Children of Men Draft

Here is a first attempt at an essay on the subject of the 2006 film - 'Children of Men':

The Cinematic, Editorial, Mise en Scene and Sound techniques applyed in the making of the 2006 film 'Children of Men' show skill and give the film a whole new dimention the audience aren't even aware of.

The Cinematography within the first five minutes gives the film a different feel in comparison with other films of the same genre.
This is possibly due to the director's choice to use a hand-held camera during shots with a lot of action. By using a hand-held device it gives the impression that the camera is a person and the audience is seeing what they see, or that they are the camera. This gives it a slight 'Documentary' style. If the shots had been filmed using a track it would loose some of the tension as people watching wouldn't feel so connected and 'in the moment' with the situation. The shaky angles make it seem as if someone is walking down the street, following the protagonist without taking any special care to steady the shot. The way the camera pans around the character gives anyone watching a connection with him in a way some other films fail to do. The shots last a long time (compared to conventional lengths) adding to the tension.

The Mise en Scene at the start of the film sets the tone for all that follows.
The dull colours used makes the scenes feel wintery, cold and depressing. Everything is dark, blue and grey being the prefered colours. London seems to have lost some of it's formality: the extras are in 'comfortable clothing' even at work, and those wearing suits do not look smart or well dressed. This gives the impression of a city 'giving up' which is the desirable effect the film should have on the audience.
A few minutes into the film, the scene moves into an office where all employees are glued to their computer screens in floods of tears. On the desk of the woman opposite the protagonist is a large assortment of bric-a-brac in different colours, this time featuring bright greens and some pinks and yellows. This sets her workspace off from the rest of the room as so far these colours have not been seen. She is one of the only people with these sort of items and it makes her seem slightly odd, that she would keep all these things where she worked rather than at home. As well as this, the protagonist's supervisor's office is full of cricket memorabilia. This makes him come across in an odd light as well, and distanced from the rest of the staff.