Early American Cinema in Transition: Story, Style, and Filmmaking, 1907–1913

Appendix B: Shot-by-Shot Analyses for Chapter 6

APPENDIX B: SHOT-BY-SHOT ANALYSES FOR CHAPTER 6 Legend for Shot Scales els extreme long shot (camera at considerable distance from human figure) Is long shot (human figure shown in totality) mls medium long shot (human figure shown from knees up) ms medium shot (human figure shown from waist up) mcu medium close-up (human figure shown from chest up) cu close-up (camera sufficiently close to show only a small object, or the human head) The Boy Detective (1908) [Except where noted, shot scale is long shot, with substantial space at the top of the frame. Camera position is level, though in several of the exterior shots, the camera is placed at an oblique angle in relation to the action.] Shot one: (exterior) The boy detective and a friend (in a messenger's uniform) play in the foreground offrame left. The friend gives the boy detective a (toy) gun. A young woman walks into the center of the frame, followed by two men. When she pauses to go into a store, the men hide behind the two boys until she has returned , when they follow her out ofthe frame. The boy detective quits playing and quickly follows. Shot two: (exterior) The woman from shot one enters, followed by the two men; the boy detective follows behind. Shot three: (exterior) The woman enters first and turns toward stairs at frame left. The camera pans left slightly to follow her and then adjusts itself back to its initial position as the men pause to watch. As they walk on toward the background the boy tries to interest them in buying a newspaper. 220 Shot-by-Shot Analysesfor Chapter 6 221 Shot four: (exterior) The two men go into a building. The boy enlists his friend to go in; the friend receives a note which he shows to the boy. The boy reacts by running off. Shot five: (exterior) A cart goes by before the boy runs through the space. Shot six: (exterior) As the boy rounds a comer, he knocks a man down. Shot seven: (exterior) The boy runs through, away from the camera. Shot eight: (as shot three) The boy enters from the depth ofthe image and runs up the stairs at left, with the camera panning slightly to follow. Shot nine: (interior) The woman from shot three is at the far left; a maid announces the boy's presence. The woman listens as the boy explains the situation . She makes a call, after which the boy begins to dress in her clothes. The three exit to the left and then return as the boy parades about in his new outfit. The friend arrives with a message and then leaves. The remaining three all look out the window and the maid and boy then exit. The woman remains at the window. Shot ten: (as shot eight) The boy, still in the woman's clothes, descends the stairs; the camera pans right to show a carriage parked in the street as the boy mounts it. Shot eleven: (exterior) On another street outside the city, the carriage is stopped by the two men. When the boy emerges from within, he intercepts them at gunpoint and holds them while the police arrive in the background. The boy offers a police officer a cigarette from the gun. The carriage and police vehicle ride off. Shot twelve: (ms/interior) The boy detective, no longer in his disguise, aims his gun and emulates shooting. He then laughs, taking a cigarette out of his gun and smoking it before slapping the gun as if to underscore the joke. The Forgotten Watch (1909) [All shots are in long shot, except where noted. Typically, characters' heads touch the top of the frame and their bodies fill it. In most interior shots, when characters 222 Appendix B move to the very front of the frame, the scale comes close to medium long shot (mls).] Shot one: (interior) The judge, surrounded by three women, prepares to leave; the maid remains active in the background for much of the shot. Shot two: (exterior) The judge leaves by a doorway. Shot three: (mIs/interior) The wife comes in to the bedroom and notices that the watch is missing. Shot four: (as shot two, but slightly closer framing) The wife checks for the judge, but he has already gone. Shot five: (exterior) A streetcar arrives and the judge enters via left...