#6 Scene Shot Analysis

A prime example of the traditional shot progression (Long to Middle to Close-up) is seen in the opening scene of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

For the orientation long shot we are shown a caravan of sorts proceeding through what looks like the American Badlands. This shot serves to actually disorient us; we have very little information about what this caravan is, or really where it is. It gives us only vague landscapes that we can guess at without much hope of validation. This creates an air of mystery, a desire within us as audience to pursue this story further and see if we cannot find some answers.

After a spell, the middle shot becomes dominant and we are allotted some general information. We now see that the caravan is made up of boy scouts on an expedition. We end up following two of them into some nearby caves where they find a figure wearing the fashionable hat of our title star. Ah! It seems that the boys have stumbled upon our favorite Jones in midst of a dig. However, at the last moments of the shot, our Indy lifts his head to examine a find and lo and behold it is not Harrison Ford. The purpose of this sequence of middle shots was to give us enough information to make a false assumption, which deepens the previously establish mysticism as we then ask the prompted question. Well, if that’s not Dr. Jones then where is he?

This important detail is answered in the very next shot. As the camera fixes on one of the two boy scouts that ventured down this cave, the other begins to address him as “Indy”. Oh, that’s where he is…that’s odd; we think to ourselves as we study this close up of a teenage boy scout. Indy has lost weight…and age. O_o

Now we can piece this all together. What we are witnessing is an account of Indiana Jones’ early years. This realization is all the more enthralling because we as the audience had to come to this understanding by way of clever shot progression. The effect would not be near as engaging if the scene would have began with a close up of this boy and a title labeling him “Indiana Jones – age 16 (or so).” Clever shot progression is an art that, when done well, can make for classic Hollywood gold.

Screen shots from:

http://damianarlyn.blogspot.com/2007/08/day-17-indiana-jones-and-last-crusade.html