Black Swan

In the opening scene, there is low key lighting as Nina (Natalie Portman) walks towards her dressing room. There is non-diegetic music as Nina rushes to her dressing room which has a fast pace to match her walking pace. In this scene she is dressed as black swan which makes her look suspicious as the low key lighting hides her features. This also makes it claustrophobic as everyone is walking single file and the low key light makes it seem more enclosed and dark. This made me feel as if I’m just as guilty as Nina because the camera is following Nina who is walking in the opposite direction as the other girls that are dressed as white swans. The camera is also hand held (tracking shot) so it looks like it’s from someone’s point of view that’s walking behind Nina.

 As Nina gets into her dressing room the camera pans around the room to show the broken mirror and blood seeping under the bathroom door which shows that the room is still how she left it and that she didn’t just image it. There is a fade cut from where Nina is dressed as the black swan to her dressed as the white swan. As Lily (Mila Kunis) comes to the door the blighting is very neutral however looks low key from outside the dressing room. There is deep focus on Lily and Nina even though the camera is only on Lily’s face-camera shot from over Nina’s shoulder. This shows Nina is still important in the scene as she isn’t unfocused. The director uses a reverse shot between Lily and Nina. However one is from Lily’s point of view-as if the viewer is seeing exactly what lily is seeing.

            As Nina realises she hasn’t really stabbed Lily the music begins to build up (swan lake music) which builds tension. This made me feel anxious because I didn’t know who she had really stabbed or if she had even stabbed anyone at all. The camera once again pans around the room to show the broken mirror and towel under the bathroom door to show the viewer that they was still some sort of fight/accident. There is low key lighting when there is a close up shot of Nina which emphasises Nina’s emotions when she realises she has stabbed herself with the sharp mirror piece. The low key lighting also makes it easier to show her emotions as there is bright light (high key) coming from straight in front of her. The director uses a straight cut to a close up of Nina’s stab wound. As she pulls out the pierce of broken mirror the music escalates and becomes more ‘violent’ sounding and loud.

 There is another straight cut to Nina’s face as she walks to her dressing table to reapply her make-up. There is a jump cut from Nina in her dressing room to her dancing her final dance. The camera moves as though it’s from another dancer’s point of view. Nina’s heavy breathing and sighs as she is dancing is diegetic sound however they are emphasized. This shows the viewer how much her injury is affecting her.

Reverse shot is used between Nina and her mum when she is dancing. There is also deep focus on Nina’s mum as she is the most important audience member to Nina. This made me feel sorry for Nina as her mum finally seems happy with what she has done but it has cost her, her life. There is a long shot of the whole stage to show the setting of the final scene. When the camera is zoomed into Nina at the top of the hill she takes up the middle third which shows her importance as the final of her performance. As Nina dives off the top of the ‘hill’ the camera zooms in from a mid shot to close up of her face as a slight smile appears which shows the audience she is happy with her performance and that nothing else-like her injury-matters. There is faint clapping in the background from the audience which is diegetic sound. the final shot fades out into bright white light as if nina is passing out or has died.

Mise-En-Scene

Nina is walking against the other dancers who are dressed as white swans unlike her who is dressed as a black swan. This suggests she is separate from the others and stand out. Also she is dressed in black which is usually associated with danger, mystery and death. Nina uses a light pink towel to soak up the blood seeping under the bathroom door however it isn’t a very subtle colour and someone may easily see the blood on the towel. The director uses a fade cut which shows Nina’s change in personality-from black to white swan. She wears a typical ballerina costume throughout the film which brings her out of her own world to the realisation that the black swan is destroying her. Nina blends her tears in with her makeup which shows she is still determined to carry on performing and not let her wound stop her. Her makeup could also be seen as a mask to hide her emotions.

When Nina is standing on the ‘hill’ it is as if there is a sun setting and she is fading with the sun. As the final scene fades in to bright light it’s as if she is going to heaven. When Nina is the black swan her hands are painted black as if to show she has ‘blood’ on her hands or as though she has done something wrong. It also shows the difference between her two characters.