Lucky for me, someone has already uploaded the scene I wanted to analyze onto Youtube, so you can watch the scene here:
1. Analysis of the camera work:
The scene begins with Dennis looking up at the city government building. He looks tiny compared to the building, and I believe that is intentional since he is just one man within the very populated city of Baltimore. The scene bounces around to Dennis at different windows for different permits, talking to the various people he needs to talk to in order to get his boxing gym set up. The scene is fast and there are a lot of cuts between the different people he has to talk to. Even without sound it is clear that Dennis is becoming overwhelmed and the process to set up a gym in Baltimore is completed and involves a lot of red tape. I also love how you can tell that Dennis barely says a word in this scene, since he’s just trying to absorb all of the information that is being thrown at him. The scene also has a lot of shadows going on and I think that could just emphasize how unfamiliar this process is to Dennis and how he feels like he’s in dark on how to get a gym set up.
2. Analysis of the audio track:
When I don’t watch the video and just listen, the scene just sounds like a bunch of codes for health and safety and district codes and all the regulations that Dennis has to meet. It sounds like a lot of details to tackle by yourself and it sounds like it will take forever for Dennis to set up his gym. All of the government employees voices are pretty monotone as well which just further enhances this idea that all of the bureaucratic elements that are part of trying to open up a business is tedious and monotonous.
3. Putting it all together:
When I watch the scene normally, I feel for Dennis because he seems like he is in way over his head when it comes to setting up his boxing gym. He looks bored and confused by the government employees, and I noticed that the government employees don’t even bother explaining the various regulations and requirement to him, but instead just keep droning on about what he must have in his boxing gym in order for it to be legal. From Dennis’ body language and from how quickly the scene is paced and how many different employees he ends up having to see, I believe the that the intention of the scene is to show viewers that Dennis is confused and overwhelmed and really needs some help with setting up the gym even though he wants to be able to do it on his own.
