Donnie Darko analysis - editing and camera.

In the Donnie Darko clip I have been looking at the camera techniques and the editing techniques.

One camera technique I looked at was the first shot. The clip starts with the camera upside down and slowly turning around to face upwards using a slow motion editing technique. 

These wide shots show that when kids go to school their world is different than at home. When kids are at home they have more freedom whereas they don't in school. There's always specific work to do in classes, even at lunchtime there's usually a set menu with not a lot of variety. 

Another camera technique used is 'panning.' When the three boys walk into the school they all look straight ahead as if they are looking at somebody.

After the camera pans, there is a mid shot of another person. The characters on both sides of the camera exchange dirty looks to each other. The slow motion in these shots imply there is a rivalry between the characters, like in a boxing match when the opponents face each other.

The whole clip doesn't have many cuts throughout it, this reflects that the school day is always constant and there's always something happening such as lessons and then lunch and eventually when it's home time.