Great Expectation Essay

Compare the filming techniques used in Pip’s first meeting with Miss Havisham with two adaptations of Charles Dickens’s â€Å"Great Expectations†Ã‚  The two film clips that this essay will be based on, and comparing, is a version by Julian Jarrold which appeared on TV screens in 1999 and a much older cinema appearance by David Lean from 1946. The first noticeable difference is that the earlier film is played in black and white and therefore has certain lighting limitations and, as a result of technological disadvantages, has limited camera shot availability. However, there are a number of useful factors available for analysis. Both films attempt to build up a sense of mystery and increasing tension all the way through the scenes and the task in hand is to focus in on all the different types of filming techniques used to do so. On the whole, the 1999 version is darker than the 1946 edition and this increases the tension factor. Each scene takes us from Pip entering Miss Havisham’s room to when he leaves and incorporates all of the insults and belittling from Miss Havisham and Estella, although even this is played differently in the two films; David Lean makes very obvious insults as though Estella is actually telling him he is lower than her yet in Jarrold’s version Estella either insults Pip to Miss Havisham or to herself in an undertone. There are six main techniques used by each director which this essay will analyse, they are: shot types and framing-how each camera shot affects the â€Å"mood† of the scene, camera angles and lens movement-how the camera is positioned and what bearing that has on the scene, editing, music and sound effects-the backing sounds and its effect on the viewer, costumes-what each actor is wearing and what it does for the characters personality/appearance, lighting and visual effects-how the light and dark areas of the screen portray different ideas. Firstly, there are a few similarities between both scene’s Shot types and framing/Camera angles and lens movements/Editing. The first is that both incorporate a long shot as Pip enters to show the huge room in front of him and show that this room really is intimidating as Pip looks tiny compared to the huge open space ahead. Secondly, both films show Pips reaction as a close up shot after the insults from Estella, this gives the viewer a real sense of pity for Pip and shows us what exactly is going through his mind at the time. The final similarity is as the game of cards unfolds, both films fade into the game to show a passing of time and both use an extreme close up to show us what is happening and, Miss Havisham is sat high on a chair in the middle, with Pip and Estella on the floor either side, with a medium shot, making Miss Havisham look very dominant and the children look almost patronised. The 1999 version has a lengthy amount of time when Pip is wondering around the room looking at certain objects, building up mystery and tension, which Jarrold misses out and skips from Pip entering straight to his conversation with Miss Havisham. This â€Å"added† section has a mixture of medium close ups, close ups and extreme close ups, but all the way through the shots are positioned a bit higher than Pip so it gives the audience the idea that somebody has a watchful eye on him, and this, to a certain extent, is almost creepy, certainly builds up mystery and also borderlines on scary. For example, when Pip is walking past the dummies the camera is high up so it is as though the viewers are looking through Miss Havisham’s eyes. The other main camera uses are when Pip sees Miss Havisham in the mirror, she looks virtually ghost like and it is almost scary, but just before she appears, its looks again as though he is being watched, and as Miss Havisham waves her arm to tell Pip to play, there is a close up of her arm to show her dominance and shortly after a close up of Pip’s face to show the confused reaction. This section of the scene is very clever camera work by Jarrold, and really does freak the audience out. Both films use shot types, framing, camera angles, lens movement and editing differently, but there a number of specific differences between the two. When the two films join back up, there are many different camera uses and consequences of such. In the 1946 version, there is a long shot as Pip walks up to Miss Havisham and a medium close up as they talk to one-another and as Pip advances further, the camera moves in an arc to keep him and Miss Havisham on the picture at the same time. When they are closer, it allows an even closer shot than before of their faces and therefore portrays both expressions and the reactions to each others expressions individually. An addition to this version of â€Å"Great Expectations† is how the camera zooms in on a cobweb covered bible to show the lost faith of Miss Havisham, and explain to the audience that something terrible has happened earlier in her life to make her do so. A two shot of Miss Havisham and Pip is on screen, and, as Estella joins the camera â€Å"slides† horizontally to follow her in. As Estella whispers in Miss Havisham’s ear there is a two shot to portray Miss Havisham’s expression. When Miss Havisham asks Pip his opinion of Estella he is made to whisper it in her ear but as he does so there is a medium close up showing all three expressions at the same time, i.e. Pip’s horror as Miss Havisham tells Estella what he has just said and Estella’s delight of hearing such approving words. As Pip approaches the gate to go home, there is another fade in to show more time has passed by. This can be compared with the 1999 version which has a much briefer conversation between Pip and Miss Havisham as much time is spent when Pip walks around, but, when Pip is whispering about Estella, the camera zooms in on Estella’s face to show her reaction after being praised by Pip. Finally, when Pip and Miss Havisham are talking, there is a two shot of them to show each reaction as each person says something.