.. Jeepers Creepers 2 analysis ..

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kC5VzVPdYM4

This extract from the clip starts off with a low angle shot of the scarecrow. This is to show the superiority of the scarecrow by having the audiences feel like their glancing up at it and to make it come across more threatening by looking bigger than we are. This camera shot is also a close up shot of the head area; where the audience can only see a blacked out figure and nothing more, no facial features or clothing or colour is shown. This creates an effect of mystery since there is absolutely nothing the audience can pin point out about this scarecrow and makes the audience have a sense of doubt that it is really just a scarecrow. Due to the scarecrow being completely lacked out the audience are left in suspense on how the scarecrow looks like and what it’s trying to hide. The lighting in this particular moment has a bit of a sunrise colour. It’s an orangey red colour. This was done by the director probably to give the audience an idea of the time this scene is taking place and somehow makes the scarecrow seem more threatening due to the colour it’s being portrayed in from the connotations the audience are able to make from the use of the colour.

The lighting does not change in this extract. It stays in the sunrise colour of red and orange. The lighting is more used in a backlight because there are many parts where it is making the character or object appear more rounded and helps centre the focus around them for example in 4.30 of the clip, the scarecrow is the main focus because the lighting is used in a backlight effect and helps make the scarecrow stand out. This clip also has no outstanding colours besides black. The whole scene has roughly the same colour scheme of the natural lighting of the sunrise. All the colours blend in and are a shade or two lighter or darker from each other. This effect of the colour scheme was created to make the scarecrow stand out and be focused on when it appears on the screen. Also the colour black connotes evil or bad so it is to make clear that the scarecrow is the villain in the film by being the odd colour with dark connotations (4.30).

There is a mix of diegetic sound (sound that is coming from within the film in which the character can hear) and non-diegetic sound (sound that is added onto the film in which the characters can’t hear such as the soundtrack). There is a fair amount of each in this extract. The diegetic sound is by the dialogue of the actors or their surroundings, to make the scene seem more realistic. And the non-diegetic sound is used to add effect on moments of suspense and tension, often when the scarecrow is in the shot. The sounds are all parallel to the shots; they are sounds the audience would expect to hear e.g. slow romantic music in a love scene. The diegetic sounds are loud and of the characters screaming in fear or help (5.09). The non-diegetic sounds are fast, upbeat and high pitched to also add to the effect of shock and fear in the clip so it builds a gasping and anxious effect by the audience (4.55).

The cinematography of the clip also adds to the suspense and fear the director is trying to create through the shot because it is also very fast paced and has many edits. The fast movements of the camera create shock and give off the effect of an uncontrollable environment because the camera is moving so fast that the audience aren’t given the chance to stop and ‘calm down’ their emotions because they are trying to keep track of what’s happening. The fast edits also add to this effect because as soon as the audience have had a couple of seconds to focus on the shot; it switches to another so again they are in a tense and apprehensive position (5.20 – 5.30). The camera moves often in a pan (5.42), tracking (5.02) and crane shot (5.13) all at a fast pace. This is used because it allows the audience to identify with both the scarecrow when in a crane shot chasing the boy and the boy whilst trying to run away from the scarecrow, so the audience sees both perspectives of the characters. The camera frames vary from many shots such as BCU, MS, LS, POV, etc. all the edits are fast straight cuts or jump cuts and the use of a variety of shots is to give the audience a better view from every angle what’s going on and to make it seem like there’s more chaos and havoc going on in the scene to add to that fearful suspenseful effect.

In conclusion, the lighting, sound and cinematography have all been specifically used to build up an effect of a tense fearful and anxious feel from the audience to connote the genre of the film of being a horror and to of already lured in the audiences full attention and focus by using all these affects in the opening scene of the movie to make them aware that their expectations of the film being scary and thrilling confirmed straight away so their interest of the movie lasts throughout the hole film.