Adam Curtis: Bitter Lake

In the opening frame of the movie, the first thing that we see is an establishing shot which shows the setting which is quiet dark and gloomy, this suggests that the movie will be some kind of a thriller or horror movie as the opening shot has connotations that support this.

In the second frame of the movie we see a long shot, which helps to convey the environment that the movie is set in. Furthermore this frame uses natural lighting to help make the long shot more authentic. This type of camera shot helps us see where the movie might be set and it also changes the genre of the film from being a horror/thriller to more of an adventure type of movie or even a documentary. Additionally the mise en scene helps to she that the genre of the movie might be a adventure genre as the see a lot of very scenic features such as mountains, desserts and shrubs. Also other conventions such as the camera shots being taken from a car help to show how this movie may be seen as an adventure type of movie.

There is another frame in the movie were we see the se of a two shot. This helps to convey the relationship between the two characters between the people in the specific frame, from what we see it shows that we might see a king/queen and from this frame the audience might decode that these two people are happy as we see them smiling and interacting in a friendly manner. Additionally the use of the clothing mise en scene gave me the impression that they were royalty as they are seen wearing clothing that looks prestigious. This camera shot also helps to convey the man as an alpha male. This is as we see him him in clothing that .has connotations of power and leadership, this use of mise on scene helps to solidify that representation as an important person would have to wear clothes like this to help them look a certain way. Also the use of the rich colours such as white and gold help to show that the man in the frame is an alpha male and that the lady he is with is being represented in a domesticated role, this is because of the mise en scene that we see such as her clothing which helps her look just as important as the man but not as empowered and the facial expressions that she has.



Further into the movie we see the use of a mid shot. This would have to done to show the people in the movie and the ways that they are interacting in the environment that they are in and it helps us get an idea of how that person can be represented in the movie. For example in this specific frame we see a man walking with a crowd behind him and it looks like he has security and another person showing him around, which suggests that this person is a man of importance and he's being represented as an alpha male. This is because of the way he is walking in an established manner and because of the mise en scene like the security and the barrier the separates him from the other people, which empowers him and makes him look like a man of great importance.