4x10 Final Scene - Camera Analysis
Dec. 2nd, 2008 01:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
raloriaWhile I was making my First Impressions post for this eppy, I got to taking a critical look at the final scene. I took a filmmaking view of it, 'cause I'm geeky that way ;), and determined how I think they filmed it. You gain a whole new level of appreciation of Jensen's acting skills when you realize how this was done.
Understandably, they probably filmed in as few takes as possible and with at least 2 cameras at the same time. Jensen probably only did the part with the crying a couple of times. But IMO, they used only one take when at that part of the scene.
Here's the camera shot list of the scene:
1 - Extreme Wide Angle (car, boys)
2 - Medium Shot (boys drinking)
3 - Individual CU shots of Dean and Sam as they talk about Alastair. These could be from several takes and were probably shot separately. Or, they could have shot them both at the same time, from the same angle with 2 cameras.
4 - Back to the medium shot as the boys drink some more beer and Dean mentions the 4 months. There's also a few reaction shots of Sam that matches (3).
5 - Different CU angle of Dean as he talks about being carved in Hell. This is more a straight on shot, where the other one was taken from the side a bit. We also see the same reaction shot angle of Sam (3).
6 - Back to the Medium Shot as Dean talks about being healed and starts to tell how Alastair made him an offer each day. There's also, again from (3), 2 reaction shots of Sam.
7 - It cuts to an OTS (Over The Shoulder) Shot of Dean as he says “if I put souls on. If I started the torture.“
8 - We go back to another reaction shot of Sam (3) after Dean pauses and then says “For 30 years I told him...“
9 - Back to the Medium Shot as Dean says “I couldn't....And I got off that rack.“
10 - Reaction shot of Sam (3) at “God help me I got right off it.“
11 - Back to Dean's other CU angle (7) as he says, “And I started ripping them apart.“ It then stays on this shot, with no cuts as Dean cries and Sam says his line about Dean holding out for 30 years.
12 - Here we cut to an ECU (Extreme Close Up) of Dean as he continues to cry and says his final lines. Again....no cuts here. One continuous take.
13 - Back to the OTS Shot (7) to the Fade to Black. This is an exact match with (12), which means these two are one take, using 2 cameras. How can you tell? Compare the tear track marks on Jensen's face between the last 2 shots. They match.
So overall, we're talking at least 5 or 6 set-ups (that's where the camera or cameras are moved for another shot/angle). But the best part is seeing how once Dean starts crying, Jensen's shots are not cut. They're whole takes. Clearly to make it easier on him. So extra special kudos to him for not only pouring his emotions out so beautifully on camera, but for holding the performance for so long.
Kudos to Jared, too, of course, who was equally effected by the emotions of the scene and Jensen's performance...as he recounted in this interview on Zap2it.com:
He sort of talks about his time in Hell and he knocked it out of the park. He did an amazing job, he's a fantastic actor and always impresses me. Just watching him do it - it was his coverage I didn't even have a camera on me - I was just watching him and I started to like, tears were rolling down my cheek and I was going, "[fake sniffles and eye wiping] Uh...it's dusty...something flew in my eye."
YouTube video of the scene provided by Bananasau.
All caps above are mine, so if you take please give me credit. Thanks! :D
Understandably, they probably filmed in as few takes as possible and with at least 2 cameras at the same time. Jensen probably only did the part with the crying a couple of times. But IMO, they used only one take when at that part of the scene.
Here's the camera shot list of the scene:
1 - Extreme Wide Angle (car, boys)
2 - Medium Shot (boys drinking)
3 - Individual CU shots of Dean and Sam as they talk about Alastair. These could be from several takes and were probably shot separately. Or, they could have shot them both at the same time, from the same angle with 2 cameras.
4 - Back to the medium shot as the boys drink some more beer and Dean mentions the 4 months. There's also a few reaction shots of Sam that matches (3).
5 - Different CU angle of Dean as he talks about being carved in Hell. This is more a straight on shot, where the other one was taken from the side a bit. We also see the same reaction shot angle of Sam (3).
6 - Back to the Medium Shot as Dean talks about being healed and starts to tell how Alastair made him an offer each day. There's also, again from (3), 2 reaction shots of Sam.
7 - It cuts to an OTS (Over The Shoulder) Shot of Dean as he says “if I put souls on. If I started the torture.“
8 - We go back to another reaction shot of Sam (3) after Dean pauses and then says “For 30 years I told him...“
9 - Back to the Medium Shot as Dean says “I couldn't....And I got off that rack.“
10 - Reaction shot of Sam (3) at “God help me I got right off it.“
11 - Back to Dean's other CU angle (7) as he says, “And I started ripping them apart.“ It then stays on this shot, with no cuts as Dean cries and Sam says his line about Dean holding out for 30 years.
12 - Here we cut to an ECU (Extreme Close Up) of Dean as he continues to cry and says his final lines. Again....no cuts here. One continuous take.
13 - Back to the OTS Shot (7) to the Fade to Black. This is an exact match with (12), which means these two are one take, using 2 cameras. How can you tell? Compare the tear track marks on Jensen's face between the last 2 shots. They match.
So overall, we're talking at least 5 or 6 set-ups (that's where the camera or cameras are moved for another shot/angle). But the best part is seeing how once Dean starts crying, Jensen's shots are not cut. They're whole takes. Clearly to make it easier on him. So extra special kudos to him for not only pouring his emotions out so beautifully on camera, but for holding the performance for so long.
Kudos to Jared, too, of course, who was equally effected by the emotions of the scene and Jensen's performance...as he recounted in this interview on Zap2it.com:
He sort of talks about his time in Hell and he knocked it out of the park. He did an amazing job, he's a fantastic actor and always impresses me. Just watching him do it - it was his coverage I didn't even have a camera on me - I was just watching him and I started to like, tears were rolling down my cheek and I was going, "[fake sniffles and eye wiping] Uh...it's dusty...something flew in my eye."
YouTube video of the scene provided by Bananasau.
All caps above are mine, so if you take please give me credit. Thanks! :D
