Boxing has been a popular form of entertainment for people for decades. Two boxers compete with skill, endurance and strength to win. In most cases, there is an underdog or boxer who is predicted as one who will lose. The greatest wins come from the story of the underdog who overcame obstacles and adversity to win. The Fighter is the story of the American dream where everyone can dream and with hard work they can be the underdog who comes out on top. This is the story of Micky and his hard work to overcame obstacles to become a successful boxer. In the movie The Fighter, different elements of cinematography such as speed and shot types are used to show the emotions and feelings that Micky and the people close to him face through his tough journey …show more content…
Shot types “refer to the implied distance between the camera lens and the subject being photographed” (Barsam & Monahan, 2016, p. 236). Many different shots are used in a scene to show the audience a different view and convey different emotions. During the scene when Micky is fighting Shea Neary for the World Boxing Union welterweight title, many different shots are used to show the intensity and action of the fight. A medium shot is used multiple times showing the Micky and Shea from the waist up. This shot is used as it is “most frequently used type of shot because it replicates our human experience of proximity without intimacy” (Barsam & Monahan, 2016, p.238). Another shot that was used during the fight was a close-up shot. This type of shot “pays very close attention to the subject, whether it is an object or a person, but most often used in close-ups of actors faces” (Barsam & Monahan, 2016, p. 238). A close up is used to show the emotions in Micky’s face as he taking different punches to show the pain and agony he is enduring. There is also a close-up of Micky and Dicky at the end of the fight when Micky and Dicky heads are touching that shows the audience how close of a bond they have and how much this moment meant to them both.
As previously discussed, it is important for filmmakers to utilize elements such as speed, location, and camera angle to enhance the characters and help the audience to relate to the movie. With these elements, the viewer can connect to the characters feeling and emotions. As it is in this movie, the audience easily finds themselves cheering Micky on as he overcomes the obstacles in his