LOVEFIELD by Mathieu Ratthe

The feature opens with a series of extreme long shots, showing the far landscape and emptiness of this field reinforcing size and being alone, establishing location . dissolve cuts are used to signify a transition in time and specific place again adding to the fact no -one is around. The cinematography has a cold dull tone and is carried through in the titles colour scheme of silver and grey. the pace of editing is slow and ambiance of the crops is heard in the background, on top of this non diagetic sound is added to bring in what will become a dramatic piece of music adding tension and mystery of the extract. The director has used symbolic signifiers and iconography to lure the audience in to a state of UN-ease and shock, this ideology is soon converted into a completely different look and mood a convention the director creates through symbolism and then turns the meaning of each subject.
the first symbolic signifier the audience see is the black crow which connotes death and tragedy, the squawk of the bird acts as a sound bridge in the film bringing each shot in with continuity and a good flow. as the camera tracks back raveling objects that denote a incident depth of field is used to focus on specific parts such as the mobile phone which is indexical to the lack of communication the victim has again reinforced by diagetic sound of the phone ringing constantly, as this scene progresses only diagetic sound of the woman screaming is heard as the continuous tracking shot frames a close up of her hands grabbing the straw and her feet moving in a struggle, the realistic diagetic sound adds to the verilisimilitude of the scene and creates a higher level of tension. the music comes to crescendo and the foot is centralised (not moving) then suddenly a second crescendo is parallel to the hand slamming a knife in the ground. the audience are convinced a murder or assault has taken place the iconography and the way the extract is shot , not revealing the face of the victims, reflects this view. however the pace builds as the man who is stereotypically dressed in a hill billy attire runs to the black car as he opens the boot, by going to the boot again links him to murder and as he holds a black bag it reinforces the attitude that he is a criminal and the protagonist of the film, jump cuts are used between the man and the crow as it hits the roof of the car this has no non diagetic sound and gives the impression that we as the audience are the crow looking in powerless to this mans actions.
finally the scene is at a fast pace music is loud and violins play at a high pitch iconic to the thriller genre adding to the tension of the scene when suddenly all sound comes to a climax and a baby's cry is heard, as the baby is moved into the frame diagetic sound of there laughter is heard and the tone of the scene changes from cold grey to a warm orange reflecting the change in mood and meaning of the film, the pace becomes slow and parallel peaceful music is added, the film ends in a long shot revealing a tractor as the police arrive showing the true mans identity and the true films narrative.

key point
the best thing about this film is how the director has taken iconography and sybolic subjects and used them to create a tense opening which is then turned on its head to reavel a happy ending. this could be done the other way!