UCA TECHNIQUES FLASHCARDS
How is a nonlinear narrative used? – UCA lacks a coherent plot, emphasising fragmented
scenes.
How do the intertitles lean into the nonlinear narrative? – They show illogical timings
How is vignetting used? – Suggestive of a dreamscape and establish our role as the viewer
How is double exposure used? – Layers the images and creates ghostly, surreal effects
How is a fade used? – When the man is carried out the frame, suggesting the film is ending
when it isn’t
What is the impact of this fade? – Subverts our understanding of film conventions
What is the impact of POV shots? – Creates a feeling of voyeurism, evoking an uncomfortable
feeling
How is framing used? – Traditional framing is used, but it juxtaposes the visuals as it is typical,
whilst the visuals are abnormal
How are props used? – They are used to create a sense of displacement and absurdity. Props
like dead donkeys on pianos add to the grotesque surrealism
How are chords used? – The repeating descending and ascending minor chords maintain the
audience’s interest and mirrors the chaotic feeling of the film
How is the score used in the assault scene? – Swooping strings that crescendo is used,
creating a jarring clash as it feels like romantic music that contrasts the threat in the scene
What is the effect of translucent blinds? – Makes the scene look ghostly and creates an
ominous atmosphere
How is costuming used? – Enhances the illogical nature as it remains the same throughout the
film despite the intertitles mentioning jumps in time
How is discontinuity editing used? – Abrupt jumps in time and place. Characters’ positions
change without explanation
What is the impact of the match-cut of the man and eye? – Makes the scene feel even more
jarring, with the clash of nature vs violence
What does the match-cut in the opening sequence symbolise? – The disruption of peaceful
perception
What is the effect of the extreme close-up of the eye in the opening sequence? – Shocks the
audience and forces them to confront the grotesque
What is the pacing like in the opening sequence? – Slow and methodical
What impact does the pacing have on the audience? – Lulls us into a false sense of security,
making the eye slit more shocking
What is the score like in the opening sequence? – Calm and romantic
What is the impact of the score in the opening sequence? – Creates a jarring contrast,
heightening the sense of unease.
How does the score lean into surrealist conventions? – It mocks the traditional use of music in
film by deliberately clashing with the visual content
How is chiaroscuro used in the opening sequence? – It accentuates Buñuel’s expressions and
adds to the eery atmosphere
What does Buñuel’s character do before slitting the eye? – Stares into the camera
What is the impact of this? – Challenges the viewer’s passive role and makes them feel
complicit in the disturbing act
What is the effect of the extreme close-up of the palm in the ants scene? – Draws attention to
the grotesque, making the image intimate and uncomfortable.
What is the impact on the audience of this shot? – Heightens the visceral reaction
What is the effect of the abrupt cuts in the ants scene? – Disrupts any sense of linearity and
mirrors the illogical progression of dreams.
How was the ants scene filmed? – Real ants crawling on a fake hand
What is the impact of how the ants scene was filmed? – Makes the surreal concept
disturbingly believable
How is a visual contrast created? – The hand remains perfectly still while ants move
chaotically
What is the impact of the visual contrast? – Adds a sense of unnaturalness
How does the ants scene symbolise corruption? – Hands are associated with action, however,
the ants emerging from the palm may imply a loss of agency, as if the character cannot
control their own impulses
How is a nonlinear narrative used? – UCA lacks a coherent plot, emphasising fragmented
scenes.
How do the intertitles lean into the nonlinear narrative? – They show illogical timings
How is vignetting used? – Suggestive of a dreamscape and establish our role as the viewer
How is double exposure used? – Layers the images and creates ghostly, surreal effects
How is a fade used? – When the man is carried out the frame, suggesting the film is ending
when it isn’t
What is the impact of this fade? – Subverts our understanding of film conventions
What is the impact of POV shots? – Creates a feeling of voyeurism, evoking an uncomfortable
feeling
How is framing used? – Traditional framing is used, but it juxtaposes the visuals as it is typical,
whilst the visuals are abnormal
How are props used? – They are used to create a sense of displacement and absurdity. Props
like dead donkeys on pianos add to the grotesque surrealism
How are chords used? – The repeating descending and ascending minor chords maintain the
audience’s interest and mirrors the chaotic feeling of the film
How is the score used in the assault scene? – Swooping strings that crescendo is used,
creating a jarring clash as it feels like romantic music that contrasts the threat in the scene
What is the effect of translucent blinds? – Makes the scene look ghostly and creates an
ominous atmosphere
How is costuming used? – Enhances the illogical nature as it remains the same throughout the
film despite the intertitles mentioning jumps in time
How is discontinuity editing used? – Abrupt jumps in time and place. Characters’ positions
change without explanation
What is the impact of the match-cut of the man and eye? – Makes the scene feel even more
jarring, with the clash of nature vs violence
What does the match-cut in the opening sequence symbolise? – The disruption of peaceful
perception
What is the effect of the extreme close-up of the eye in the opening sequence? – Shocks the
audience and forces them to confront the grotesque
What is the pacing like in the opening sequence? – Slow and methodical
What impact does the pacing have on the audience? – Lulls us into a false sense of security,
making the eye slit more shocking
What is the score like in the opening sequence? – Calm and romantic
What is the impact of the score in the opening sequence? – Creates a jarring contrast,
heightening the sense of unease.
How does the score lean into surrealist conventions? – It mocks the traditional use of music in
film by deliberately clashing with the visual content
How is chiaroscuro used in the opening sequence? – It accentuates Buñuel’s expressions and
adds to the eery atmosphere
What does Buñuel’s character do before slitting the eye? – Stares into the camera
What is the impact of this? – Challenges the viewer’s passive role and makes them feel
complicit in the disturbing act
What is the effect of the extreme close-up of the palm in the ants scene? – Draws attention to
the grotesque, making the image intimate and uncomfortable.
What is the impact on the audience of this shot? – Heightens the visceral reaction
What is the effect of the abrupt cuts in the ants scene? – Disrupts any sense of linearity and
mirrors the illogical progression of dreams.
How was the ants scene filmed? – Real ants crawling on a fake hand
What is the impact of how the ants scene was filmed? – Makes the surreal concept
disturbingly believable
How is a visual contrast created? – The hand remains perfectly still while ants move
chaotically
What is the impact of the visual contrast? – Adds a sense of unnaturalness
How does the ants scene symbolise corruption? – Hands are associated with action, however,
the ants emerging from the palm may imply a loss of agency, as if the character cannot
control their own impulses
