WATCH THE MOVIE – THE JUNIPER TREE (its on kanopy.com)
discussion question: The Juniper Tree was shot with a very low budget, thus Keene maximized her storytelling through as little shots as possible. Describe two scenes that are examples of this economizing of shots. How did the limited amount of shots open doors for more innovative storytelling in just one or two shots. Think specifically about depth of field, camera movement and use of sound.
If you could please review the previous homework i assigned you please follow that style of writing i mentioned previously when answering this question i need you to write two paragraphs the first paragraph answering the questions and the second paragraph replying to my classmate’s response to the question, here is my classmate’s response to the question that i need you to reply to: “The Juniper Tree, directed by Nietzchka Keene, is a film that expresses a lot through very few shots. There are several scenes throughout the film where action and story is conveyed through craftily constructed long shots and subtle, yet eloquent, camera movements.
One example of this is the scene that takes place at about 41:00 where, after having a fight with her sister Katla, Margit watches her have sex with Johann in the distance. This shot stays fixed on Margit the entire time, but everything is in deep focus, and we can see exactly what is going on in the background. The insistence of keeping the camera at a distance from Katla reveals how Margit is feeling in this situation: lonely, betrayed, and distant from her family. If this scene incorporated more shots, close-ups, or different camera movements, I’m not sure the same message would be expressed.
Another example of this economizing of shots takes place at around 35:00. In this scene, Jonas is not feeling well and asks for his father. First, Margit comes, then Katla, and finally Johann. These characters come and go from the shot, but Jonas is there the whole time. Despite their absence, the camera stays fixed on Jonas the whole time. Even when Margit leaves to go get Katla, we do not follow her–we watch Jonas laying there for the entirety of the scene. This decision communicates to us that Jonas is feeling lonely and misplaced. His whole life is changing, he has new caretakers that he does not trust, he is feeling betrayed by his father, and the camera staying fixed on him expresses these things.”
