Scene Analysis: The Story of the Apartment

Question 1

Cinematography;
1. Camera is stationary
2. Warm colour palette slowly progresses to cool
3. Wide shot
4. Camera positioned in one corner of the room
5. wide angle lens and deep focus

Answer 1

1. Shows how only the people change, but the apartment stays the same. Each person thinks they’ll do better than the last, but they won’t
2. Shows the shift in management
3. Shows how it is a small apartment
4. Voyeuristic
5. adds an exaggerated perspective to the room

Question 2

Sound:
1. Contrapuntal sound
2. Non diegetic boom with music as Lil Ze is introduced
3. Limited music

Answer 2

1. Relaxing non diegetic music as people are being killed
2. Shows the impact of his physical presence and his violence
3. Heavily reliant on narration

Question 3

Mise en scene:
1. Golden glow at the start, eventually turns to a blue glow
2. Starts with a warm and homely atmosphere
3. Each owner is younger than the previous
4. Paint coming off the walls
5. Less furniture as time progresses
6. Lil Ze wears much brighter clothes than everyone else

Answer 3

1. Golden glow shows how the selling of drugs at the start was for a noble reason (to raise her kids), the blue glow in the present day shows how drug dealing is now just for making money
2. Pink walls and yellow hue, shows how it used to be a caring home
3. Show how the youth are turning to a life of crime to survive
4. Suggests isolation and lack of care. All they care about are the drugs, not the environment they’re in
5. Becomes more messy and dirty
6. Shows how he sees himself as more important than everyone else

Question 4

Editing:
1. Fades
2. Body fades away
3. Shaky camera when Lil Ze enters the apartment
4. Stationary camera

Answer 4

1. Shows the passing of time and when there is a change of ownership
2. Shows how quickly death is forgotten
3. Shows his chaos and destruction
4. Suggests we might be watching from someone else’s perspective

Question 5

Performance:
1. Female dealer
2. Mulvey’s male gaze theory
3. Lil Ze naturally arrogant and confident
4. Everyone is on edge around Lil Ze
5. Characters walking into darkness when they are no longer owner of the apartment

Answer 5

1. Used by boys to advance the drug operation, disposed of quickly as she isn’t a threat
2. Could indicated the objectified way women are treated in the City of God
3. Mirrors when the police are at the door. Conveys Lil Ze’s dominance
4. Conveys how they are no longer the leader of the City of God