City Of God

Analyse the effect the camera angles, editing techniques and sound effects have on the audience.

In the opening sequences of the film ‘City of God’, the audience feels a sense of excitement and action because of the fast paced montage of flash cuts of a favela community preparing food. The close up of the chicken with the pleonastic sounds of a knife being sharpened connotes that this is a community who enjoy cooking and eating together.

A group of people killing and preparing chickens to eat. The use of pleonastic sounds of the knives being sharpened connotes violence. Also the diegetic sound of the people laughing shows their lack of care towards the animals that they’re killing. The close up shows the chicken escaping from the gang, from this the audience feels relieved as this symbolises breaking free from the gang life. The pleonastic sounds coupled with the killing of animals’ shows a sense of a gang who laugh at death.

When the chicken escapes the audience find it amusing and find joy in the chicken chase. In the high angle camera shot, the audience find it funny that so many people are chasing the chicken. They also use a tracking shot which is done by following the chicken’s movements and this connotes that the community don’t let anything waste since a group of more than 10 people were chasing one chicken.

 When Rocket sees the gang the pace of the film changes significantly from loud and chaotic to quiet and nerve racking. This shows that the upcoming scene is important and creates suspense for the audience. Also when little Ze came around the corner to see Rocket, there was a shot reverse shot to show that the two characters have made eye contact. The audience are full of suspense due to the silence coupled with the shot reverse shot connotes that Rocket could be in danger since they have guns.

When Rocket is at a stand-off with little Ze and his gang; they use graphic action  which show Rocket standing and does a 360 degree shot and simultaneously reverses the passage of time ton when Rocket was a child playing football with the other kids in the neighbourhood. When little Ze comes, the audience and appalled by the explicit language he uses at such a young age. This connotes that the youths of the community have no respect for each other or the community because their actions don’t show it.