Research - Schindler's List

I watched through the film Schindler's List (1993). Before I saw this film I already had an idea about the theme and basic layout of my film but watching Schindler's List has given me ideas for techniques I can use in my short film to create a greater effect.

The fist technique I was interested in at the start of Schindler's List was the use of an graphic match. About a minute into the film a close up shot of a candle going out and smoke rising from the top dissolves into a shot of Steam rising from a train. This technique is very effective as it links one scene with the next. I am going to use this technique in my film to link the Protagonists conscious state of mind with his unconscious one.

Another technique that stood out was the slow development of a character using shots of different parts of the characters body without revealing the characters face. The main Protagonist in Schindler's List (Mr. Schindler) is slowly built up with shots of him doing tasks but only revealing parts of his body and not his face. An example of this is the character collecting money from a draw but only focusing on his hands. This technique builds up suspense for the audience as the identity of this character is not revealed and therefore the audience can't fully connect with the character until their identity has been revealed. I hope to use this technique in my short film when the elderly man is first revealed. I wish to use this technique because the unknown will create suspense for the audience and add to the overall suspenseful effect that the Forrest scenes will have.

A third technique used in Schindler's list which I may use for my own short film is the use of a prop placed between two characters to create a visible barrier between them. In Schindler's List Mr. Schindler and other businessman meet with each other, a clever still camera shot places Mr. Schindler on one side of a desk and the businessman on the other side. This technique not only physically separates these two characters but also suggests an emotional distance between them. I would like to use this technique in my own short film to separate the protagonist character from the rest of society in his conscious state.