The title of the film ‘Paradox’ fades in with a white-coloured serif font against a black background. The old-fashioned fade transition and serif font suit the old-fashioned connotations that come with a mental care institute. An eerie non-diegetic soundtrack accompanies the title, along with some dripping in a hollow room, suggesting the story takes place in a trapped environment.

The introduction to the protagonist positions the audience on the same level of knowledge of the situation as him. This is emphasised from starting off with a close-up then the camera craning outwards to provide more puzzle pieces to the narrative. They use a low angle shot to emphasise how far down he is, shown through his muscle shadows.

As the camera cranes outwards, it stops once another figures arm emerges in the bottom corner, allowing the audience to understand where the camera is focusing at in the next shot. The low angle shot continues for the next character, however with the mystery of not knowing who he is, he appears superior and intimidating.

Using a shallow focus and (presumably) a tripod for the camera, the cameraman has created a shot where the clarity of the protagonist’s features become sharper, making a bigger impact on the audience from the facial expression. These shots create tension and suspense, while providing the sense that the situation is closer to a solution.

The contrast between the two prime locations make the twist even more impacting, the low lighting and gloomy appearance of the well juxtaposed with the white gowns and sunny estate.

Paradox (2014)