AH: What techniques are present in 'Brick'?

Brick (Johnson, 2006)
Watched video in class (couldn't find any link).

• The first shot is a handy cam pan shot of his feet, all this reveals is the stance he is in.
• The sound at the beginning of this clip sounds like cow bells alongside an acoustic guitar. It has a old western feel upon it, its a very unique sound for a very unique opening.
• From this CU of his feet it cross dissolves to a ECU of his eyes. At that moment the audience are finding it hard to create a character exposition of the protagonist as the two shots haven't exposed him fully, this is dismemberment.
• Up to this point there have been enigmatic codes revealing parts of the protagonist, until there is the establishing shot of the scene in front of him. The LS shows him frozen in shock as he stares at a dead girl. The shot complies with the rule of thirds with him on the far left and the dead girl with the tunnel on the far right.
• The tunnel represents obscurity and fear of the unknown and connotes that this is the feeling in which he is feeling.
• In this LS it is present that there has been consideration of costume in that the girl is wearing a white dress which is used conventionally as a sign of innocence and purity. 
• We are then looking at a MS eye-line match of the protagonist as he is still in the same position, with his hands of his mouth to reinforce the impression of his shock. 
• Then there is a cut to her legs which are dirty (as if she had been dragged there) and pale (to support the fact shes dead).   
• The cut back to him is closer than the previous one and further reinforces his state of shock as he is in the same position.
• It then cuts back to the girl but in a CU of her face, but we still don't see her face as it is covered by her hair. Her hair is half in the stream running by her, this is the focus of the shot (centre). The fact her hair is messy, over her face and partially in the water gives the impression that there was brutality against her.
• Cutting to her hand we find ourselves again not being able to create a character exposition as there is dismemberment in the shots of the girl (showing only her legs and face, although covered). The position of her hand isn't natural and is also partially submerged in water. The main point of the shot is the several blues bangles on her wrist.

• The next cut shows a change of location and time. There is a clear visual link as it shows the girls hand (with her bangles), putting a note in a locker (rewind in time). We still don't see her face. As the camera focuses on the hand we see a clear depth of field as the background is blurred.

• The lockers (mise-en-scene) are typical props of a teen movie (iconography).
• Then the first title is shown. The typography is very minimal and subtle, this fits in with the case of the opening sequence. The shot has 'Brick' in the middle which is in white font contrasting to the black ground.

• The title then cuts to a shot which has a shallow depth of field (all background blurred) with typography over the shot. The type says '2 days previous' and is evidence of temporal cohesion, giving the audience an understanding of time within the clip. The text goes and the camera pans down and comes into focus, showing feet walking towards the camera. The same feet which were previously shown at the beginning, another example of a visual link.

• An ELS of the man (Brendan) at the lockers complies with the rule of thirds, with him placed on the far right, on his own. This portrays him as being isolated and lonely.
• Another change of location and time are present in the next shot as we peer over Brendan's shoulder in a high angle over-the-shoulder shot. He reads the note he received from the 'girl', it includes a meet point and a time. A low-angle shot then confirms he's at the right place at the right time, showing sign posts and then him looking at his watch.
• Behind him is a public telephone, this then begins to ring (iconic in many films). This leads to the first piece of dialogue, he then realises its the girl and we witness a pan and then two quick whip-pans as he looks for her in a frantic manner. 

• As a black mustang soars past creating a loud sound there is the dramatic high point of the opening sequence. This is because as the car goes past the girl hangs up (as if their coming for her) and a cigarette is thrown out of the cars window. 

• A worms-eye shot of the cigarette sees Brendan walk into the shot (only showing feet, referring once again to the visual link). 

• Then a CU of the cigarette becomes a ECU as it reveals an arrow on it (clue).