WEBVTT

00:00:00.068 --> 00:00:03.099
Hi, my name is Tony and this is a quick
episode of Every Frame a Painting.

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

00:00:07.077 --> 00:00:11.098
Today’s topic is winning the scene. In
drama, two characters walk into a room.

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

00:00:15.003 --> 00:00:18.081
The question of the scene is:
who gets what they want?

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

00:00:21.005 --> 00:00:23.064
First you’ll notice they both look right
into the lens, examining each other.

00:00:24.009 --> 00:00:27.042
Even though Lecters in jail this framing
shows him and Clarice as equals

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

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

00:00:33.084 --> 00:00:35.084
We move over-the-shoulder,
with each person

00:00:35.084 --> 00:00:37.156
building up a defense.
And who has the power here?

00:00:38.056 --> 00:00:40.070
<i>--Sit, please.
</i>He does.

00:00:40.007 --> 00:00:43.010
From here on out, we’re always looking
slightly down on her, slightly up on him

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

00:00:47.058 --> 00:00:50.115
While he looks us right in the eye,
she looks off camera.

00:00:51.015 --> 00:00:54.744
Right now we're inside her head.
Jonathan Demme will reinforce this

00:00:54.879 --> 00:00:57.030
by having the camera look
where Clarice is looking

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

00:01:00.003 --> 00:01:03.078
Remember shes here to get him to look at
a survey. Every time she's too obvious

00:01:04.004 --> 00:01:07.034
<i>--I’m only asking you to look at this.
Either you will or you won’t.</i>

00:01:07.034 --> 00:01:10.049
We go back to this standoffish angle.
But Hannibal Lecter is curious

00:01:10.049 --> 00:01:14.124
about one thing…
<i>--You know why he’s called Buffalo Bill?</i>

00:01:15.024 --> 00:01:18.118
So we shift. Now she looks us
in the eye, he looks off.

00:01:19.018 --> 00:01:22.022
We’ve moved inside his point of view
because he’s genuinely interested.

00:01:22.022 --> 00:01:24.100
And the relationship is starting to thaw
You can actually tell

00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:26.051
the exact moment it happens.

00:01:26.051 --> 00:01:30.103
<i>--Most serial killers keep some trophy.
--I didn’t.</i>

00:01:31.003 --> 00:01:33.092
<i>--No, no you ate yours.</i>

00:01:35.003 --> 00:01:36.077
We think Clarice is winning.

00:01:37.004 --> 00:01:39.011
She’s gotten him to look at the survey,
and we get a close-up

00:01:39.011 --> 00:01:40.109
emphasizing its importance.

00:01:41.009 --> 00:01:43.027
But then Lecter decides
to turn the tables.

00:01:43.027 --> 00:01:46.063
<i>--You know what you look like to me with
your good bag and your cheap shoes</i>

00:01:46.063 --> 00:01:47.150
<i>you look like a rube.</i>

00:01:48.063 --> 00:01:50.130
This is the first time the camera
dollies during the entire scene,

00:01:51.003 --> 00:01:53.091
and it ends by framing Lecter normally,
while Clarice is short-sided off-balance

00:01:54.018 --> 00:01:56.100
Just when she thought she was winning…

00:01:58.025 --> 00:01:59.056
she lost.

00:01:59.056 --> 00:02:01.144
If you’re paying attention you’ll notice
that Lecter is no longer looking

00:02:02.044 --> 00:02:03.053
directly into the lens,
but ever so slightly off.

00:02:06.034 --> 00:02:07.042
Because they’re not seeing
eye to eye anymore.

00:02:08.014 --> 00:02:10.062
<i>--You fly back to school little Starling</i>

00:02:10.062 --> 00:02:13.148
He walks away from the camera, mirrored
in the next shot when she does the same.

00:02:14.048 --> 00:02:17.076
After Miggs does his thing,
we get the second camera move

00:02:17.076 --> 00:02:18.110
and the very first
two-shot in the entire scene.

00:02:20.005 --> 00:02:21.070
Finally, they’re together
in the same frame,

00:02:22.015 --> 00:02:23.059
the camera looking up,
and we understand that

00:02:23.059 --> 00:02:24.124
this is the beginning of a relationship.

00:02:25.024 --> 00:02:29.110
<i>--I don't think Miggs can manage again
so soon, even though he's crazy, GO NOW.</i>

00:02:31.001 --> 00:02:33.089
What makes the dynamic interesting is
Hannibal Lecter wins the scene

00:02:33.098 --> 00:02:36.173
and then gives up his win for his own
reasons. Clarice gets what she wanted

00:02:37.073 --> 00:02:40.164
but it feels like a humiliation. If you
enjoyed this little exercise, I highly

00:02:41.064 --> 00:02:43.110
recommend watching other interactions
between these two characters,

00:02:44.001 --> 00:02:46.039
each of which has a slightly different
answer to the question of

00:02:46.048 --> 00:02:47.085
“Who wins the scene?"

00:02:48.085 --> 00:02:50.106
My name is Tony and this was a quick
episode of Every Frame a Painting.