Film Viewing Practice Essay "Agent Carter"

 The clip begins with a flashback composed of series of close-up shots between Agent Carter and Steve Rogers. The scene uses simultaneity to create tension as the audience does not know whether Steve will die or not. The music used saddens the scene as Steve chooses to crash the plane. The scene ends with Agent Carter crying as the camera fades to black. The editing of the scene makes the audience feel grief-stricken just as Agent Carter.

The next scene begins with an establishing shot of New York, the "One year later" in the bottom right of the frame establishing a sequence of time for the audience. Then, the scene cuts to an office, with an alarm sounding in the background. Looking at the characters in the office, Agent Carter is the only woman in the office. She also positioned in the corner. Both of these elements show Agent Carter as different other characters shown in the office scene. Additionally, Agent Carter is dressed differently from all of the male characters, further setting her apart from other characters. As for Agent Carter's interactions with other characters, the audience is shown through the male characters facial expressions and condescending tone that other characters in the office don't see Agent Carter as capable as them, further differentiating her from the males in the office scene. Agent Carter's facial expressions during the scene also show her disdain towards the way her colleagues treat her at not being sent out into the field while her male colleague. Also regarding the editing of dialogues between Agent Carter and her male colleagues, the dialogues uses a shot/reverse shot to imply to the audience that both characters that are shown in the dialogue are facing each other. The editing in the office scene makes the audience feel as annoyed and disdained as Agent Carter for not being sent out into the field because of her gender.

The office scene goes from day to night. The change in lighting from key to low-key lighting makes the scene more dramatic, especially after the alarm goes off again. The low-key lighting is used throughout the last two minutes of the clip for added dramatic effect. The call Carter receives at the office before the confrontation scene symbolizes Agent Carter's ability to go it alone, the audience realizes this as well when the camera shows her cross out the recommended amount of agents for the mission. The confrontation scene's use of diegetic sound in the form of a radio to cover the fight between Agent Carter and two men. The way the sound of the fight between two men is edited out in the confrontation sequence adds irony to the scene. The clip ends with the third man walking out, with the music playing over the scene releasing the tension as Agent Carter points a gun at the man's head. The editing of the confrontation scene makes the audience feel the intensity of the fight between Agent Carter and the two men and the tension between Agent Carter and the third man.