Shot, Reverse Shot

Recreation of the Pulp Fiction opening scene

Shot, reverse shot - a film technique where one character is shown looking at another character (often off-screen), and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character. Since the characters are shown facing opposite directions, the viewer assumes they are looking at each other.

To create the shot, reverse shot we filmed each section separately according to the order of the lines on the opening scene of the Pulp Fiction script. This means that we did not film the entirety of the master shot, close up of character one and over the shoulder shot of character two in one whole take. If we filmed all the shots in one whole take it would have worked better because it would have taken less time when editing, composing the frame and setting up the camera.

Problems we faced included differences in lighting as we filmed on two different days at different times. This problem also affected differences in hair, make-up and costume. Because we filmed on a location, which was open for other people to use before and after we filmed, it meant that the location set up and the framing would be slightly different. Despite these issues we did try our best to create an identical mise-en-scène to the one created in the first take.

The best way to create a successful shot, reverse shot would be to film the master shot entirely so that it is all in one take, then to film the second shot which would be the entire close up shot of character one. The last thing you need to film would be all the footage for the over the shoulder shot of character two. By filming the shot, reverse shot like this you would save time when editing because there would be less clips to sort out and you would also be more flexible with your shots; this is because if you do not like the over the shoulder shot, for example, you still have the entire scene filmed as a close up of character one that you could use in your sequence instead. Shot, reverse shot typically provides continuity in conversation with characters filmed at eye-level. It is also meant to immerse audiences in the dialog (and thus the story).