0:00:00.068,0:00:03.099
Hi, my name is Tony and this is a quick[br]episode of Every Frame a Painting.

0:00:04.099,0:00:06.177
<i>--Dr. Lecter my name is Clarice Starling[br]May I speak with you?</i>

0:00:07.077,0:00:11.098
Today’s topic is winning the scene. In[br]drama, two characters walk into a room.

0:00:11.098,0:00:14.103
Each wants something from the other.[br]<i>--May I see your credentials?</i>

0:00:15.003,0:00:18.081
The question of the scene is:[br]who gets what they want?

0:00:18.081,0:00:19.099
<i>--Closer.</i>

0:00:21.005,0:00:23.064
First you’ll notice they both look right[br]into the lens, examining each other.

0:00:24.009,0:00:27.042
Even though Lecters in jail this framing[br]shows him and Clarice as equals

0:00:27.042,0:00:29.078
But, once he lands the first blow:

0:00:29.078,0:00:33.084
<i>--That expires in one week.[br]You’re not real FBI, are you?</i>

0:00:33.084,0:00:35.084
We move over-the-shoulder,[br]with each person

0:00:35.084,0:00:37.156
building up a defense.[br]And who has the power here?

0:00:38.056,0:00:40.070
<i>--Sit, please.[br]</i>He does.

0:00:40.007,0:00:43.010
From here on out, we’re always looking[br]slightly down on her, slightly up on him

0:00:44.000,0:00:47.058
<i>--Now then, tell me,[br]what did Miggs say to you?</i>

0:00:47.058,0:00:50.115
While he looks us right in the eye,[br]she looks off camera.

0:00:51.015,0:00:54.744
Right now we're inside her head.[br]Jonathan Demme will reinforce this

0:00:54.879,0:00:57.030
by having the camera look[br]where Clarice is looking

0:00:57.003,0:01:00.030
only to bring us back to Lecter.[br]<i>--You know Florence?</i>

0:01:00.003,0:01:03.078
Remember shes here to get him to look at[br]a survey. Every time she's too obvious

0:01:04.004,0:01:07.034
<i>--I’m only asking you to look at this.[br]Either you will or you won’t.</i>

0:01:07.034,0:01:10.049
We go back to this standoffish angle.[br]But Hannibal Lecter is curious

0:01:10.049,0:01:14.124
about one thing…[br]<i>--You know why he’s called Buffalo Bill?</i>

0:01:15.024,0:01:18.118
So we shift. Now she looks us[br]in the eye, he looks off.

0:01:19.018,0:01:22.022
We’ve moved inside his point of view[br]because he’s genuinely interested.

0:01:22.022,0:01:24.100
And the relationship is starting to thaw[br]You can actually tell

0:01:25.000,0:01:26.051
the exact moment it happens.

0:01:26.051,0:01:30.103
<i>--Most serial killers keep some trophy.[br]--I didn’t.</i>

0:01:31.003,0:01:33.092
<i>--No, no you ate yours.</i>

0:01:35.003,0:01:36.077
We think Clarice is winning.

0:01:37.004,0:01:39.011
She’s gotten him to look at the survey,[br]and we get a close-up

0:01:39.011,0:01:40.109
emphasizing its importance.

0:01:41.009,0:01:43.027
But then Lecter decides[br]to turn the tables.

0:01:43.027,0:01:46.063
<i>--You know what you look like to me with[br]your good bag and your cheap shoes</i>

0:01:46.063,0:01:47.150
<i>you look like a rube.</i>

0:01:48.063,0:01:50.130
This is the first time the camera[br]dollies during the entire scene,

0:01:51.003,0:01:53.091
and it ends by framing Lecter normally,[br]while Clarice is short-sided off-balance

0:01:54.018,0:01:56.100
Just when she thought she was winning…

0:01:58.025,0:01:59.056
she lost.

0:01:59.056,0:02:01.144
If you’re paying attention you’ll notice[br]that Lecter is no longer looking

0:02:02.044,0:02:03.053
directly into the lens,[br]but ever so slightly off.

0:02:06.034,0:02:07.042
Because they’re not seeing[br]eye to eye anymore.

0:02:08.014,0:02:10.062
<i>--You fly back to school little Starling</i>

0:02:10.062,0:02:13.148
He walks away from the camera, mirrored[br]in the next shot when she does the same.

0:02:14.048,0:02:17.076
After Miggs does his thing,[br]we get the second camera move

0:02:17.076,0:02:18.110
and the very first[br]two-shot in the entire scene.

0:02:20.005,0:02:21.070
Finally, they’re together[br]in the same frame,

0:02:22.015,0:02:23.059
the camera looking up,[br]and we understand that

0:02:23.059,0:02:24.124
this is the beginning of a relationship.

0:02:25.024,0:02:29.110
<i>--I don't think Miggs can manage again[br]so soon, even though he's crazy, GO NOW.</i>

0:02:31.001,0:02:33.089
What makes the dynamic interesting is[br]Hannibal Lecter wins the scene

0:02:33.098,0:02:36.173
and then gives up his win for his own[br]reasons. Clarice gets what she wanted

0:02:37.073,0:02:40.164
but it feels like a humiliation. If you[br]enjoyed this little exercise, I highly

0:02:41.064,0:02:43.110
recommend watching other interactions[br]between these two characters,

0:02:44.001,0:02:46.039
each of which has a slightly different[br]answer to the question of

0:02:46.048,0:02:47.085
“Who wins the scene?"

0:02:48.085,0:02:50.106
My name is Tony and this was a quick[br]episode of Every Frame a Painting.