Why is slow motion used in films

The technique highlights physical movements facilitating the audience to concentrate on such things as the underlying horror of an action or the brilliant or exceptional abilities of a character. South Yorkshire England View all posts by A. You are commenting using your WordPress.

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Slow motion is a key part of modern visual culture, from iPhone selfies to movies. So how does it work? Slow motion was key in the days of silent films, when camera operators would overcrank their cameras to slow down footage or undercrank them to speed it up.

These experiments could range from goofy to dreamy. Soon after the addition of sound, Hollywood embraced a standard speed for movies, and slow motion became an even more important tool. The effect is visceral and epic. War movies, battle scenes, and in general, scenes with a great deal of action, utilize slow-mo frequently. While every film is not as visually poetic as , many will employ a unique approach to slow-motion to enhance audience immersion. Second only to battle scenes, and often combined with them, are death scenes.

Palmer uses the final scene from Bonnie and Clyde, where the two protagonists are unsuspectingly pumped full of bullets. Amidst this intense moment of violence, Clyde falls in slow motion as his life gradually comes to an end. Film speed changes throughout the short sequence but ends with both bodies slowly slumping into their final resting places.

Capturing those last few moments in slow-mo allows the viewer to explore every facet of their deaths, while also feeling the intensity of every bullet.

In doing so, those details achieve significance. Palmer uses several Scorsese films to exemplify this principle. My favorite example is this scene from Casino. Filmed hand held with the crew running through the gardens with the actor, the shot captures the freedom of exploring the property. If you would like to work with us on your next project, then get in touch. We are Sorry… It appears your browser is not compatible with some of the features we want to deliver to you.

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