Week 25.50 - Socials Roundup
08 Dec - 14 Dec Month 2025: Split Diopters, Winged Angels, Stark Staircases, TV Reflections, and Match Cuts
Week 25.50 posts include shots from Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing & Charm School (2005); Merlin (2008-2012); Drunken Angel (1948); Pluribus (2025-current); and All that Heaven Allows (1955).
All that Heaven Allows
In this scene, characters moving a prop and operator(s) moving the camera coincide to frame Cary (Jane Wyman) in the TV screen as the bow blocks her daughter Kay out.
All That Heaven Allows uses reds and blues throughout to depict character emotions; this distinct, accompanying colour shift from warm red to cold blue as Cary sees her reflection and recognizes her isolation is beautiful and unsubtle!
Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing & Charm School
This scene where John Goodman sits in prison telling his story to Danny DeVito (neither of whom are credited on the film’s IMDB page) starts with a standard two-shot, showing them behind bars and as far away from each other as their tiny cell allows.
Then, their single shots have them isolated, clean, with neither infringing on the others’ frame.
Finally, for the maximum impact, a split diopter effect, to show they’ve moved close together, despite still being physically as distant as they were.
Pluribus
In episode 1.03 “Grenade” all it takes is a neat bit of framing and editing for Carol (Rhea Seehorn) to turn water into vodka.
The scene clearly shows Carol considering taking her medication with tap water, before she begins pouring out the water in a medium shot.
The shot switches angles 90° to a medium shot, with the stream of water in the same place on screen, but then Carol moves the bottle and glass into shot, showing how during the cut she’s moved to the bar.
She then uses the booze to swallow the pills; it’s a nice touch that she’s also changed from a green glass to a clear one.
Merlin
Merlin pulls a portentous move with Morgana (Katie McGrath) in 4.13 “The Sword in the Stone - Part 2’ when she moves directly in front of a tapestry to create the picture of a dark, avenging angel.
Drunken Angel
This simple, low-angle, stillframe shot makes us feel Sanada’s exhaustion at the heat and the hugeness of his task — his white suit pops against the blacks and greys, making him stand out, looking small and tired climbing steep steps towards an open, boundless sky.