Slumdog Millionaire (dir. Boyle) Cinematography Sequence

TEAS Analysis

Danny Boyle’s 2008 drama film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ follows Dev Patel’s Jamal Malik as he competes in the Indian version of ‘Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?’. Critically, the film was a sleeper hit, gaining wide acclaim after its nationwide release.

Cinematographer Dod Mantle shoots using high angles, principally in the establishing shot of the sequence, forcing us as the audience to look down on the slums of Mumbai as we are introduced to them. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for India’s economic divide, with the privileged elite looking down on the impoverished, or, perhaps given the film’s focus on the social context of late twentieth century India, a commentary on how the Hindu majority saw the Muslim minority as below them; a social division that informs the conflict later in the scene.

However, as the conflict evolves into a chase sequence Dod Mantle instead utilises low angles that don’t always track the subject, exaggerating the frenzied and chaotic feel of the escape. The low angles allow us to see the world from the perspective of the children we are following, and thus relate to their turmoil and confusion, reminding us of their vulnerability in such a conflict.

Advanced Cinematography Techniques:

An Analysis of the Cinematography of Robert Yeoman:

(The Grand Budapest – 2014 – dir. Wes Anderson)

This shot from Wes Anderson’s melancholic adventure The Grand Budapest Hotel utilises depth of field in a really interesting manner, having the character on the far right, Zero Moustafa, positioned in the foreground, but adjusting the aperture to create a deep depth of field, so that Zero doesn’t become the focus of the shot, but rather of equal importance to to M. Gustave and the hotel attendant beside him. This suggests that, while there is clearly a power dynamic between the pair, the two respect each other, and find great value in each others company. Additionally, the two pillars create upwards leading lines that draw the viewers’ eyes to the ‘Concierge’ sign, perhaps foreshadowing Zero’s eventual rise to such a position. The rule of thirds is used effectively in Yeoman’s cinematography to create a sense of imbalance in the frame, with M. Gustave standing directly in the centre and breaking the rule, perhaps a hint towards the world seemingly revolving around him and his heightened sense of grandeur, as well as his general attitude of being in favour of breaking convention, and Zero cast to the side, with his potential not yet being recognised by M. Gustave. However, in spite of the characters, and in Anderson’s signature style, the shot is perfectly symmetrical, implying that, at this point in the film, the hotel is a place of beauty and serenity, the last bastion of a soon-to-be-doomed age.

After the completion of our first mini-task, we were given our second to complete over the subsequent week: another cinematography task, this time with the creative intention of exploring how camera movement can be used to infer or suggest meaning. To do this we needed to again physically take our shots, edit them together into another reel, and then reflect on the process on a slideshow page, both of which are attached below.

Cinematography Reel:

Inquiry, Action & Reflection Page (Including Bibliography):

In our class, we were given our first mini-task to complete over two weeks: an introduction to cinematography, with the creative intention of the task being to explore how framing a subject can be used to communicate meaning in a film. To do this we needed to physically take our shots, edit them together into reel, and then reflect on the process on a slideshow page, both of which are attached below.

Cinematography Reel:

Inquiry, Action & Reflection Page (Including Bibliography):

To prepare for our upcoming cinematography mini-task, we needed to conduct research into some of the best examples of the shots that we were going to be taking, to learn from them. To do this, we were set the assignment of watching a video analysing some of the greatest shots of all time, and then explore five of the shots mentioned, one from each shot type discussed.

YOUTUBE VIDEO: Best Shots of All Time – Pt. 1 (2017). Best Shots of All Time – Pt. 1. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/hWiIEiyWFTY [Accessed 7 Oct. 2020].