Insights

Creating Perspective in Film — Subjective Cinematography, Editing, and More

July 13, 2024

Have you ever watched a movie and felt like you were seeing the world through a character’s eyes? That’s not by accident. Filmmakers use a variety of techniques to create subjective experiences in film, putting the audience directly into a character’s headspace. Let’s dive into the world of subjective filmmaking and explore how directors, cinematographers, and editors work their magic to create these immersive experiences.

What is Subjectivity in Film?

Before we jump into the nitty-gritty, let’s clarify what we mean by subjectivity in film. Simply put, subjectivity is when a movie presents events, scenes, or entire storylines from a particular character’s point of view. It’s the opposite of objectivity, which attempts to show events without personal bias or perspective.

But here’s the thing: true objectivity in film is nearly impossible. Every choice a filmmaker makes – from where to place the camera to how to edit a scene – is influenced by their perspective on the world. So when we talk about subjectivity in film, we’re really talking about a spectrum. Some films lean heavily into subjective viewpoints, while others try to be more observational.

Why bother with subjectivity at all? Well, it’s a powerful tool for creating empathy. When we see the world through a character’s eyes, we start to understand their motivations, feelings, and actions. As the legendary film critic Roger Ebert once said, “Movies are like a machine that generates empathy.” Subjective filmmaking is one of the key engines driving that machine.

Writing Subjectivity into the Script

Believe it or not, subjectivity in film often begins on the page. While screenwriters are typically encouraged to write objectively – describing only what can be seen or heard on screen – many bend this rule to hint at characters’ inner experiences.

Let’s look at a few examples:

  1. Action Line Flourishes: In the script for “The Menu,” writers Seth Rice and Will Tracy describe a “strange feeling” experienced by the characters. This subtle nod to interiority gives the director a clue about which perspective to inhabit in the scene.
  2. Explicit POV Notes: The screenplay for “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” explicitly states that the opening scene is from Elizabeth’s perspective, noting “Were the images we just saw a nightmare? Or a jumbled childhood memory?”
  3. First-Person Narration: In rare cases, entire scripts are written in the first person. Gaspar Noé’s “Enter the Void” is a prime example, with the screenplay using “I” to describe actions as perceived by the main character, Oscar.
  4. Voiceover: David Fincher’s “The Killer” uses voiceover extensively to put us inside the protagonist’s head. The screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker frequently notes when scenes should shift to the killer’s perspective, writing “KILLER’S POV” in all caps.

These writing techniques lay the groundwork for subjective experiences, giving directors and other creatives a roadmap for bringing character perspectives to life on screen.

Subjective Cinematography: Seeing Through Character’s Eyes

Once the script is ready, it’s time for the cinematographer to work their magic. There are numerous ways to create subjectivity through camera work:

Point of View (POV) Shots

The most literal form of subjective cinematography is the POV shot, where the camera shows exactly what a character sees. This technique is used extensively in the opening sequence of “The Killer,” immediately establishing that we’ll be experiencing much of the film from the protagonist’s perspective.

Camera Angles and Framing

Even without explicit POV shots, camera angles can suggest a character’s perspective. In “Rashomon,” director Akira Kurosawa uses different camera angles to emphasize each character’s version of events. When the bandit tells his story, the camera is closer to him; when it’s the samurai’s turn, the camera shifts to his perspective.

Camera Movement

The way a camera moves can also simulate a character’s state of mind. In “The Sopranos,” a scene depicting Tony’s panic attack uses a swaying, tilting camera to mimic his disorientation.

Lens Choice

Cinematographers can use specialty lenses to create subjective effects. In “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” a tilt-shift lens creates a murky image that simulates the protagonist’s gradual return to consciousness.

Frame Rate

Adjusting the frame rate can alter our perception of time, mimicking a character’s experience. The slow-motion sequence in “The Royal Tenenbaums” when Richie sees Margot perfectly captures his sense of romantic longing.

Color

Color grading can also indicate subjectivity. In “Big Fish,” scenes from Edward’s fantastical stories are highly saturated, emphasizing his romanticized view of the past. Similarly, “They Live” uses a stark shift from color to black-and-white to show when the protagonist puts on his reality-altering glasses.

Editing: Crafting Subjective Experiences in Post-Production

The editing room is where subjective experiences really come to life. Editors have a variety of tools at their disposal to get audiences into a character’s headspace:

Cutting Techniques

Simple cutting choices can dramatically affect how we perceive a scene. Rapid cutting can create a sense of emotional distress, as seen in the infamous shower scene in “Psycho” or Patrick’s frantic search for his wedding video in “The Babadook.”

Transitions

Dissolves and fades can be used to suggest altered states of consciousness. In “Apocalypse Now,” dissolves blur the line between past and present, showing how Willard is still mentally trapped in the war.

Disorienting Edits

Some films use editing to deliberately confuse or disorient the audience, mirroring a character’s mental state. “The Exorcist III” cuts between two actors playing the same character, creating a sense of uncertainty that matches the protagonist’s confusion.

Subverting Expectations

Clever editing can play with audience expectations to create subjective experiences. The opening of Michael Haneke’s “Cache” appears to be from an objective viewpoint until it’s revealed to be footage the characters are watching, making viewers hyper-aware of perspective throughout the film.

Sound Design and Music: The Unsung Heroes of Subjectivity

While visual elements often get the spotlight, sound design and music are crucial in creating subjective experiences:

Sound Design

Creative sound design can put us directly into a character’s auditory experience. In “Saving Private Ryan,” the sound cuts out during the beach invasion to highlight Captain Miller’s shell-shocked state. “Little Miss Sunshine” uses a persistent car horn to simulate Dwayne’s growing anxiety.

Music

Music is perhaps the quickest way to align audience emotions with a character’s feelings. The use of “The Sound of Silence” in “The Graduate” immediately conveys Ben’s sense of listlessness and alienation.

Putting It All Together: A Case Study of “The Killer”

David Fincher’s “The Killer” serves as an excellent case study in how these various techniques come together to create a deeply subjective film experience:

  1. Writing: The script uses voiceover and explicit POV notes to establish the killer’s perspective.
  2. Cinematography: The film employs extensive POV shots and uses camera movement to indicate the killer’s level of control. When he’s confident, the camera moves smoothly with him; when he’s frantic, the camera becomes unsteady.
  3. Editing: Editor Kirk Baxter uses cutting techniques to show the killer’s comfort level in different situations. During action sequences, slightly clipped edits create a sense of the killer losing control.
  4. Sound Design: In tense scenes, the sound design forces the audience to rely on audio cues just as the killer does, heightening the sense of subjectivity.
  5. Music: The film’s needle drops are only heard when we’re in the killer’s POV, further emphasizing his isolation and internal world.

Why Subjectivity Matters

Subjectivity in film is more than just a collection of cool techniques. It’s a powerful tool for storytelling that allows filmmakers to:

  1. Create empathy for characters we might otherwise struggle to understand
  2. Immerse audiences in unique perspectives and experiences
  3. Explore complex psychological states in a visual and auditory medium
  4. Challenge viewers’ perceptions and assumptions

By putting us in a character’s shoes – or rather, behind their eyes – subjective filmmaking techniques can make us feel, think, and even see the world differently. They remind us that every story has multiple perspectives and that understanding those perspectives is key to understanding each other.

So the next time you’re watching a film and find yourself feeling particularly connected to a character or situation, take a moment to consider how the filmmaker might be using these subjective techniques. You might just discover a whole new layer to your movie-watching experience.

Remember, in the world of film, it’s all about perspective. And now, armed with this knowledge, you have a new perspective on perspective itself. Happy watching!