Brick (Johnson, 2005, USA) Analyse

Sound

In the opening sequence, the slow pace of rhythm in the music, during the opening sequence, creates a eerie atmosphere. It is suggested to the audience that something has happened, but they are unaware of what it is, therefore it leaves the audience asking questions; what has happened, where are the characters. It also makes the audience feel worried as the eerie  atmosphere created by the slow pace makes them worry about what is happening.

The Ambient sound of the running water, suggests that the characters/location is set in a rural area, one with a running stream. It also can suggest that the area is peaceful and tranquial. This can contrast to the eerie music as it suggest that something bad might and happened in a peaceful, un-desterbed area. This can make the audience ask questions like; what has happened, why this has happened and why in that certain area.

Cinematography

In the opening sequence, the use of the soft focus shot of the boy, suggest that the director is trying to withhold information about the boy. This makes the audience ask the questions; Who is the boy, why is he there, what has happened, why is he stairing and what is he staring at. The soft focus also makes the audience look even harder a they can see the outline/basic shape of the boys face but cannot see any of his features clearly. By the audience seeing the character straight away, they would start judging him on his appearance whereas he could be the complete opposite. Also, by the director hiding the characters face, it could suggest that the character himself may just want to hide himself.

The close up of the hand in the stream can suggest the character is lifeless and dead as it is un-nervingly still. this can make the audience ask the questions; what happened to her, why is she there, is she dead. This will leave the audience worrying about the character, as she is in a rural looking area, nobody knows what happened to her and why did she end up in that location.

Mise en scene

In the opening sequence, the use of the lockers all built up next to each other suggest the characters are in school, maybe high school, therefore they would be in early to late teens. this can also suggest innocents of the characters as they are still relatively young. Therefore the audience are confused about what happened in the earlier scene as they cannot place what has happened and why, due to the characters being so young.

As well as this, the close up of the note which fell out of the protagonists locker creates a nervous why mysterious atmosphere as the character and the audience are wondering who left the note and what will happen when to two people meet. The font/style of the handwriting suggests that it is a girls hand writing, this can make the audience ask further questions, such as; who sent it, why did they send it, does the character know how sent the note, what relationship do they have if they have one at all, why did the person want to meet with the character and what did they want to do and say when they meet. this now creates a tense nervous atmosphere as the audience want to watch ahead to see who sent the note and why.

Editing

  

In the opening sequence, the use of the shot reverse shot of boy and dead girl suggests to the audience that they may have had some form of relationship. This leaves the audience asking if they actually did know each other. Additionally, this can also suggest that he may have done something to her, on purpose or by accident, and this as had serious consequences because of it. This create a stern and upsetting mood as the audience are still unaware of what has happened to the character.     

Furthermore, the graphic match of the girls bracelets connects audience ideas about the girl. There is a match between the girls hand lying in the stream and then to the girl slipping the note into the protagonists locker. This makes the audience feel as if there was some kind of relationship between the two characters. This also creates a devastating and upsetting mood as they then realize what happens to the girl but still unclear what exactly happens.