Ocean's 11 Cinematography

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Ocean's 11 is a big-budget heist movie, the first in a trio, featuring George Clooney, Matt Damon and Brad Pitt, directed by Steven Soderbergh. In Ocean's Eleven, meaning is created through the use of lighting, mise-en-scene, camera positioning and movement, non-diagetic and exaggerated diagetic sound. The opening sequence, as with many Hollywood films, involves the computer generated image of the iconic Warner Brothers logo with the camera fixed, demonstrating its large budget, and mainstream appeal. Off screen, diagetic sounds of metal can be heard, similar to that of large, heavy doors, or keys, whilst also, voices can be heard, but not distinctly. This raises enigma as to what the source of these noises are, suggesting that they may have some significance in the upcoming sequence. These noises are often those associated with confinement and prison, setting up the diagesis for later on in the film. Having these sounds off screen, builds up anticipation within the audience, which later leads onto audience satisfaction, in having this enigma solved. The establishing shot is that of a mid shot on the character, who is in the centre of the screen. Although the characters distinctive facial features cannot be identified, this suggests that he is the focus of this movie. The lighting is low key, coming from behind him, giving him a haloing' effect, raising a certain sense of enigma in the audience. The mise-en-scene of this scene has a generally dark theme, with the walls painted grey, as a prison is, with an institutionalized feeling, with our character wearing a blue jump suit. Lending meaning to the fact that it isn't a nice place to be, where conformity reigns, and individuality is quashed. Next, off screen dialogue can be heard from a well educated, seemingly law abiding character, interviewing our character, who we find out to be a Mr Ocean', tying
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