How Does The Use of Mise-en-Scene Create Atmosphere in the 'Briefing/Autopsy' Scene From Insomnia (2002)?

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How Does The Use of Mise-en-Scene Create Atmosphere in the 'Briefing/Autopsy' Scene From Insomnia (2002)?

“Insomnia”, is crime/drama film, following the story of two detectives sent from Los Angeles to a quiet Alaskan town to solve the murder of a young girl. The sequence in question is at the start of the film when the two detectives (Will Dormer and Hap Eckhart) arrive in the town and are briefed for the case.

        The sequence begins with an establishing shot of the exterior of a police station, there is a sign to the left in the frame saying “City of Nightmute Alaska”, this tells the viewer exactly where this scene will be set. As Alaska is well known as a quiet, isolated part of America, the viewer may already have preconceptions of the pace of the film and of some parts of the narrative, this may be that it will be slow-paced, it is likely that there will be few characters involved in the plot and the isolation of the setting may be relevant to the plot. The bushes surrounding the building and the large mountainside behind it show again that the set is isolated and rural, this strengthens these preconceptions.

        The camera cuts to a Mid shot of a female detective (Ellie Burr), entering what has the appearance of an office (because filing cabinets, folders and documents can be seen behind her), Venetian blinds can be seen placed directly behind the characters, surrounding them and almost dominating the background, having the appearance of bars, signifying that the characters are trapped. Entrapment is conveyed through another means of mise-en-scene in this sequence: as the characters talk the camera cuts to close up after close up of each of their faces as they take turns to talk, there are only a few occasions where the viewpoint of the camera changes to show more than one person in shot. By positioning the characters alone whilst in shot it shows how separated they are from one another. Actors' performances also show this: when they talk, eye contact is not held between two of the characters for very long periods. This vision of detectives in an office with blinds in conjures up visions of classic film noir, of which the use of blinds in the background is common,  like in Fritz Lang's 1944 film, The Woman in The Window, in particular the prologue to the film, where Edward G. Robinson talks about 'impulses behind homicide'. By using conventions of, and therefore, referencing film noir the audience may expect a grim atmosphere throughout the film. A subtle technique in this scene is the use of a miniature American flag in the background of shots of Detective Nyback, this may reflect the patriotism of the character and gives the audience an idea of the background and personality of the character, as a small-town cop, who could be, in some respects,  quite naive in comparison to detectives Dormer and Eckhart, who are homicide detectives from Los Angeles.

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        The difference in character between Burr and Nyback, and Dormer and Eckhart are displayed through the clothes they are wearing and how they are wearing them. The two local officers are wearing their uniforms, which consists or blue polo shirts with Police badges on them. Burr has a uniform jacket on also, the jacket is quite baggy, suggesting possibly that her role as a police woman is something that she hasn't quite 'grown into', in the sense that she is not fully up  to the job. This use of mise-en-scene makes me feel almost sympathetic for her, compared to ...

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