Analysis of first productHouse of Wax We are introduced into the opening scene of House of Wax by the use of

a ‘medium close-up shot’. This camera shot is used to present the action currently happening. Alongside the use of a median close-up shot, there is also a ‘Pedestal’ editing technique used. Instead the camera movement is not going from a character’s feet to the top, but it is going from a below position, gradually going up to introduce the dish. This is also known as a ‘Slanted position’. Also known as a dutch tilt, this is where the camera is purposely tilted to one side so the horizon is on an angle. This creates an interesting and dramatic effect. Famous examples include Carol Reed's The Third Man, Orson Welles' Citizen Kane and the Batman series.

Dutch tilts are also popular in MTV-style video production, where unusual angles and lots of camera movement play a big part.

The smoke displayed, gives the audience a hint that something is getting prepared or perhaps created for something.

This part also uses a median close-up shot, with ‘Arc’ used as an editing technique. This shot that is taken from a high angle, focusing on what the protagonist is about to do next. This Arc technique is used, so that we as the audience can clearly see what liquid is in the dish, and it also enables us to further develop our understanding of what the plot of this movie is, as we can see ‘Wax’ and a mask beside it. Another word to describe the editing technique used is ‘Boom’. This is a camera attached to a long stick, which goes over, displaying the action from an above angle. This could be related to the audience theory called “Richard Dyer’s utopian theory (1977) which states/includes words such as ‘isolation’ and ‘transparency’. This shot relates to those words as it has just introduced a character’s hands not even displaying or introducing the character’s face, therefore this particular shot/scene can be described as transparent, as the character is somewhat transparent as the audience cannot see their face. It also creates a feeling of isolation and creates a feeling for the audience that this character is presently surrounded in a friendless and abandoned atmosphere.