'United 93' - Camera Shot Analysis

It is important that the message of the film is portrayed to the audience, this is done with the use of appropriate camera shots because depending on the shot will depend on how the audience portray that scene, for example an intense scene may require a close up shot to show worry and stress where as with a medium shot this image may be lost in what is going on around the character.

I have decided to analyse the use of camera shots in 'United 93' as the film deals with an array of emotions that need to be portrayed at the same time which I feel will be important for my trailer. In the shot on the right the audience can see a medium shot of the passengers with one passenger centred in between the two aisles, by doing this the audience understand that this man is informing the passengers what they are going to do to take control of the plane. The shot is also low down in line with the passengers this gives the audience the illusion that they are with the passengers aboard United 93 which allows the audience to connect with the passengers on a personal level.

In this second shot the audience see a close up of a passenger on the telephone. With the positioning of his head resting on his hand the audience are given the sense that the entire weight of the world is resting on this man's shoulders whilst he speaks to a loved one letting them know what is happening to him. He can not believe what is happening to him, that he is in this serial situation, the close up shot is important in conveying this man's emotions the audience are given the understanding of how it must have felt to inform your friends and family that you are on a hijacked plane and that you will probably die. The man is also looking down at the ground which again adds to the stress that he is now under. Without this close up shot the audience may have only seen a passenger on the phone where as by showing him closely to the audience they are now experiencing what every passenger felt on that day.

 The shot on the right is a dutch angle which is often used to portray the psychological uneasiness or tension in the subject being filmed. Which is exactly what the audience can see with this couple. The husband is protecting his wife by embracing her and placing his hand on her head all of these aspects show to the audience that the couple realise their fate, they understand that they are going to die aboard United 93. Also with the use of the dutch angle it has made the husband appear much taller in the shot this shows that the husband is over powering his wife by protecting her from what is about to happen to them both. I feel that this angle works particularly well because the audience are still able to see what is happening around the couple but they are focused in on the couple themselves and the situation that they are in. This shot has also been able to to portray their emotions, despite being scared and angry with the people that are doing this to them, they are there for one another.  

'United 93'

United 93 is a 2006 fact-based drama film written, co-produced, and directed by Paul Greengrass that chronicles events aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked during the September 11 attacks.


Early on the morning of September 11, 2001, hijackers Ahmed al-Nami and Ahmed al-Haznawi are praying in their hotel room, United 93's skyjacking ringleader Ziad Jarrah reading the Quran, and Saeed al-Ghamdi shaving. The four then leave for Newark International Airport. At the airport, the crew and passengers board United Airlines Flight 93. Shortly after boarding, and the safety briefing, Flight 93 is delayed for 41 minutes because of the high volume of traffic. The three other soon to be hijacked flights, American Airlines Flight 11, United Airlines Flight 175, and American Airlines Flight 77 take off. 

United 93 shows the audience the tenacity and determination of the passengers to take over the plane which despite their best efforts were unsuccessful in obtaining control of the plane. 

In the picture on the right the audience see the passengers drowding round one another discussing about how they're going to take over the plane, I feel that In this shot particularly the audience can understand the emotions that were going through the passengers at this time you get a sense of their upset that this is happening to them and the anger with the people responsible for putting them in this situation. 

In the picture on the left the audience see a couple embracing one another you can see that the man is protecting his wife by holding her close to him; this gives the audience the sense of vulnerability that surrounds these passengers, they have been cut off from the outside world and whilst everybody is going about their normal day these people are trapped in a plane that has been hijacked and nobody is aware of this. 

What draws me to 'United 93' is that sense you get of understanding how each individual passenger felt and what they went through whilst aboard united 93. As an audience up until now nobody has really understood visually what it was like for the passengers being on a hijacked plane  all we have had is recordings and friends and family members accounts of phonecalls they recieved from the passengers.                                                                                                                                                       

For more information visit the United 93 national memorial website http://www.nps.gov/flni/index.htm 

Research into Film Trailer

After gathering the relevant research about 9/11 I used YouTube to search for trailers surrounding the concept of love and loss. Youtube proved extremely helpful in influencing my ideas and helping to aid the plot of my film trailer. 


P.S. I Love You is a 2007 American drama film directed by Richard LaGravenese. Holly and Gerry are a married couple who are deeply in love, but they fight occasionally. Gerry dies suddenly of a brain tumor and Holly realizes how much he means to her as well as how insignificant their arguments were. Deeply distraught, Holly withdraws from her family and friends until a cake is delivered, and with it is a message from Gerry. It proves to be the first of several meaningful messages all ending with "P.S. I Love You" which he had arranged to have delivered to her after his death. As the seasons pass, each new message fills her with encouragement and sends her on a new adventure.


Ghost is a 1990 American romantic fantasy drama film starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze), a banker, and Molly Jensen (Demi Moore), a talented potter, are a loving couple who move into a New York City apartment. Sam and Molly are attacked by armed thug Willy Lopez (Rick Aviles) and Sam is killed by a gunshot during a struggle with Willie. Sam's ghost arises from his dead body, which lies next to the distraught Molly; he gradually realizes that he is a ghost whose presence cannot be seen or heard. Sam follows the killer, and hears that he will return to Molly's house. He also meets Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), a con-artist posing as a medium and realizes she can hear him, although Oda Mae had been faking her abilities until then. He persuades Oda Mae to tell Molly that she is in danger, but Molly is disbelieving and Carl later convinces Molly that Oda Mae is a fraud preying on her grief.


At the end of the film Sam goes to Oda Mae and Molly and asks if they are all right after Molly is nearly murdered, Molly suddenly realizes that she can hear him. A heavenly light fills the room and Sam becomes fully visible to both Molly and Oda Mae. Sam looks behind him and sees hundreds of people, presumably angels, in a portal to Heaven. His task is completed and he can move on. Sam says an emotional farewell to Molly, thanks Oda Mae for her help, and departs to the afterlife.