Matrix Essay
Essay Question: What does the director do to enhance the mood/atmosphere of the opening scene of the Matrix?
The Wachowski brothers’ 1999 sci-fi film The Matrix utilizes a range of film techniques to enhance the atmosphere in the opening scene. The Movie uses a range of different camera angles and shots such as the pull focus at certain points of the film, and lighting as well as special effects to immerse the viewer into the film.
Certain camera angles employed by the Wachowski brothers can trigger emotive responses from the viewers as if to mimic the feelings that specific characters feel themselves. For example, when the police officer kicks in the door the camera focuses on the police officer as he pulls out the handcuffs then the camera switches focuses on Trinity, thus leaving the viewers with the impression that she is in danger. Another camera technique the director’s make use of are close-up shots of the characters in the film to show in great detail the emotion that they are feeling, for example when the door is kicked down the camera snaps to Trinity showing her face she is shown to have a smug look on her face giving to audience the sense that she is clam and in-control and maybe a bit cocky regarding the level of effort required to deal with the police officers. Later on in the opening scene Trinity is on the phone to Morpheus and she asks if there are any agents, with Morpheus’ response ‘yes’ Trinity’s mood darken hinting that an ‘Agent’ would be significantly tougher than a regular police officer. Another camera effect that the Director’s have applied to enhance mood is the use of stop-motion camera where multiple cameras take one picture at exactly the same time to give the effect of time slowing down as well as giving the sense that Trinity is ‘super-human’.
Actors can also enhance the mood and or atmosphere in such a way that it shows certain characters to be more dominant than others, for example when one of the police officers pulls
The Wachowski brothers’ 1999 sci-fi film The Matrix utilizes a range of film techniques to enhance the atmosphere in the opening scene. The Movie uses a range of different camera angles and shots such as the pull focus at certain points of the film, and lighting as well as special effects to immerse the viewer into the film.
Certain camera angles employed by the Wachowski brothers can trigger emotive responses from the viewers as if to mimic the feelings that specific characters feel themselves. For example, when the police officer kicks in the door the camera focuses on the police officer as he pulls out the handcuffs then the camera switches focuses on Trinity, thus leaving the viewers with the impression that she is in danger. Another camera technique the director’s make use of are close-up shots of the characters in the film to show in great detail the emotion that they are feeling, for example when the door is kicked down the camera snaps to Trinity showing her face she is shown to have a smug look on her face giving to audience the sense that she is clam and in-control and maybe a bit cocky regarding the level of effort required to deal with the police officers. Later on in the opening scene Trinity is on the phone to Morpheus and she asks if there are any agents, with Morpheus’ response ‘yes’ Trinity’s mood darken hinting that an ‘Agent’ would be significantly tougher than a regular police officer. Another camera effect that the Director’s have applied to enhance mood is the use of stop-motion camera where multiple cameras take one picture at exactly the same time to give the effect of time slowing down as well as giving the sense that Trinity is ‘super-human’.
Actors can also enhance the mood and or atmosphere in such a way that it shows certain characters to be more dominant than others, for example when one of the police officers pulls