March 1, 2023
I have decided to make the movie shots deconstruction for Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands movie. I went over scenes that took place right before the actual breaking in so as to give the viewer more context.
Option B traces the shots/moves from breaking and entering to handcuffing. Please click on the link Film/Video Catalog (openathens.net) to view the actual movie excerpt that runs from 1:02:10 to 1:06:32.
1:02:14-1:02:19 Extreme wide shot/fixed
of homes in the neighborhood, with 2 people (a man and a woman –2 complete
subjects) walking side-by-side
1:02:19-1:02:40 Medium shot/fixed
of that same man and woman walking side by side but seen from head to waist
1:02:40-1:02:54 Medium shot, fixed
with over-the-shoulder woman looking at the man’s face in a confrontational/
unpleased way
1:02:54-1:02:58 Wide shot/fixed
of the homes and the street, fixed, with a contrast/shadow (of light and darkness)
1:02:58-1:03:03 Wide shot/Panning right
as a van moves into the scene of that suburban neighborhood, with 2 people side
by side and two with over-the-shoulder; contrast of black
and red van
1:03:03-1:03:06 Wide shot/fixed
depicting all 5 subjects from head to toe, getting out of the stationed van outside
one of the homes in that neighborhood
1:03:06-1:03:07 Medium shot with Zoom In (Dolly Out)
as 4 people are seen walking to one of the houses
1:03:07-1:03:08 Three-subject medium shot, panning to the left,
with a contrasting black/red van and the subjects rushing to a house
1:03:08-1:03:11 Medium shot/fixed
Subjects walking toward that house, and there is contrast between shadow and
minimum light
1:03:11-1:03:14 Medium shot/fixed
the figures are in intensity mode, over-the-shoulder shot, with contrast of light
and dark
1:03:14-1:03:18 Medium shot/Left panning
with 2 subjects in a confrontational mood, with contrast of light/white skin
against a dark background
1:03:18-1:03-24 Medium shot/fixed
of two people walking side-by-side, one has light on his face, the other is dark
1:03:24-1:03:25 Wide shot/fixed
of a house in the background with 2 people crossing the street
1:03:25-1:03:27 Wide shot/fixed
of two houses in the background, with interplay of dark and light contrast
1:03:27-1:03:35 Full shot, fixed
One of the people – Scissorhands—is trying to cut/touch a plant as the others are
moving toward the house’s door ahead of him
1:03:35-1:03:40 Medium full shot/zoom in
as Scissorhands is framed from his knees and up, with a zoom in and light on the
door knob as he’s breaking in
1:03:40-1:03:43 Full shot/fixed
first person to walk in the door with a flashlight will see a framed photo (which is
his!) and tilts it down immediately. Light bulb on but everything else on the
darker side.
1:03:43-1:03:45 Medium full shot/fixed
with the group of characters moving toward another door inside the broken-into
house
1:03:45-1:03:51 Medium shot with a zoom in
on Scissorhands opening that second door as the second person behind him has a
flashlight and is looking down. There is also a contrast of black and white.
1:03:51-1:03:52 Full shot, fixed/high angle
as Scissorhands steps into a room after opening its door. Room is well organized.
There is light and a contrast of yellow and green, white and black. Very well lit
room.
1:03:52-1:03:56 Medium shot with camera moving in (zooming in)
toward Scissorhands, the only subject in that room
1:03:55-1:03-58 Extreme close-up/fixed
of the door’s lock, which locks Scissorhands in that second room
1:03:58-1:04:00 Close up, followed by zoom in, tilting upward, then with
panning to the right, and a tilting downward
Scissorhands and an intensity/confusion builds up in his eyes as there is a zoom
in, followed by a tilting upward of his face, followed by a panning to the right, and then a tilting down as the siren goes off. We see Scissorhands looking down as well as turning his head.
1:04:00-1:04:03 Medium shot/fixed
of one of the female group members, with light in her eyes, trying to free
Scissorhands from that locked up room. But she gets pulled away.
1:04:10-1:04:14 Close up/fixed
as Scissorhands is attempting to open the locked door with his “hands”
1:04:14-1:04:15 A full shot, followed by a multiple panning (R, L, R)
as the members of that group are running away trying to escape the scene.
There’s shadow on the house’s walls, with a dark contrast.
1:04:15-1:04:16 Wide shot, fixed
with the female confronting the male as he carries her to the van.
1:04:16-1:04:26 Close-up shot/fixed
of Scissorhands’ face as he looks terrified (and he’s still attempting to unlock that
door)
1:04:26-1:04:29 Full shot/fixed
as the van takes off in the barely lit street
1:04:29-1:04:33 Close-up followed by a tilting up and then a tilting down of
Scissorhands’ head as he is attempting again to unlock that door to free himself
1:04:33-1:04:38 Close-up/fixed
of Scissorhands as he attempts again to unlock that door
1:04:38-1:04:40 Wide shot/fixed
eye-level with distancing as first police car arrives on the scene
1:04:40-1:04:45 Full shot/fixed
as more police officers arrive on the scene, with a contrast of black and red
1:04:45-1:04:49 Medium shot/fixed
of police officer holding a megaphone (to communicate with Scissorhands)
1:04:49-1:04:57 Close-up shot and a tilting up
of Scissorhands’ face with an expression of fear in Scissorhands’ eyes
1:04:57-1:05:05 Extreme close-up/fixed
as the lock on that door “imprisoning” Scissorhands unlocks
1:05:05-1:05:07 Full shot with Panning (R)
by van driving away chaotically, with a two shot of two people side by side
1:05:07-1:05:11 Medium shot, fixed
with verbal confrontation between two passengers in the van’s back seats (a man
and a woman)
1:05:11-1:05:26 Medium shot/fixed
with verbal confrontation between the van’s driver and the female in the
backseat
1:05:26-1:05:30 Full shot/fixed
as policemen are giving warnings at the house in which Scissorhands is
1:05:30-1:05:33 Medium close-up with tracking (in and out)
as Scissorhands comes out of the house with his Scissorhands up. And the police
is waiting with red lights on in contrast to the dark shadow of the home.
1:05:33-1:05:43 Medium shot/tracking
in which Scissorhands walks out of the house with his “scissors-hands” reflecting
on that house’s walls.
1:05:43-1:05:49 Full shot/fixed and a two-shot
Of two police officers side-by-side, with contrast of black and red
1:05:49-1:05:56 Medium close-up/fixed
as Scissorhands walks towards the police officers.
1:05:56-1:06:04 Medium close-up with tracking
as Scissorhands continues walking towards the police officers. Viewers see the
hands’ texture and the look of confusion in Scissorhands’ eyes.
1:06:04-1:06:10 Full shot and tracking
as Scissorhands gives us a Point of View (POV) of how he is seeing the police cars.
1:06:10-1:06:12 Medium close-up/fixed
of a police officer drawing a gun in Scissorhands’ direction.
1:06:12-1:06:16 Medium shot with tracking
as Scissorhands continues walking towards the police with his “Scissorhands” up.
1:06:16-1:06:22 Medium shot/fixed
as two women are informing the police not to shoot at Scissorhands because he is holding up his hands (which look more threatening than need be).
1:06:22-1:06:29 Medium shot/fixed
of Scissorhands from head to waist as the police starts handcuffing one of
Scissorhands’ “hands.”
There is also a contrast with darkness and light.
1:06:29-1:06:30 Close-Up shot with a downward tilt
as the police finish handcuffing Scissorhands’ both hands. It provides greater
details of the actual locking of “unusual” hands.
For more information about motion, shot size and angle in movies, please visit
Philippe Abizeid's Visual Literacy 