The Handmaid's Tale by Lilian Curran

Composition + lines

Cu — 2018-02-06 08:54:38 UTC

Offred is caught, imprisoned

Composition + Lighting

2018-02-07 19:45:18 UTC

Foreground: the bed - it takes up a lot of space, cementing its position in the series - it is important, apparently.
Middle-ground: the woman enveloped in light becoming a silhouette.
Background: the window, the source of the light in the scene

Low-key lighting: dark contrast filled elements let in the dark, and elements in light. Sets a more negative mood (creates an almost religious symbolism)

Interpretation: she is imprisoned in a dark place, a contrast to what she looks at, the light outside. The light seems almost religious. Connotations; the light at the end of the tunnel, enlightenment, coming out from the dark (society). Hope?

The bed takes up a lot of space in scene, her shadow cast on the bed, foreshadowing her future.

signebak — 2018-02-07 19:45:56 UTC

Slide 1 (picture with room and lighting)
Contrast in lighting: outside vs. inside - freedom vs. imprisonment

Curtain still analysis

mem7 — 2018-02-07 19:46:55 UTC

Offred is submissive: high angle is used.
Vertical lines in the curtains show the uneven power relation.
The light is contrast-filled -> negative mood -> Gloomy setting.

Conflict: The lady is mad at the Offred. We get the impression that there is a hierarchy and that this will be a conflict in the series.
In the foreground we have the dark mean lady, in the background we have light; this creates tension.

johansen_sanne — 2018-02-07 19:47:52 UTC

ligthing -> contrasts:
outside > < inside
freedom > < imprisonment

The darkness in the room symbolises the darkness inside of her. She's talking about escaping out of the room, into the light - but not to be free. To die (the light could be the light at the end of the tunnel). The camera cuts to her face just before she says her name

2018-02-07 19:50:26 UTC

2018-02-07 19:51:23 UTC

2018-02-07 19:51:50 UTC

Symbol: nærmest et kors i vinduet.

Hun er et objekt - placeret mellem møblerne

colour symbolism: mere sort og hvid end farver - beige- gulligt lys omkring hende, sætter hende i centrum.

Modlys- man kan ikke se hendes ansigt=identitetsløs - men samtidig er hun indhyllet i lys(varmt).

Næsten symmetrisk opstilling - med Offred i centrum. Udadtil ordentlig/korrekt kropsholdning - afventende

Et slags dystopisk Biedermeiermotiv
Lowkey lighting - dark contrast-filled

Lightning

mhlind87 — 2018-02-07 19:52:04 UTC

Offred is in shadow - indicator of her position in the household --> she must stay in the shadows and not make herself known more than necessary.

johansen_sanne — 2018-02-07 19:52:36 UTC

low angle
colors

She presents the things in the room before she introduces herself. She is objectified. She is not an individual, not an active subject. The low angle usully shows power in the person we see, but here she has no power. She is put on a pedestal because she can have children, but her eyes are downcast and she looks frozen.

2018-02-07 19:53:14 UTC

Costumes

mhlind87 — 2018-02-07 19:54:04 UTC

The wife is dressed very demure and rather closed up, we get the impression that she is a strict character ("If I get trouble, believe me, I will give trouble back.")
She is a direct contrast to Offred's 'function' in the house. The wife is very asexual in her appreaance and costume.

Hand gesture

mhlind87 — 2018-02-07 19:59:35 UTC

Indicates that Offred is not okay with the situation, but she is 'educated' to know her place and hold her tongue. The tightening of her hand suggests her discomfort with the situation.

Colour symbolism

neller3000 — 2018-02-07 20:03:01 UTC

Mrs. Waterford er klædt i blåt. Farvesymbolikken kan være tillid, ro og harmoni, men også melankoli og raseri. Dette ses især når hun siger "Get up", lige efter at Offred har brudt protokol.