The Hunger Games films are one of the most renown dystopian action franchises in the business, and there is some debate about which of the movies is the best. In my opinion, it is the second film, Catching Fire. Catching Fire takes place directly after the original, so we all have a pretty solid understanding of what the movie will be about, but the filmmakers did an amazing job making it full of twists, action, and excitement.
I captured this screen grab (Figure 1) of what I believe is a very important action scene in this movie. What exactly is being shown on screen at the point I decided to take the picture is Katniss Everdeen aiming her bow and arrow at Finnick Odair- who’s reaction was not to run or attack her, but instead flashes a gold bracelet which Katniss then realizes that identifies him as an ally of hers. Important to note on the characters is the chemistry between Finnick and Katniss before the games began. Katniss did not want to be allies with him because he is portrayed as a very cocky, arrogant, attractive, white guy that seemingly taunts her at the pre-game’s events.
The photo is taken shortly the games officially begin, where there were a lot of action shots following the tributes swimming and running towards the cornucopia, where all of the weapons and supplies were placed. This included a scene right before she turned her aim to Finnick, where Katniss was able to grab the bow and arrow and fire a shot into another tributes’ knee, sending him into the water. The camerawork and editing in this scene are very action-like, with the camera moving and shaking along with the movement of Katniss running, the pan from her aiming at one tribute to another, and especially the shot of her aiming at Finnick- where our POV is right behind her, so we see exactly what she sees. Directly after this photo, Finnick tells Katniss to “duck” as the camera changes angles to show Finnick throwing his trident right over Katniss, directly into another tributes’ chest. That specific scene shows the shock and realization from Katniss that Finnick really is her ally, which ends up being very important for the rest of Catching Fire, and the following films Mockingjay Part 1 and 2. What I really like about this filming in this movie is how seamless the camera work is, making it seem natural and like you are in the setting, not just watching a performance on a movie set.
In filmmaking and producing one of the most important things is obviously how it visually appeals to an audience, what impact and connection it has to make the viewers experience it better. That goes for location, costumes, time, lighting and colour, etc. Research on the topic shows how these kinds of elements are important for grabbing attention to what is on the screen. A study done by Emmanuel Zelinjo Ekhato of 400 people find that most viewers really do notice these visual elements and appreciate them in film, as they make the story more interesting and easier to follow (Ekhato 2024). Ekhato also explains that style and setting of a film can really help viewers connect with the plot, and he recommends that directors and producers should keep trying to find creative ways to keep their attention, especially in a modern age where there are so many options with all the technology, “The directors and producers should top up their games with innovative idea to survive this current age of digitalization,” (Ekhato 2024).
In another journal, we can find some similar claims about the importance of the filmmakers’ role and setting choices. This study done by Teddy Thaddeus Hanmakyugh discusses how the setting can apply to creating the aesthetic, tone, and mood of a film, and also talks about the importance of certain types of shots. When talking about the impact of different shots in film, Hanmakyugh discusses viewpoints and how making them seem natural is important for the viewers “All these shots engage and affect the viewers in several ways as deem fit by the film director. When people walk around, their viewpoints and what they see is constantly changing in a similar way we experience change of shots on the screen when watching a movie,” (Hanmakyugh 2023).
Overall, the filming of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is a very good representation of great production and film work. The directors and producers used very fitting techniques, editing, mood setting, and aesthetic for the type of dystopian action film they were going for. They had done their job so well that according to Box Office Mojo, it has the 35th highest domestic lifetime gross earnings of any film at $424,668,047, which is the highest of any of the five films in the franchise.
Box Office Mojo. “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” 2013 https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt1951264/?ref_=bo_se_r_2
Ekhato, Emmanuel Zelinjo. “Stylistics and Setting Mise En Scène in Television: Examining Their Impact on Audience Aesthetic Appreciation.” Emmanuel Zelinjo | NIGERIAN JOURNAL OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES (NJAH), 2024. https://www.nigerianjournalsonline.com/index.php/NJAH/article/view/4831.
Hanmakyugh, Teddy Thaddeus. “THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CAMERA SHOTS: A DETERMINANT FOR AUDIENCE PERCEPTION OF FILM IMAGES.” AMA: Journal of Theatre and Cultural Studies 14, no. 1 (2023).
Berea
Hi Riley,
I thought you did a very thorough assessment of your chosen scene from Catching Fire. I thought you articulated your opinion very well and described what was happening in the film where you took your screen grab. In your first paragraph, you went into great detail on your film leading your readers to understand your scene best.
Although I believe you included more information than needed, you did a good job of identifying the different POVs and camera movements. You stated you were not able to see obvious editing and the camera work was seamless. I do think you could have expanded much more on how the mise en scene of your screen grab was used towards the purpose of the scene. For example, you could have pointed out how the colours contributed to what the filmmakers wanted the audience to feel and see. Also in your concluding paragraph, you spoke about how Catching Fire was a representation of great production and how producers used several different film techniques, however, you did not mention these techniques in your body paragraphs. For example, you did not write about mood-setting aesthetics or the type of film that the filmmakers were trying to portray.
Overall I enjoyed reading through your assessment and thought you had some great points.