I am analysing the continuity techniques in this clip from The Dark Knight (2008). It uses continuity techniques so that the audience can follow a storyline and to make the narrative flow more smoothly.
At the beginning it starts off as a reaction shot as we can see all the men sat at the large table turn their heads and look round to where a laughing sound is coming from. When The Joker walks into the room there is a master shot (also a long shot) from behind his shoulder. We are then able to see the whole room (and see that there is a whole group of men sat around a table) from his perspective and also grasp where he is in relation to the other people. The camera then moves forward behind the Joker and we get to see the reactions of the people sitting down. This acts as a type of reaction shot as well. The camera then cuts back and forth between The Joker and another man (whilst they are having a conversation). Then when one of the men stands up an ‘eye-line match’ technique is used so the Joker is now looking up, and the other man down. The scene only uses cuts as it is quite a tense/dramatic scene that would lose its effect if fades were used. At one point we see the Joker point towards the television and then the camera cuts to a close up shot of the television creating continuity. It lets us know where the Joker is looking so the audience doesn’t get confused. Then right at the end when the Joker walks away we always stay on the same side. They also follow the 30 degree rule as the camera angle never changes less than 30 degrees. The lighting is minimal within the scene but The Jokers face is quite well lit, putting the emphasis on him and this tells the audience he the important one.
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