The Sixth Sense

By Alexandra Wells

How character is set upCharacter is set up to show the audience the relationship between each character. The relationship between the woman (Anna) and the man (Malcolm) is a close relationship and this is shown through how they interact with each other. In one scene, they are shown to be sitting close to each other in a two shot, which indicates to the audience that nothing can get in-between them and that they’re happy together. Their facial expressions also tells the audience this as they’re smiling and chatting cheerfully.

Also, Anna is shown to be a character who is easily worried due to the close up shot of when she’s getting the wine from the basement. Her facial expression tells the audience that she’s worried that there’s something behind her.

How narrative is set upThe narrative in set up through the use of diegetic speech. After Anna gets the wine from the basement and joins Malcolm, she reads out the award that her husband received for his work. This sets the tone of the story for the audience as we get information about the work that Malcolm has done. This also gives the audience a hint about what could happen during the rest of the film.

How setting is set upAt the very beginning of the film, we see a light bulb slowly heating up. This gives out the symbolic idea of presence of ghosts within the film as the light bulb gives out a dull glow. This foreshadows what might happen during the rest of the film. The audience feel tension knowing what might happen later on.

This also gives the audience a clue as to what mysterious characters will later on be introduced in the film.

Also, the dull colours in this scene sets the setting as the atmosphere is cold and spine-chilling. Anna is also seen to be shivering which exaggerates the atmosphere.

How enigma is set upEnigma is set up when Anna gets the wine from the basement. As she retrieves the wine, she suddenly turns around as if expecting to find something there. This negative space creates unease and tension as well as the audience questioning what could have alarmed her.

Also, the fact that Malcolm gets shot a few minutes into the film builds up this enigma. The audience then see in the next fade out and fade in shot that it’s the next year and he’s ok and at work, which gets the audience questioning what happened when he got shot.

How titles are used

The black background sets the films tone as the audience can feel the suspense as each fade in and fade out of the titles are in white which boldly stands out from the background. The film title fades onto the screen quicker than the rest of the credits as this creates the mood of the film for the audience. The director has done this to build suspense and curiosity within the audience.

The non-diegetic music that also goes with the opening credits creates suspense and tension for the audience. Also, the fact that the opening goes on for a few minutes builds this up and keeps the audience interested.

Technical elements-camera workDuring the beginning, the camera follows Anna’s movements. The camera slowly zooms in on her face and the audience can clearly see her alarmed facial expression. The director has done this to show that not everything is as it appears.

After the next couple of shots, the camera slowly zooms on the award until the audience can see Anna’s and Malcolm’s reflection in it, which creates a two shot. This way the audience can see the award but also see their facial expressions. This involves the audience to be part of the film.

Technical elements-editingAfter the opening credits, there’s a medium shot of Anna as she gets the wine. She is important as she’s the first character that the audience is introduced to. The shot then cuts to a negative space frame when she turns around. The fact that she looks worried tells the audience that there could be something there and this is emphasised due to the negative space frame.

A few seconds later there’s a close up match on action shot of Malcolm touching his award for his work. The audience can see from this that he’s proud of his work and that he’s honoured for the award.

Next, a medium shot has been used for the two shot frame. This tells the audience that they have a close relationship and that they’re content together. Also, Anna’s facial expression tells the audience that she’s happy for Malcolm for receiving his award.

This eye-line match is shown as Anna and Malcolm look at the award, as there’s a shot of the award. The director has done this to tell the audience more about what type of characters they are.

Technical elements-mise en sceneIn the first scene, the dark colours and dull lighting gives the scene a cold and eerie feeling. This foreshadows the chills and feelings that are later to come in the film. Due to this the audience can feel the chill within the scene as though they’re part of it.

The next shot shows some candles which contrasts with the previous scene as this connotes warmth and romance. The bright colours and lighting also show this. The colour red can also symbolise the danger that’s to come later in the film.

Malcolm is dressed formally (suit trousers, shirt and vest) and Anna is in a dress with her hair styled up. This gives the impression to the audience that it’s a special occasion that they’re celebrating. This could also suggest that they present themselves well and that they care what their appearance is like.

Technical elements-soundDuring the opening credits, the eerie non-diegetic music (strings) gets louder and then suddenly quieter. The audience can grasp the genre of the film and know what to expect as the sound is spine chilling. This also creates suspense and tension due to the pitch of the music changing.

After the opening credits, the audience hears Anna’s diegetic footsteps as she walks down and up the basement steps. A few minutes later, the audience sees and hears the two characters diegetic speech. This makes the audience feel part of the film as it interests them more as to what is going on. The audience also want to know what they’re talking about.