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Filming Techniques in the Movie Cool Runnings

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In the film "Cool Runnings" directed by Jon Turteltaub, in the second to last scene Turteltaub uses four key techniques to show how the Jamaican bobsled team have learnt to be proud of themselves and their country. In this scene we see the teammates arguing about how they are changing into something they’re not, and are copying other peoples styles. We see them overcome this and start remembering who they are and why they have come to the Olympics. The next day they are seen coming into the race track singing their Jamaican song and we notice that they have all changed their mood and are now very positive about who they are. Their race goes extremely well and are very quickly moved up the leaderboard. The scene ends with a voice over of the commentator saying, “Watch out world, the Jamaicans is coming!”. This scene reinforces how the team is proud of who they are and their country (which they battled with throughout the film) by using the following four techniques, music, symbols, cross cutting and motif. The director, Jon Turteltaub, uses the technique of music. Numerous songs are played throughout the film, but in this scene there is only one that is obvious to us. "Countryly" by Hans Zimmer, is played after the team resolves their problem of changing and then again after they finish the race. The music comes in very soft and all you can hear is the slow piano in the background, this sets a mood of happiness and hope, it gives us the feeling that something good is about to happen. While the team is arguing the mood is tense and uncomfortable, but when the music is played it all changes the gentle tempo of the music coming in reflects the lifting of the mood in the scene and leaves the audience feeling relieved. The music is later played after they finish their race in record time, Turteltaub uses the music to emphasize the heroic moment and how the boys have become champions for their country. When the music is played after they finish the race it makes the team look more heroic and more champion like. Seeing themselves as champions make them realise they work better as a team when they keep in mind who they are and where they’re from. This brings in the theme of being proud of yourself an

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