Cinematic Techniques Analysis
Generally, The Conversation (1974), directed by Francis Coppola, tells the story of Harry Caul, a surveillance expert, hired by the Director of an anonymous corporation to track a couple. His mission involves recording the couple’s conversation outdoors. He refines the technology to enhance his eavesdropping into the couple’s conversations and overhears of a possible murder. He does nothing to warn the couples and witnesses their killings. It haunts him to know that, through his work, he played a part in the murder of the couple by the corporation. In the end, his apartment is also bugged.
The implicit argument, here, is that in spite of developments in and evolution of cinema productions, there are classic techniques that remain the same.
Generally, Copolla has employed a number of cinematic techniques in the movie. Some of these techniques, as we will see, have been employed in our specific scene of study, which will be the main focus of this paper. Some of these include:
a) Editing and transitional devices like Establishing shots, Fast-cutting, Point of view shot, Screen direction and reverse shot, amongst others.
b) Lighting. In this, Copolla has used shadows and silhouette.
c) Sound. There are two major sound techniques in this movie, and in the specific scene of this study:
i) Diegetic sounds.
This refers to the sound(s) that both the characters and the audience can hear. This kind of sound is usually meant to imply a character’s reaction. It is also called actual/literal sound. These are sounds of the character’s voices, other objects in the story, basic sound effects like the barking of a dog, et cetera.
ii) Non-diegetic sounds.
This is the sound represented to be coming from another source that is outside the space of the story. The source is not seen on the screen or implied to be part of the present scene. These sounds are also called commentary/non-literal sounds. These include mood music, the voice of God, sound effects, et cetera.
Now, some of these general cinematic features used in the movie are seen in the focus scene of this study; Harry’s second visit to the Director’s office to hand over the photographs and take back his commission. In this scene, Copolla uses many cinematic elements, editing techniques and sound to create a fitting sequence of events, which together foreshadows and furthers the impending tragedy.
This scene follows the weird piano piece. The scene begins with a low-angle, extreme long shot in the direction of the Director’s office. Coppola uses three compact shots of John while he is on his way to the Director’s office when he (Director) could have opted for ellipsis to shorten the walking scene. All windows are tinted in black as Harry walks through the first passage. The whole frame is in low key light, which creates shadows on the wall and obscures the features of Harry’s face, even in medium close-up range.
In his walk, Harry stops twice. In the first stop, the shot is a long frame that includes a cleaner loudly sweeping the floor.
In his second stop, Harry appears in the third frame. He hears someone speaking and he immediately stops. This moment depicts Harry’s emotions. He seems nervous and uneasy, creating the sense of how long the journey is for Harry.
The next shot has the camera spotting a black door labeled ‘private’, written in silver paint. Again, looking to his left, Harry hears a faint sound from an inner room. After a few seconds, he knocks severally on the door, but nobody opens. Meanwhile, he keeps throwing glances at his left. As he finally pushes the door, the frame is showing the spot where Harry is going to stand. The camera keeps tracking Harry from a medium, close-up scale. It follows Harry as he keeps walking through the hallway and into the office. As Harry gets into the office, the camera spots various parts of the office, previewing the office layout.
The Director and his secretary are in the office, standing away from Harry. The tape is currently playing. The camera keeps shifting between Harry, the Director, and Stett. Harry looks at the two, both paying attention to the playing tape. Occasionally, they both turn to Harry with serious faces. The Director looks straight into Harry’s eyes. Harry avoids his gave by turning his attention to a portrait of a girl on the wall. After the tape his stopped playing, Stett asks the Director if he would like to listen to it again. The Director is irritated. The camera turns to Harry, paying attention to his reaction, accompanied by an off-screen voice from the director saying, “Your money is on the table.”
The tape starts to play again and Harry walks to the table and starts counting the money. With a close-up shot on Harry, from the corners of his eyes, he notices a photograph of the Director and the girl whose conversation he has taped. “Please, count your money outside,” the Director says, followed by a close-up shot on Harry. He then seals his money and walks towards the Director’s desk.
Conclusion
Coppola is celebrated as one of the 1790s filmmakers branded the New Hollywood. The group emerged with unconventional filmmaking that challenged the contemporary conventions. In The Conversation, Coppola shows his characteristic inventiveness. However, these changes largely remain modified from the classic conventions.
