Handheld camera: A filming approach that can give a sense of urgency or chaos to action, often making the viewer feel like a participant.
Aronofsky effectively used handheld tracking shots using handheld camera to analyse and portray his key themes. A particular scene which effectively uses this technique occurs during one of Nina’s mentally deluded episodes when she arrives home from her ballet training the night before the Opening Night’s performance. The handheld camera follows Nina down the hallway slowly closing in on her while she rushes to escape from the disturbing presence that she believes she following her. This use of handheld tracking allows the viewer to enter Nina’s mind and delve into her twisted and villainous …show more content…
One of the scenes is during Nina’s delusional outbreak during the Opening Night. As Nina finds her mind lost in hallucinations she notices Thomas slowing fading into Swan Lake character Rothbart. In Swan Lake, Rothbart plays the evil sorcerer who casts a spell on Swan Queen which transforms her into a swan until she finds a man who loves her and is faithful to her. In this scene, Nina’s mental insecurity and her suppressed attraction to Thomas, her sexual emotions are developing. This theme of sexual awakening is further enhanced in this scene as Nina panics watching herself being sexually involved with Thomas who fades into evil Rothbart. This fade illustrates that Nina is affected by her darkening thoughts and fear of transforming into Black Swan.
The Opening Scene:
The opening scene demonstrates an innocent and beautiful version of Nina and how innocence is being seduced into darkness. As it fades to black it gives the impression that going into the darkness can be dangerous and sets the tone that as Nina becomes more and more like the evil Black Swan which captures her innocence.
The Last …show more content…
Cuts, fades, dissolves are all editing techniques which were effectively used in variety of scenes in Black Swan. Andrew Weisblum is the editor of the film.
In the scene where Nina snaps back to reality after being confused from the effects of drugs, the pace changes from rapid, short, dizzy shots full of noise and colour to a room bright with sterile light. This reflects her mind changing from delusional and dizzy to a sudden stable state. This cut is important as it highlights that Nina’s mind is not fully lost in the villainous illusions that are trying to conquer her. This theme of mental instability is