Camera Work in The Film Heat

Camerawork in Heat

   For our very first homework, we get to watch a 10 minute clip from the film Heat and analyse the camera angle used

This is a very high angle shot; this is to show the audience the layout and the overview of the bank so that the audience gets an idea of where the robber is in other parts of the heist.

This is a mid-close up shot, this shot shows the audience that the guard is vulnerable  and cannot do anything about the robber because the guard had been wrapped with some sort of handcuff. This was then followed up with this guard being kicked in the back.

This is a bird’s eye view shot; this is used in order to show the aspect of the environment that the hostages are frightened. It also shows that the robber is taking the briefcase from the counter.

This is a low angle shot; this is to show that the robber has control and has the power over all the hostages. This shows the audience that he is strong and powerful.

This long shot shows a cop being shot to death by one of the bank robbers and showing the damage in the surrounding environment as well. This is then followed up with a high angle shot of the same cop falling to his death.

This close up shot shows the audience that the driver for the bank robbers got shot and that he’s dead, following with a long shot of the car going forward accelerating without any control and crashing into another car.

This is a handheld shot, this emphasize that the cop is in a hurry to chase the robber holding the hostage. This also makes the audience feel as if they’re in the chase alongside him.

This panning shot combined with a shallow depth of field makes the audience more focused in the foreground, rather than getting distracted by the background elements in order to let the audience follow the main characters.