The Blind Side: Basic Shot Progression

         The Blind Side, directed and written by John Lee Hancock is one of my all time favorite films.  This film is based upon the life of Baltimore Raven’s offensive lineman Michael Oher.  This film captures the struggles and hardships that Michael faced growing up as he dealt with poverty and abandonment in a crime driven environment. Additionally, it shows the dramatic changes that his life underwent when he met the Touhy family.  In the film, the use of Long Shots, Medium Shots, and Close-Up Shots were important because they help present the storyline for this film.

         In the first scene of the film, Michael Oher is introduced to the audience using a Long Shot.   The connotative meaning of the LS/Orientation Shot in this scene show us the type of neighborhood Michael lived in.  For instance, it shows us that Michael lived in the projects in the poor side of town of Memphis, Tennessee.  At the same time, this LS scene establishes the sadness, isolation, and loneliness that Michael feels within him.  This scene is then followed by a Medium Shot, in which the audience is now able to see the pain inflicted on Michael face. Like, Professor Ramirez-Berg mention, the MS is important because it gives us the visual information of Michael’s character as it narrows the center of interest on him.

         

Another great example of shot progressing within the film, is the scene in which Sean and Leigh Anne Touhy see Michael walking in the rain on the side of the road.  In this scene the Long Shot of Michael walking all alone in the freezing rain, show the audience once more the pain, sadness, and isolation that Michael is feeling as he has no place to go or no one to turn to for help.  In this same scene, we also have several close up shots of Leigh Anne.  For example, we have a close up of Leigh Anne as she notices Michael walking alone in the freezing rain and she gets off the car to help him out.  These close up shots are important because it sets up the emotions and feelings of the character.  In Leigh Anne’s case, it show her concerned for Michael and her willingness to lend him a hand.