Contexual Research

I looked at series of films and how they depict betrayal. I looked at the storyline and its structure and the camera shots and movements during the scenes involved in the betrayal.

 

Paid In Full

The first film I analysed was 'Paid in full'. In this film the main character is on the outside looking in on the betrayal basically he is neither the victim of the betrayal nor the person doing the betrayal.

Mitch is the character that gets betrayed, he is portrayed as the most popular and loved character out of the 3 main characters; Ace, Rico & Mitch.

Rico is the character who betrays mitch.

Rico gets close with mitch then when he has his opportunity he takes it.

prior too the betrayal taking place the shots are a lot longer and have a much slower pace, cross fades and fade to black transitions are also immensely used at this time. These techniques are used to help build tension and tells the audience that a change in equilibrium is about to occur.

 

American Gangster

In this film Frank Lucas is the main character. In this film Frank is a big time drug lord aka king pin of Harlem. Frank is the traitor in this film as he gives police the information they need to take down some of the people that used to help him doing in his illegal business so that he gets a shorter jail sentence.

 

When the betrayal is taking place and frank is giving the police the information the shots speed up, they are a lot shorter and frequent. It the change in pace from the slow pace of the integration to the fast pace of the betrayal act itself that tells the audience that the betrayal is taking place. During the betrayal the camera also moves as oppose to it being completely still prior to the act of betrayal.