Cinematography: Camera Work in the Scuba Scene From The Graduate Essay Example

and his thoughts of what is happening.

Also the medium shot is used here to show the kitchen and how spotless and organized Ben’s family is. As the shot continues, Ben walks slowly toward the camera while the camera is grounded. The shot ends with a close up of Ben in his scuba mask, where the audience can really feel his emotions. Although the final close-up of Ben is brief, it portrays a great perspective of how he is truly feeling about what he is going through. As soon as the close up is done from the kitchen shot, the camera work makes the audience feel everything from Ben's perspective.

Mike Nichols does this by putting the camera inside the scuba mask that the audience thinks Ben is wearing. Instead of using a Steadicam, the shot is rough, shaking as Ben walks in his heavy scuba gear. Doing this portrays a realistic feel as if the audience is Ben and looking at everything that is going on from his perspective. Ben’s father is close up in the camera for the walk over to the pool making the audience feel the pressure and cloister phobia that Ben is feeling. Then the camera focuses on the pool, preparing the audience for a journey underwater.

Once submerged underwater, the camera is still inside Ben’s scuba mask. This is all done in one shot to emphasize the realism of Ben’s life. The last shot of the scene is the opposite of the kitchen shot. It begins with a close-up on Ben, the shot is so close that his feelings are obvious in his face. As the shot continues, the camera begins to

back up showing the bland environment of the bottom of the pool. Also as the shot expands, Ben’s feelings lonliness in his own world are emphasized by being all alone.

Throughout all the shots, the feeling that Ben is in his own world remains present due to the brilliant camera work. With the use of only close ups and medium shots, Mike Nichols does a fantastic job, using them at the right time to portray the point of each shot. In addition, the transition of either zooming in or out during shots of the scene are done perfectly to get the point through that Ben does not want to be in the scuba suit. The camera work throughout the scuba scene is what makes it such a memorable sequence of shots.

Attachment

1. 4 shots
2. 1st shot: Ben’s father introduces Ben to everyone at the party 2nd shot: Ben is in the kitchen then walks toward the camera 3rd shot: The camera appears to be in Ben’s scuba mask. Ben walks to the pool and goes into the pool. 4th shot: Ben is underwater, acting very still, although you can see the air bubbles coming out of his scuba suit.
3. 1st shot: Close up, medium shot. Low angle, eye level. 2nd shot: Medium shot, close up. Eye level. 3rd shot: Medium shot. Eye level. 4th shot: Close up, medium shot. Eye level.