KNIVES OUT - Scene 1

Scene 1 - Fran Discovers Harlan’s Dead Body

Opening shot

Camera: Slow dolly in
establishing shot for location
dogs running towards the mansion foreshadows role that they will play later on in the film (helping blanc find the killer).
sky is fairly overcast and gloomy.
- contributes to mood.

fran places harlan’s mug on the tray to deliver to him. At the end of the movie, we see Marta with this cup, standing on the balcony of the mansion. This later signifies that she has inherited ownership of house.
Camera: Static
use of harsh practical sources that reflect off chrome teacup (frame right)?

Camera: Static
tight lens with focus on background
practical light sources at 3200k motivate lighting temperature from previous frame.
notice the “steely” quality of daylight in this world. Gives a sense of emptiness and gloominess.
- overcast sky look, as seen in opening shot

Camera: Static
4 consecutive shots of art around the mansion
- establishes tone of film and gives viewers more information about what may be going on.
Most of the figures are cast into shadow and do not appear to have additional lighting.
- likely to have been quick insert shots

Camera: Static
coverage of fran carrying try continues, as she moves past a room full of decoration.
- coverage shot that establishes the location and ties the previous 4 shots with action.
We see how large and empty the mansion is. Overall incredible art design.

camera: Static
3 consecutive shots of figures and carvings in the mansion.
continues to set mood and gives viewers more content to investigate location
- once again, most of these shots are darker

camera: Static
Portrait of Harlan right of frame
windows outside are allowed to overexpose.
- values have been brought down to 90 ire, which makes this not as apparent.
- EXTREME blooming of highlights around lamps in the house and windows.
Shadow detail is barely visible within most of these frames. This emulates film.
small detail: the door seen on the right of frame has been angled so that it maximizes reflection of daylight into the camera sensor. IS this window light or a led PANEL?

Camera: Static
Steep camera angle with natural leading lines pointing to fran
- frames on the wall fill empty space
lamp location distributes warm colors across the left side of the frame.
Why are the lamps on when it is bright outside?
- perhaps this shows us that it is early morning.

Camera: dolly in for first shot. Static for Rest
4 CONSECUTIVE detail shots.
first camera movement shot in house int.
most of the details in these frames are lost to shadow.
Harlan thrombey’s name appears many times over books and publications. Tells the story of who harlan is.

Camera: Static
Coverage of Fran crossing frame from right to left
blue and yellow cA around lights on top. further supports film emulation effect.
some lights in the house are set to 5500k while others are 3200k. Practicals light the scene and match the steel daylight tones of window light.

Camera: Pans right to left
reveals empty bed
variety of color temperature lights in house.
- tungsten fixtures (or what looks to be such) appear whiter. This leads me to belive that the orange lights in frame are warmer than 3200k.
  - how was the camera wb set?
- Set is lit entirely by practical lamps.
Fran appears in the mirror in the right frame. This FORESHADOWS how she will see harlan’s killer later on in the movie.

Camera: pans from left to right
- set at low angle to compensate for the 2nd frame. camera does not tilt.
Camera movement picks up now. the swift pans in each of these shots slowly build up ANTICIPATION and energy.
(not shown in these frames) daylight is shown to be bouncing off the door before it is opened. IS this window light or a led panel?
- Now that I think of it, if daylight is steel blue, it makes sense that the camera wb might have been set to about 4000k or so. makes sense why FIXTURES that we would expect to be tungsten appear cooler.

Camera: dolly out and then dolly in on fran’s face once she enters the room.
- As Fran fills the frame and a look of shock settles into her face, the camera gets closer to her face. This causes the background to shift out of focus and she becomes isolated from the background.
Let’s take a moment to APPRECIATE the amazing set design on the door.
matching light fixtures inside and outside the room to give balance to the end frame.
- the light in the hallway gives hair light to fran after she enters and fills the frame. Also lights background to SEPARATE her hair from background.
- the lamp in frame left sculpts the shape of the statue.
Very soft key on fran’s face. Perhaps an Arri SKypanel with diffusion. No fill.

Camera: dolly in while tilting down.
- Lack of rails on the bottom makes me BELIEVE this is on a steadicam. (or just a dolly with no rails, based on how shaky it is)
looks like a suicide scene

Camera: Static
This is probably the most intentionally lit “portrait” frame so far, along with the other shot of fran from earlier.
two strong sources of light are overexposed but brought down to 90 ire in post to prevent AGGRESSIVE roll off.
- the two practicals are well balanced in frame
  - rear practical LIGHTS background and SEPARATES fran from the shadowy stairwell.
EXTREMELY large, soft light source from frame left, REMBRANDT lighting on fran’s face.
(not shown in frame) fran drops the tray and snaps out of her shock, swearing (tension releases)