Practical Screencraft: Chapter 1 Script

TOM

When looking at the ending of The Graduate. The main aspect that stuck out to me was the use of cinematography combined with acting. The most prominent shot that shows this off is this one

Running shot

TOM

In a way, the camera is conveying the feeling of the scene by making Ben (Dustin Hoffman) appear as if he is running on the spot, going nowhere. It adds to the urgency of the scene as he runs to make it to the wedding. Speaking of the wedding, the way the shot pans towards the church makes the shot work out of context. Out of context, you see a man struggling to run quickly towards a church. That's all you need to understand the situation. In terms of acting, Dustin Hoffman has to also convey the very same feeling as the camera through the use of his body due to the lack of dialogue. Compared to the previous shot, he is running much more vigorously with his focus locked either straight ahead or towards the church.

TOM

This shot actually reminds of another film, Skyfall. (Oh look I'm talking about Bond, how shocking). Skyfall sees the main villain, Silva, debut using this technique as he tells a story for character establishment. What's intriguing here is that, the shot before shows the layout of the room from a different angle which establishes how big this room is. We then see the aforementioned shot and it feels like the room has become bigger. It's very effective as a result. See, it's not just an excuse to talk about Skyfall...

TOM

In addition to the acting and cinematography, the use of sound also caught my attention. The scene begins with 'Mrs Robinson' by Simon and Garfunkel blasting triumphantly as Ben speeds towards the church. However, The song begins to slow down and come to a stop parallel to Ben's car stopping. The lack of music on wards you would think would make the scene feel less dire but it the emptiness and realism of the diegetic sound just makes it feel more ambiguous as to whether he will make it or not. And what happens when he does? The sound of a guitar is heard. How about when Elaine is watching her family scolding Ben. She can't here them because her sub-conscious is focused on what matters more, that being Ben crying out her name. As the film comes to an end, the tone changes drastically. One would think that it would be a happy ending as Ben reunites with Elaine and can be together. Except it doesn't. Instead, the camera lingers on their faces as they slowly begin to realise what they've done and how their lives are going to pan out. All to the Sound of Silence. (Also I liked the that this scene here fits the line in the song "People talking without speaking".