The Shawshank Redemption

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The Shawshank Redemption

• Introduction to the prison - setting

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• Reds First Parole Hearing
• Sound of iron prison bars opening. Close up of
  the bars sliding open. We feel a great sense of
  imprisonment.
• Point of view long shot shows a row of five
  sombre, grey looking older men sitting at a
  table.
• Medium shot of Red fiddling with his hat. He
  seems nervous but what is he nervous of
  leaving or staying? Red doesnt know how to
  conduct himself.
• Red is in the light foreshadows that he may
  have hope

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• I learnt my lesson. I can honestly say Im a
  changed man. No longer a threat to society.
  Thats the
• Gods honest truth Sounds rehearsed, hes
  said this before, telling them what they want to
  hear.

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• Sound of the stamp with a close up of the word
  Rejected.
• Red walks out of the parole hearing and there is
  a level medium close up of Red. The walls have
  some light on them they dont appear so
  daunting this can be contrasted with Andy
  entering the Shawshank. The light is focused on
  the prison this is where Red feels safe/ at
  home.
• There must be a con like me in every prison in
  America Red is a big man in the prison. He
  has respect from the others. A businessman/
  entrepreneur. People rely on him.

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• Andy Entering Shawshank
• Sweeping overhead shot of the prison shows gothic
  buildings the prison seems threatening and all
  encompassing, lifeless (drains prisoners of hope
  and freedom). Music is sombre and slow moving
  like time in prison. There is dull lighting and
  everything, including the prison uniform is grey.
  The prisoners seem helpless.
• The sweeping overhead shot allows us to get a
  sense of the atmosphere of the prison
  foreboding, daunting, draws the life out of you.
• Voice over Red is the voice of authority and
  knowledge on Andy. This voiceover allows us to
  learn details about Andy and his background that
  are an integral part of the film

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• Andy came to prison in early 1947
• Zoom in to a medium close up of Andy shows that
  he still appears to be devoid of emotion. He is
  not giving anything away.
• A series of point of view shots shows what the
  prison has in store for the new prisoners The
  black-cloaked guards waiting for them and the
  prisoners lined up like caged animals banging and
  shaking the wire fence. They are threatening
  Fish Bitch
• Low angle point of view shot of Andy walking into
  the prison show the great grey walls suffocating
  and enveloping him. It is a threatening place
  that swallows you whole also we get the idea
  that it is impossible to escape.

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• Power and Corruption
• Introduced to the Warden Norton and Hedley
• Medium close up reveals that they are dressed in
  dark colours and are both framed by dark/ shaded
  background light. Contrast with the prisoners.
  Straight away we get the hypocrisy and corruption
  of the authorities
• Put your faith in the Lord your ass belongs to
  me
• He talks about religion and God, respecting these
  things and then stands by and allows Hedley to
  beat a prisoner.
• Lighting contrast between the corrupt screws
  and prisoners
• Shadow-like long shot of Hedley beating up the
  new prisoner they look almost demonic
• I swear by God and sunny Jesus blasphemy,
  hypocrisy

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