suicide Blonde's father in her memory. This makes the transition between the shots smooth and more hazy and dream like. It also hints at a link between the two characters, indicating that Fingerling may become as insane and obsessed with the number as Suicide Blonde's father. There is also a flashback to Suicide Blonde's past.

Sound: 
As Suicide Blonde begins talking about her past, a high pitched twinkling sound begins which reminds the audience of child toys, giving the impression that Suicide Blonde's words are nostalgic to her and she is harking back to the past. However, there is also a creepy edge to the sound as it is discordant which makes the scene chilling.

Mise en Scene: 
The colour red is used effectively in the scene, firstly on the walls of the room and also in the flashback through the blood on the bed. This is used to make the shot shockingly graphic as well as creating a link between the number and death, connoting it's danger. The only colours throughout the whole of the scene are black, white and red making it seem dramatic.

Point 4:

Camera Angles: 
We see a long shot of Fingerling as he walks down the street towards the camera. The body of Suicide Blonde falls at a close proximity to the camera which shocks the audience in the same way as Fingerling. The camera is seen zooming in to the faces of both Suicide Blonde and Fingerling, which adds a chilling impact as it connotes a foreboding to worser things to come.
Editing: 

As Fingerling regards Suicide Blonde's body, we notice Eye-line match being used. This allows the audience to see the effect on Fingerling following her death, as he seems deeply moved and frightened.

Sound: 
The narrative voiceover of Fingerling as he walks down the street makes the audience believe that the scene is in a state of equilibrium, and that the story is moving on. However, this adds to the shock as the sound of Suicide's Body slamming to the floor is emphasised in order to make the audience jump as well as Fingerling.

Mise en Scene: 
The colours of the shots are predominantly red, black and green. The green connotes a supernatural element to the scene which is a foreboding. As well as this, the framing in the shots of Fingerling changes from extremely loose to tight, which shows that following Suicide Blonde's death, Fingerling has been trapped by the number and that his unravelling is inevitable from that moment.