The Short 2013 film “Agent Carter” directed by Louis D 'Esposito captures and exemplifies tons of different film elements. In the opening scene you can hear Peggy's voice as the marvel intro rolls, not even 20 seconds in and the film is using a sound bridge or the process when sound carries over a visual transition in a film: this goes to show how great of a director Louis d ’Esposito is. The first use of a camera shot and angle is in the flashback between Peggy and Steve Rodgers (captain America) when they are cutting between scenes the camera has a closeup on each of their faces which helps to capture the emotions and facial expressions by forcing the audience to view their faces. Surprisingly in this same scene the editing processes of crosscutting and simultaneity occur in the constant cuts during the conversation between the two. Right before the flashback ends you get a behind the back shot of captain America sitting in his pilot seat heading straight down towards the ground, this shot shows the setting but does not show what he is feeling in these supposedly last moments. On the other line Peggy hears silence/radio static then a fade to black.
The next scene opens up with an establishing shot of a city with the writing “one year later” to set up the scene and provide detail to what is now happening. In the back sad but hopeful music plays helping to inflict emotion in the audience. This use of music is an example of a non-diegetic sound or any sound that the characters on screen can not hear but the audience can. The scene changes to a lowkey lit office filled with men and Peggy with an alarm blaring showing something important is going to happen. The boss gets a call that two agents are needed to be sent to go after a man called the zodiac and the music changes to something faster paced making the scene much more dramatic and intense. After Peggy is not picked to go on the mission her boss comes and talks to her and in this confrontation there is a heavy use of over the shoulder shots and eye level shots to make you feel like you are the person who is listening in their place. The eye level shots also help to show details into the faces of the characters demonstrating their personalities.
After all the men have left, Peggy sits at her desk and the boss receives a call that agents need to be sent out to go catch the zodiac. The scene then skips to Peggy heading towards the location walking right up to the establishment. In this walk the mise-en-scene use of costume is exemplified demonstrating the time period by showing the men wearing clothing from a period like the 50’s , this helps to make the film more accurate and more believable. As the men approach Peggy the setting is dark and is lowkey lit, helping to emphasize the mise-en-scene and make the scene that much more suspenseful. Peggy beats up the men and there is one left he goes for his gun and looks up and she is gone , the whole time an old timey song is playing in the back. This is an example of a diegetic sound because the characters on screen can hear it. She gets the man at gunpoint and says drop it.
The final scene is a great example of staging and acting. The henchmen do a great job in looking scared and nervous and Peggy does an even better job at selling that she is a highly trained/ skilled agent. To sum it up the use of camera angles , sound and mise-en-scene really help to bring this film to life making it believe and very entertaining to watch.
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