DISTRICT 9 TECHNIQUE FLASHCARDS
When are low angles used? – Of alien looking at Wikus as he begs for help, Wikus talking to gang
leader above him, Christopher being beaten up by Koobus
What is the impact of low angles? – Shows power dynamic, shows powerlessness
When are high angles used? – As the baby alien looks at Wikus nicely, Wikus talking to the gang
leader
What is the impact of high angles? – Evokes sympathy, shows shift in power dynamic
When are close-up shots used? – Wikus as he phones his wife, Wikus as he and Christopher begin
planning the mission, Koobus when he says 'I love watching you prawns die', Wikus’s
expressionless face as he is driven away
What is the impact of the close-up shots? – Shows vulnerability, shows his intense beliefs in his
racist ideologies, shows his numbness and evoking sympathy for him
When are POV shots used? – blurry shot as Wikus cuts up the cake before throwing up and
collapsing, Christopher as Wikus begs him to fix him, of the gunmen going into the house with
rapid tracking shots
What is the impact of the POV shots? – Creates a sense of danger, shows desperation, creates a
sense of unease
When are shot-reverse-shots used? – Close-up between Wikus and Smit at the surprise party,
Christopher seeing dead aliens vs Wikus wanting to leave, between Wikus and the gang leader
What is the impact of the shot-reverse-shots? – Feels very tense, shows conflicting ideologies
How are rapid tracking shots used? – As they drive and are being shot at making it feel chaotic
How are rapid cuts used? – In the fast-food restaurant creating a feeling of chaos
How is slow motion used? – As Koobus enters the ship and takes Wikus which feels very dramatic
How is montage editing used? – Of the capture making it feel more cinematic
How are squealing noises used? – When the black stuff comes out his nose which feels very
intense
How is looming music used? – When we find out that Tania's call is being listened in on making it
feel very sinister
How is cacophony used? – Of sounds when they invade MNU of shouting + alarms making it feel
very chaotic
How is non-diegetic noise used? – Loud noise quietens when the gang finds Wikus enhancing the
intensity
When is muffled sound used? – When Wikus takes his nails off, Wikus cutting the cake before
throwing up
What is the impact of the muffled sound? – Feels out-of-body, feels very chaotic
When is a sad score used? – When Wikus finds comfort in the alien slums, when Wikus realises
that he is one of the aliens, when we see that the mission has failed, and the ship is wrecked
What is the impact of the sad score? – Shows how his old life is now fully left behind, creates
hopeless feeling
How are behaviours used? – Wikus eating cat food showing how he is fully shifting into an alien
When is colouring used? – Purple colouring of the sunset when Wikus tries to call his wife, Wikus’
clothing colours match the slums, orange lighting as Wikus cries by himself
What is the impact of the colouring? – Feels romantic, shows how Wikus belongs in slums, feels
vulnerable
How is positioning used? – When Christopher shouts at Wikus, he is backed into a corner showing
his terror
How are shadows used to show identity? – Wikus is silhouetted as he looks up at the UFO showing
how he lacks identity beyond his transformation
When are close-ups used in opening scene? – When Wikus says that they engage with aliens
What is the impact of the close-ups? – Highlights importance of that sentence
How are manual zoom-ins used? – When Wikus talks to the camera making it feel like a
documentary
How are handheld shots used? – During the meeting and interviews making it feel immersive
How are pan shots used? – Wikus interacting with different people mirroring his panicked nature
How are back shots used? – Helicopters flying towards the Mother Ship showing its extremely large
size
How are canted angles used? – As the camera flies towards the Mother Ship making it feel
unbalanced
When are cuts used? – Ariel shot of the slums, Fundiswa in a prison, Wikus leading the operation,
Koobus angry when Wikus says military are not in charge
What is the impact of the cuts? – Shows its bad conditions, draws inferences, constructs character
, When are montage edits used? – Of Civilians discussing their opinions on aliens, the actions of
aliens and news clips
What is the impact of the montage edits? – Creates a chaotic feeling whilst providing information
How are L-cuts used? – Found footage when people are describing the visual which drives the
narrative
When is diegetic sound used? – As Wikus adjusts microphone, noises from ‘found footage’, Koobus
hits cameraman
What is the impact of diegetic sound? – Feels chaotic, maintains our attention, constructs
character
When is silence used? – When man says that people wanted D9 to be moved, when Piet Smit
announces that Wikus is the leader of the mission, when Piet reveals that Wikus is his son-in-law
What is the impact of silence? – Changes tone of narrative, shows people’s unhappiness, feels
ominous
How are repeating notes used? – As they talk about the mission of bringing the aliens to earth
which feels urgent
How is a looming score used? – At the first shot of the Mother Ship which highlights its importance
How is cacophony used? – People shouting getting into trucks, engine noises, repeating notes
which feels chaotic
How are behaviours used? – Wikus talks a lot which juxtaposes the mission and conveys a sense of
insecurity
How is documentary imagery used? – Enhances authenticity and credibility of the subject matter
How is lighting used? – We can only see the aliens with torch lights making them feel unsafe
When is positioning used? – Shot of new camp behind barbed wire, civilian being interviewed with
alien in the back
What is the impact of the positioning? – Links back to concentration camps, presents them as
lesser beings
How is imagery used? – Of death and destruction associated with the aliens making us trust the
MNU more when they treat the aliens badly, separation between humans and aliens which draws a
link to WWII and the apartheid
How are colours used? – Fundiswa dressed in an orange jumpsuit in a room of white walls
symbolises a prison
When are handheld cameras used in entering D9 scene? – Trent (cameraman) reacts when the
alien jumps out at them, follows army when they go into houses, when the army start attacking
the aliens
What is the impact of the handheld cameras? – Feels immersive, feels intense as we can’t see
what’s happening
When are tracking shots used? – As the trucks drive into D9, of helicopters, Christopher
rummaging through rubbish
What is the impact of tracking shots? – Makes it feel very chaotic, highlights their importance
When are close-up shots? – Wikus + Thomas + Fundiswa in the truck, of Fundiswa as Wikus
explains their plan
What is the impact of tracking shots? – Shows their vulnerability, shows his unease
When are panning shots used? – As Wikus throws the aliens cat food, downwards as soldiers walk
away and there’s blood on the floor, Wikus and alien as he tries to get him to sign, when the baby
alien chucks lollipop back at Wikus
What is the impact of panning shots? – Makes it feel domestic, shows how they are the culprits,
feels very uncomfortable due to his happy nature, feels comical
When are low angles used? – Of aliens seeing helicopters above them, the kid talking about
destruction of weapons with the Mother Ship above him
What is the impact of the low angles? – Creates a sense of invasion, portrays the aliens as the
culprits
When are aerial shots used? – Of the helicopter driving over the slums, the trucks driving in in a
set formation
What is the impact of the aerial shots? – Makes it feel inescapable, feels very militaristic
When are long shots used? – As the trucks drive into D9, of the alien dead on the floor
What is the impact of the long shots? – Removes responsibility
How are over-the-shoulder shots used? – Of snipers in the helicopters gives their POV which feels
immersive
How are shot-reverse-shots used? – Between Wikus and the gang leader shows their separation
How are two-shots used? – Of the aliens showing how they are working together
When are cuts used? – As they drive into D9, gunshots, from Trent's camera to CCTV footage,
between the helicopter POV and Wikus
When are low angles used? – Of alien looking at Wikus as he begs for help, Wikus talking to gang
leader above him, Christopher being beaten up by Koobus
What is the impact of low angles? – Shows power dynamic, shows powerlessness
When are high angles used? – As the baby alien looks at Wikus nicely, Wikus talking to the gang
leader
What is the impact of high angles? – Evokes sympathy, shows shift in power dynamic
When are close-up shots used? – Wikus as he phones his wife, Wikus as he and Christopher begin
planning the mission, Koobus when he says 'I love watching you prawns die', Wikus’s
expressionless face as he is driven away
What is the impact of the close-up shots? – Shows vulnerability, shows his intense beliefs in his
racist ideologies, shows his numbness and evoking sympathy for him
When are POV shots used? – blurry shot as Wikus cuts up the cake before throwing up and
collapsing, Christopher as Wikus begs him to fix him, of the gunmen going into the house with
rapid tracking shots
What is the impact of the POV shots? – Creates a sense of danger, shows desperation, creates a
sense of unease
When are shot-reverse-shots used? – Close-up between Wikus and Smit at the surprise party,
Christopher seeing dead aliens vs Wikus wanting to leave, between Wikus and the gang leader
What is the impact of the shot-reverse-shots? – Feels very tense, shows conflicting ideologies
How are rapid tracking shots used? – As they drive and are being shot at making it feel chaotic
How are rapid cuts used? – In the fast-food restaurant creating a feeling of chaos
How is slow motion used? – As Koobus enters the ship and takes Wikus which feels very dramatic
How is montage editing used? – Of the capture making it feel more cinematic
How are squealing noises used? – When the black stuff comes out his nose which feels very
intense
How is looming music used? – When we find out that Tania's call is being listened in on making it
feel very sinister
How is cacophony used? – Of sounds when they invade MNU of shouting + alarms making it feel
very chaotic
How is non-diegetic noise used? – Loud noise quietens when the gang finds Wikus enhancing the
intensity
When is muffled sound used? – When Wikus takes his nails off, Wikus cutting the cake before
throwing up
What is the impact of the muffled sound? – Feels out-of-body, feels very chaotic
When is a sad score used? – When Wikus finds comfort in the alien slums, when Wikus realises
that he is one of the aliens, when we see that the mission has failed, and the ship is wrecked
What is the impact of the sad score? – Shows how his old life is now fully left behind, creates
hopeless feeling
How are behaviours used? – Wikus eating cat food showing how he is fully shifting into an alien
When is colouring used? – Purple colouring of the sunset when Wikus tries to call his wife, Wikus’
clothing colours match the slums, orange lighting as Wikus cries by himself
What is the impact of the colouring? – Feels romantic, shows how Wikus belongs in slums, feels
vulnerable
How is positioning used? – When Christopher shouts at Wikus, he is backed into a corner showing
his terror
How are shadows used to show identity? – Wikus is silhouetted as he looks up at the UFO showing
how he lacks identity beyond his transformation
When are close-ups used in opening scene? – When Wikus says that they engage with aliens
What is the impact of the close-ups? – Highlights importance of that sentence
How are manual zoom-ins used? – When Wikus talks to the camera making it feel like a
documentary
How are handheld shots used? – During the meeting and interviews making it feel immersive
How are pan shots used? – Wikus interacting with different people mirroring his panicked nature
How are back shots used? – Helicopters flying towards the Mother Ship showing its extremely large
size
How are canted angles used? – As the camera flies towards the Mother Ship making it feel
unbalanced
When are cuts used? – Ariel shot of the slums, Fundiswa in a prison, Wikus leading the operation,
Koobus angry when Wikus says military are not in charge
What is the impact of the cuts? – Shows its bad conditions, draws inferences, constructs character
, When are montage edits used? – Of Civilians discussing their opinions on aliens, the actions of
aliens and news clips
What is the impact of the montage edits? – Creates a chaotic feeling whilst providing information
How are L-cuts used? – Found footage when people are describing the visual which drives the
narrative
When is diegetic sound used? – As Wikus adjusts microphone, noises from ‘found footage’, Koobus
hits cameraman
What is the impact of diegetic sound? – Feels chaotic, maintains our attention, constructs
character
When is silence used? – When man says that people wanted D9 to be moved, when Piet Smit
announces that Wikus is the leader of the mission, when Piet reveals that Wikus is his son-in-law
What is the impact of silence? – Changes tone of narrative, shows people’s unhappiness, feels
ominous
How are repeating notes used? – As they talk about the mission of bringing the aliens to earth
which feels urgent
How is a looming score used? – At the first shot of the Mother Ship which highlights its importance
How is cacophony used? – People shouting getting into trucks, engine noises, repeating notes
which feels chaotic
How are behaviours used? – Wikus talks a lot which juxtaposes the mission and conveys a sense of
insecurity
How is documentary imagery used? – Enhances authenticity and credibility of the subject matter
How is lighting used? – We can only see the aliens with torch lights making them feel unsafe
When is positioning used? – Shot of new camp behind barbed wire, civilian being interviewed with
alien in the back
What is the impact of the positioning? – Links back to concentration camps, presents them as
lesser beings
How is imagery used? – Of death and destruction associated with the aliens making us trust the
MNU more when they treat the aliens badly, separation between humans and aliens which draws a
link to WWII and the apartheid
How are colours used? – Fundiswa dressed in an orange jumpsuit in a room of white walls
symbolises a prison
When are handheld cameras used in entering D9 scene? – Trent (cameraman) reacts when the
alien jumps out at them, follows army when they go into houses, when the army start attacking
the aliens
What is the impact of the handheld cameras? – Feels immersive, feels intense as we can’t see
what’s happening
When are tracking shots used? – As the trucks drive into D9, of helicopters, Christopher
rummaging through rubbish
What is the impact of tracking shots? – Makes it feel very chaotic, highlights their importance
When are close-up shots? – Wikus + Thomas + Fundiswa in the truck, of Fundiswa as Wikus
explains their plan
What is the impact of tracking shots? – Shows their vulnerability, shows his unease
When are panning shots used? – As Wikus throws the aliens cat food, downwards as soldiers walk
away and there’s blood on the floor, Wikus and alien as he tries to get him to sign, when the baby
alien chucks lollipop back at Wikus
What is the impact of panning shots? – Makes it feel domestic, shows how they are the culprits,
feels very uncomfortable due to his happy nature, feels comical
When are low angles used? – Of aliens seeing helicopters above them, the kid talking about
destruction of weapons with the Mother Ship above him
What is the impact of the low angles? – Creates a sense of invasion, portrays the aliens as the
culprits
When are aerial shots used? – Of the helicopter driving over the slums, the trucks driving in in a
set formation
What is the impact of the aerial shots? – Makes it feel inescapable, feels very militaristic
When are long shots used? – As the trucks drive into D9, of the alien dead on the floor
What is the impact of the long shots? – Removes responsibility
How are over-the-shoulder shots used? – Of snipers in the helicopters gives their POV which feels
immersive
How are shot-reverse-shots used? – Between Wikus and the gang leader shows their separation
How are two-shots used? – Of the aliens showing how they are working together
When are cuts used? – As they drive into D9, gunshots, from Trent's camera to CCTV footage,
between the helicopter POV and Wikus
