Edward Scissor Hands

In the film Edward Scissorhands directed by Tim Burton there is a distinct usage of Framing. The film uses framing to set the tone for the film by using colors, emotions and camera angles. This use of cinematography helps the viewer to get a deeper understanding of the film by guiding the viewer and telling them what to focus on. This guidance helps the viewer understand key points in the film and it also helps the viewer understand the tone of the film as well.

One example of framing can be found in the picture above. This picture above consists of a long shot at a high angle. This usage of placement helps the viewer to understand how large this neighborhood is and also how symmetrical every house was which relates to how similar every family living there was. The pastels colors also give this neighborhood a simple minded feel which also relates directly to the cookie cutter shaped houses. This neighborhood was very simple and seems to keep a low profile. Portraying this simple lifestyle through framing helps the viewer to understand later on just exactly how big of a disturbance Edward Scissorhand’s presence had on the neighborhood and the people living in it.

The image above is another outstanding example of the framing used in this film. This close up shot of Edward balancing a pea on his scissorhands allows us to feel and understand all of Edward’s emotions. Stefan Czapsky, the Edward Scissorhands cinematographer, intentionally placed Edward’s face and the small pea in the center of the frame. This shot allows us to focus on Edwards face and all the emotions running through him. In this scene he is trying to eat food off of a plate like a normal human however he is unable to grab his food with his scissor hands. Stefan Czapsky, chose this close up shot so the audience could experience Edward’s innocence and concentration as he tries to perform this simple task. The use of framing forces the viewer to focus solely on Edward’s extreme concentration and motivation to do a normal task such as picking up the pea which can be related to his desire to be a normal human in his new home. Overall this film used incredible examples of framing and outstanding works of cinematography that allow the viewers to better understand the tone and the theme of this film.