Camera Work in Coraline

Released in 2009, Coraline is an animated mystery film directed by Henry Selick. To set the overall mood, indicate power-dynamics, and even foreshadow future events-a variety of filming techniques are used in this production. The ones I will be talking about today are camera shots, angles, and movement.

Establishing Shot: The scene introduces Coraline's new home: the Pink Palace Apartments. The pouring rain, cool-toned color scheme, dark lighting, and tall black trees create a moody and mysterious atmosphere. It captures the unsettling, gloomy feeling that Coraline experiences when she first moves into the house and feels bored and neglected. The whimsical writing on the sign, Victorian house architecture, aswell of the use of blue and purple hues in the coloring can allude to supernatural elements of the film, which she encounters later on.   

Low Angle Shot: In this scene, Coraline and her friend Wybie are looking down a well in the woods. They are searching for the ghost children's eyes, which the Other Mother has hidden. Coraline throws the stone with the hole in it down the well to find the third eye, but it is lost. This is a key moment in the film's climax. By using both a low angle, significance is brought to Coraline and Wybie. It causes the audience to realize the intensity and dauntingness of their situation-if Coraline doesn't find the eyes, she is unable to free the ghost children and save her parents. 

Two Shot: This scene shows the Other Mother in her true, final form. In this clip, she's still trying to seduce Coraline to the Other World. However, the way she taps her nose is almost taunting. The fact she has to bend down to reach her indicates a power imbalance: the Other Mother exerts an excess of authority over Coraline, which is even seen when Coraline winces as she touches her. Despite the scariness of her situation, she's still fighting against the Other Mother's manipulation. Overall, through the use of a two shot, the relationship between the characters can be revealed. Here, it reveals Coraline's vulnerability when faced by the Other Mother, who tries to get her to abandon her true family using her threatening appearence and ridicule.

Wide Shot: The scene before this shows Coraline on her way back to her house, taking place right before the Other Mother requests to sew buttons in her eyes. By using a wide shot, the landscape, color scheme, fashion choices, and objects around Coraline can be analyzed. The cloudy and dark weather almost create creepiness and suspense. Unlike everything around her-from the dead plant life, grey rocks, and dull house in the distance-Coraline is cloaked in vibrant colors. Her standing out in her environment almost symbolizes she is not yet accustomed to the world around her. That she doesn't know the true nature of the Other World. The black, hissing cat serves as a warning sign, trying to convey bad luck is on the way.

These examples show how camera work can convey powerful messages in film. However, angles can have even as strong of an effect in telling stories in a single frame. This brings me to my next section:

Canted Angle: The canted or Dutch angle is when a scene is put on a tilt, creating a sense of unease. This is especially powerful in this scene, where the doll the Other Mother had gave to Coraline rests creepily on the floor of her real house. What Coraline doesn't know is this doll's purpose is to spy on Coraline, and report information back to the Other Mother. The Dutch angle highlights the doll's ulterior, sinister purpose. Coraline, looking puzzledly at the doll, almost looks like she's figuring this out. She moves toward it hesitantly, the camera angle heightening her feeling of uncertainty.

Shoulder-Level Angle: This shows the Other Mother in the form she uses to manipulate Coraline. She puts on a false mask of joy to appear more desirable to Coraline, attempting to get her to "choose her" when the time comes. The shoulder-level angle even paints her as Coraline's equal-as someone who could be trusted. Through the uses of warm lighting, and the angle putting emphasis on the Other Mother's happy expression, her motive made clear: to try and relate to Coraline, so she can betray her in the end. 

High Angle: This scene takes place after Coraline has successfully found the eyes of the ghost children and the souls of her parents. She challenges the Other Mother to one last duel, to which she accepts. As the Other Mother's facade begins to crumble, she reveals her true, grosteque monster form at last. This image captures Coraline's reaction to this terrifying transformation and marks the beginning of her escape. The high angle shows how Coraline looks from the Other Mother's perspective. It makes her seem small and naive, ultimately showing her vulnerability to the Other Mother that remains, even after she knows her real intentions.

Eye-Level Angle: This scene connects back to my first example of an angles in Coraline. It depicts her noticing the doll staring at her from the floor. This clip comes from moments prior: Wybie finds the creepy doll hidden in her grandmother's basement and reveals it to her. This is her live reaction. Despite it being very short and simple, this clip marks a crucial turning point in the film. It is part of Coraline's slow journey into realizing the true motives of the Other Mother-that something is terribly wrong with the Other World as a whole. This eye-level angle draws attention to this, bringing the viewer to see her bewilderment, and watch her slowly piece things together. 

Tracking Shot: This is an iconic scene in Coraline. A tracking shot is used when she first discovers and enters the tunnel to the Other World. The shimmering, mystical blue and purple tones make the viewer think the tunnel must lead to somewhere magical. It contrasts to the world behind her, which shows a corridor from her actual house. Her true home, in comparison, looks dull and almost "sickly" due to the desaturated green hues. It makes the tunnel come off as even more enchanting. This hypontizing feel being contributed to through the tracking shot, following Coraline as she uncovers new territory.

Tilt: Here with fake Wybie, the Other World is depicted as somewhere fun and harmless: Coraline's ideal home. Cotton Candy machines, fairy lights, and the overall carnival-like setting are used in this scene to maintain this facade. The tilt contributes to the idea the Other World is "perfect" through giving this scene some exciting, bouncy action. From the smile on fake Wybie's face, fun animation, to his surroundings, one would not expect this place to end up being so dangerous. This is exactly how the camera movement wants you to think.

Push In: This clip shows the Other Mother beginning to reveal her true nature to Coraline after she'd refused to have buttons sewn into her eyes. The slow, deliberate movement toward her face character builds a sense of suspense and dread.

Random Movement: After the Other Mother's button eyes are ripped out, she transforms the entire living room into a giant spider web, attempting to trap Coraline. The climatic intensity of this scene is contributed to through the use of random movement. It is able to entice the viewer visually, keeping them on their feet as events play out. It also highlights Coraline's instability. She is trapped in this webs, and to get her way out, she must quickly climb through them and stop the Other Mother from entering the real world.